Tucked inside Bahrain’s oil heartland, Awali Golf Club holds a unique place in Gulf golf history. Established in 1937, it’s the oldest desert golf course in the Gulf, with its roots going back even earlier.

Informal tournaments were already being played in the early 1930s, but the demand from Bapco’s growing international workforce led to a full 18-hole layout and the club’s official founding in ‘37.

Awali Golf Club Bahrain (Image by David Cannon / Getty Images)

What makes Awali stand out isn’t just its age or location. It’s the surface.

There’s no grass on this layout, as the entire course is made of sand. But what about the greens? Nope. Awali has “browns,” carefully moulded putting surfaces made from fine sand treated with a mix of diesel and motor oil. This mix helps keep the sand firm and smooth, though they still have to be relaid every week.

Each brown also has a dedicated “sweeper” to rake and smooth the brown after every group. It’s old-school, manual golf course maintenance.

Awali Golf Club Bahrain (Image supplied)

The tee boxes are artificial turf mats mounted on concrete plinths. Fairways are made of locally sourced sand, compacted and cleaned of rocks. Their edges are marked with either a thin cement line or a sand-and-crude-oil mixture. It’s a setup that mirrors the club’s desert surroundings and its origins within the oil industry, but also a commitment to sustainability and making the most of the local environment.

Awali’s influence spread beyond Bahrain. It was the first of its kind in the region, and similar sand courses were later built by oil companies in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Awali Golf Club Bahrain (Image supplied)

It’s home to the Bahrain Open Championship, the first Open tournament in the Middle East, which began in 1964 for men and in 1988 for women. While the setup may be unconventional for some golfers, the competition is anything but.

Bahrain’s Awali Golf Club is a living example of how golf can adapt and thrive in challenging conditions and where the game of golf continues on in one of the most unlikely settings.

Key Holes

Awali Golf Club Bahrain (Image supplied)

7th HOLE
Par 4 – 474 yards

The 7th at Awali is a long par-4 with danger on the approach. Favour a tee shot slightly left to stay clear of the right fairway bunkers. Big hitters can go for the green with a long iron or fairway wood, but most should lay up around 100 yards short. Penalty areas guard both sides of the green, and anything short tends to kick right. Shallow bunkers behind and right add more trouble near the green.

14th HOLE
Par 3 – 133 yards

The 14th is a 133-yard par 3 from an elevated tee, usually affected by wind—especially a southerly. If you’re not into the wind or can’t generate backspin, land the ball just over the front ridge and let it run on. Bunkers surround the green, and the rough left and right is thick. A shot into the oil pipes behind the green gets a free drop in the designated rough zone.

18th HOLE
Par 5 – 489 yards

A straight par 5 finishing hole, usually into the wind. Most tee shots won’t reach the fairway bunker, so aim at it or just right. Watch for O/B down the right. Your second shot, likely a fairway wood, should be aimed at the green but beware the right-side bunker on approach. The green is guarded by a long bunker right and a steep drop-off behind. If pitching from near the road, check the flag before playing.

Main Image: David Cannon/Getty Images

This article was featured in the July 2025 issue of Golf Digest Middle East. Click here for a digital issue of the full magazine

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This month, we shine the spotlight on Mimi Rhodes, who’s quietly turning heads in her rookie season on the Ladies European Tour. With three individual wins already in her first full season, the results are saying plenty on their own.

We also sit down with Jonas Mårtensson, the mind behind Minecraft and now the man in charge of Cleeks GC in LIV Golf. He’s aiming to shake up the sport’s old guard and build what he calls the “Yankees of golf”. From gaming to green jackets, his story is as unconventional as it is ambitious.

Retail takes centre stage too, as Peter Millar partners with eGolf Megastore to elevate golf shopping across the Middle East. We speak to the people leading the move to find out what this means for local golfers.

Our course spotlight travels from the English countryside to the heart of the Gulf. First, Centurion Club — a modern championship layout just outside London that’s hosted big names and bold events. Then, to Bahrain, where Awali Golf Club has been rewriting the desert playbook since 1937. Built by oilmen, maintained by passion, and built completely of sand.

Also this month: Blake Griffin brings his dry wit from the court to the course, Patrick Cantlay shares a tempo tip you’ll actually use, and we take a look inside Nick Taylor’s bag. Plus, a rare peek into Michael Jordan’s ultra-private Grove XXIII, and why becoming an Emirates Golf Federation member could be the best golf decision you make this summer.

All this and plenty more in the August 2025 edition of Golf Digest Middle East.

The issue is again free to our loyal audience. You can scroll through the ISSUU link provided here or download it to your favourite device for later. Alternatively, pick up a copy at your favourite golf club. Whatever option you take, we hope you enjoy the read.

The post Get your FREE 2025 August edition of Golf Digest Middle East here! appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

The Kanoo Cup, which began in 1966, remains one of Awali Golf Club’s most significant events. Founded in 1937, Awali is the oldest desert golf course in the Gulf.

Awali Golf Club, Bahrain

Early photo of Awali Golf Club, Bahrain

Sitting at the heart of Bapco’s oil refining operations, the first recorded tournaments had taken place in the early 1930s. Originally designed as a nine-hole course, the growing workforce in the surrounding area at the time led to the development of a full 18-hole course by 1937. That year marked the official opening, and it remains the date the club regards as its establishment.

To this day it hosts events such as the Bahrain Open Championship, the Middle East’s first Open competition, which began in 1964 for men and 1988 for women.

Awali Golf Course is made entirely of sand.

Awali Golf Club’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its innovative course management. Instead of traditional greens, the club has created “browns” by compacting treated sand, providing players with an excellent putting surface. The course’s fairways are also equipped with artificial grass mats, ensuring a consistent and environmentally friendly golfing experience.

Awali Golf Club, Bahrain

Back to the Kanoo Cup! Kern’s round began modestly, with a front nine score of 42 shots. But he steadied the ship on the back nine, birdieing the 10th hole, dropping shots on the 11th and 12th, but then finishing strong with six consecutive pars. His Gross score of 78 and Net 63 was enough to take home the coveted Kanoo Cup trophy.

In the Gross division, Nasser Yaqoob Saleh was the standout performer, with five birdies and just one bogey. His Gross score of 66 gave him a seven-shot victory from his nearest competitor.

 

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More of the day’s winners included Rashed Ahmed Al Kaabi with a Net score of 69 in Division One, Adel Ali Al Fayyadh’s Net 65 in Division Two, and Abdullah Al Hasan, also with a Net 65, winning Division Three.

The prize-giving ceremony was held in the clubhouse, where Yusuf Ali Kanoo, alongside his uncle Ahmed Abdullah Kanoo, Stephen Wagstaff, Tournament Director Rashed Al Qutami, and Club Captain Steve Newall, presented the prizes.

Lynn St. Lawrence – Awali Golf Club

The event also marked a bittersweet farewell to Lynn St. Lawrence, who is relocating to Australia. As a longtime member of Awali Golf Club, Lynn has served in various roles on the club’s committees, contributing immensely to its development. Her dedication and passion for the club will be sorely missed, as everyone at the club and its members wish her all the best in this new chapter.

Images: Awali Golf Club, Bahrain

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