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Mark your calendar: Ultimate Golf Challenge returns for epic Season 3 in March 2026
The new season expands to four rounds, adds a new venue, and features 160 golfers, both male and female, competing across Dubai’s premier courses
- PUBLISHED: Tue 9 Sept 2025, 12:43 PM
The wait is over. The Ultimate Golf Challenge (UGC), the UAE’s most exciting, franchise-based team competition, is back for its much-anticipated Season 3, promising to be bigger, better, and even more competitive.
Following two blockbuster seasons that drew a mix of golfers and fans from across the Emirates, the UGC has established itself as a pathbreaker in the regional golf scene. Season 1 crowned the Tristar Gladiators as inaugural champions, while Season 2 saw the Noble Legacy Masters lift the trophy after a thrilling finale, setting the stage for an epic showdown in 2026.
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Season 3 will once again feature 10 powerhouse franchises featuring some of the best male and female social golfers from across the UAE. The player roster has been expanded to 160 overall, with 16 players per team – a significant increase from the previous two editions, which featured 140 players and 14 per team.
Registration officially opens on 1 October 2025, with excitement building towards the high-stakes Player Auction on Friday, 5 December 2025 at 6:00 PM at The Pavilion, Emirates Golf Club, where rosters are built and rivalries begin.
Kunal Seth, Commissioner of the Ultimate Golf Challenge, said: "I am thrilled to officially announce the return of the Ultimate Golf Challenge for Season 3. Over the past two seasons, UGC has established itself as a truly unique and exciting franchise-based golf competition, bringing together the very best amateur talent from across the UAE.
“This coming season, we are building on that success, with new venues, more players for a celebration of social golf like never before,” he added.
“The new season promises to raise the bar even higher, and we can’t wait to tee off at the stunning Saadiyat Beach Golf Club,” said Seth. “Designed by Jack Nicklaus, it’s the Arabian Gulf’s first beachfront golf course and offers a spectacular start to the new UGC season.”
Key Dates – UGC Season 3
Registration Opens – 1 October 2025
Player Auction – Friday, 5 December 2025, 6:00 PM @ The Pavilion, Emirates Golf Club
Tournament Rounds:
Round 1 – Thursday, 5 February 2026 @ Saadiyat Golf Club
Round 2 – Thursday, 26 February 2026 @ Earth Course, Jumeirah Golf Estates
Round 3 – Thursday, 2 April 2026 @ Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club
Round 4 – Thursday, 7 May 2026 @ Faldo Course, Emirates Golf Club
Prize distribution & after-party: Thursday, 7 May 2026, 6:30 PM onwards @ The Pavilion, Emirates Golf Club
Format, Player Selection & Eligibility
Teams: 10 franchise-owned teams, Each team comprises 16 players
Player Composition & Eligibility
Each team is required to have at least 2 female players. Additional female players are encouraged to promote inclusivity, provided all meet the eligibility rules Teams may retain up to 8 players from the previous year · The remaining 6 players are selected via a player auction, across three handicap categories: low, mid, and high
Scoring System: Stableford format, Best 8 individual scores per team count towards the total
Winning Criteria · The team with the highest cumulative Stableford points across all rounds is declared the champion .