Famous Names : A Price To Pay

Affordable golf to come to the UAE? Now there’s a question that makes your eyebrows raise!

There has been much talk of further huge expansion within the UAE golf market, with signature courses being signed up every other month, the greats of the modern day era all putting their stamp on this wonderfully developing golfing oasis.

But what really can the domiciled golfing public of the UAE have to look forward to? “Only time will tell” I hear you say, but lets look at the facts. Rapid population growth, a buoyant economy, a booming real estate sector.

What a perfect playground for the avid golf course designer. Let’s face it, golf courses help sell real estate. A signature to a golf course helps market the development. With rapid inflation meaning increasing costs and the multi-million dollar price tag of the signature, one thing is for sure, we won’t be seeing golf get any cheaper in the foreseeable future.

It’s not all doom and gloom however, we can expect to see an array of fantastic golf courses sprinkling themselves all over the UAE map and as with any other boom industry, eventually supply will outgrow demand and prices will get more competitive.

Let’s hope we all stick around long enough to find out but in the meantime – let’s suck it up, try out these courses when we can and more importantly – enjoy the golf!

Talking of affordable golf, biased as I may be, Nad Al Sheba Golf Club has been really mixing it up on the “affordable golf stakes” this past 12 months and has made the other courses sit up and take notice.

The release of well timed, flexible promotions and offers at those hours which may be “less than desirable” for most, can only be good for the game and to assist in the development of the “Dubai golfing pie”. In the Dubai era of high occupancies and high yields, it’s easy to get carried away with the quick easy buck.

It’s essential that all the clubs don’t lose sight of the fact that if our core market – the Dubai resident – is out- priced and we fail to accommodate them, then the pie will cease to grow.

Jules’ Gem - Tip Of The Week
OK – so this one’s a shameless advert! Continuing today’s theme of good value golf – try out Nad Al Sheba’s Dh99 for nine holes golf promotion any night from 8.30pm to 10pm. Now tell me you can’t find good value out there!