An enduring admiration: Exploring the deep connection between the iconic Emirates Golf Club and a Khaleej Times writer

As the home of the HERO Dubai Desert Classic celebrates 35 glorious years it stirs up nostalgic memories of how the venue sparked Dubai's rise as the region's sports capital

By Leslie Wilson Jr.

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emirates-golf-club.jpgThe Emirates Golf Club was established in 1988. - Khaleej Times file
emirates-golf-club.jpgThe Emirates Golf Club was established in 1988. - Khaleej Times file

Published: Tue 10 Sep 2024, 5:00 PM

When I first arrived in the UAE in the early 1990s, to work as a Sports Reporter, one of the first places I visited was the Emirates Golf Club where the Hero Dubai Desert Classic (then Dubai Desert Classic) was being held.

Nothing could have prepared me for that day. Northing. I was completely taken aback by what I saw. As my fourth-generation Toyota Cressida taxi dropped me off at the venue I was confronted by the imposing clubhouse. My jaw dropped. I was instantly struck by the sheer grandeur and majesty of the architectural tent-like structures standing in front of me guarding the historic golf course - the first all-grass championship golf course in the Middle East which opened in 1988.


Styled like traditional Bedouin tents, it was unlike anything I had ever seen before in my life (only years later the Dubai Creek Golf Club, Burj Al Al Arab, Burj Khalifa and Atlantis would rival that experience).

Rory McIlroy won the DP World Tour's Hero Dubai Desert Classic for a record-setting four times. - Khaleej Times File
Rory McIlroy won the DP World Tour's Hero Dubai Desert Classic for a record-setting four times. - Khaleej Times File

The stunning clubhouse, which housed fine-dining restaurants, a pro shop, a gym and state-of-the-art dressing rooms, stood heroically on an elevated piece of land as if inviting admiration for its architectural brilliance.

Even today, 32 years later, I still pause to admire the structure that remains one of the most iconic golf clubhouses in the world, and my all-time favourite.

The architecture was so remarkable that the clubhouse did not require revamping or renovation. It is fully equipped with a Royal Majlis, The Pavilion, Royal Majlis Garden, Pool Terrace, Pro Shop, Player’s Lounge, and Spike Bar.

Every year I return to the Emirates Golf Club, I’m still in awe of the unique structure of the clubhouse, a constant reminder of how it serves as a poignant bridge between modern Dubai and its traditional Middle Eastern roots.

The EGC sits just off Sheikh Zayed Road, the main artery that joins the Emirates and runs parallel to the golf course - Photo Instagram
The EGC sits just off Sheikh Zayed Road, the main artery that joins the Emirates and runs parallel to the golf course - Photo Instagram

On that landmark day, I arrived somewhat nervous, but excited, at what might be. I collected my media badge from the purpose-built Media Tent, close by and headed to a vantage point from where I could see the ninth and history-landed 18th green which has been witness to both unrivalled joy and equal heartache.

The year was 1992 when the mercurial Spaniard Seve Ballesteros defeated Northern Ireland’s Ronan Rafferty in a pulsating play-off to become only the third man to receive the giant Coffee Pot trophy from Sheikh Butti Al Maktoum.

That year, I was there purely as a spectator to watch some of the game greats take on the intimidating Karl Litten-designed golf course, an ocean of pristine Bermuda grass which seemed that every single blade was manicured with the professionalism of a hair stylist’s texturizing scissors.

The Majlis course at the Emirates Golf Club was the first 18-hole grass course in the Middle East.- Photo X
The Majlis course at the Emirates Golf Club was the first 18-hole grass course in the Middle East.- Photo X

I realized I had fallen in love with the golf course, the clubhouse, the game, Dubai, and my profession, which would soon take me on a whirlwind journey, around the world.

Of course, it wasn’t my first experience with golf. I had covered the sport back in my native India, reporting on tournaments at the historic Royal Calcutta Golf Club—one of the world’s oldest—along with Delhi Golf Club, Madras Gymkhana Club, the scenic Gulmarg Golf Club in Kashmir, and naturally, Bangalore Golf Club in my hometown.

But the Emirates Golf Club gave me an entirely different kind of thrill—it felt surreal, and I loved every moment. My first big break as a golf writer in Dubai came when I had the chance to cover the 1994 Dubai Desert Classic, where the towering figure of Ernie Els claimed victory.

Not only did 'The Big Easy' conquer a star-studded field, but he also set a course record with an electrifying 11-under 61 in the first round, on his way to securing his first DP World tour win. That course record still stands, and Ernie returned to win the tournament again in 2002 and 2005.

The Desert Classic holds so many unforgettable memories for me as I witnessed Major champions like Fred Couples (1995), José Maria Olazábal (1998), Mark O’Meara (2004), Tiger Woods (2006, 08), Rory McIlroy (2009, 15), Henrik Stenson (2007), Danny Willett (2016), Sergio Garcia (2017) and Bryson DeChambeau (2019) triumph in subsequent years.

Whoever claimed that journalism is unlike any other profession deserves a monument instituted in their memory.

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