Dubai Desert Classic course set for makeover

STAR NAME: Golf legend Tom Watson will be playing in this week's Dubai Desert Classic.

Emirates Golf Club is to “modernise” its flagship Majlis Course, home of the Dubai Desert Classic, and aims to have the upgrade work complete next year, it has been announced.

London-based golf course architecture practice, Thomson Perrett and Lobb, which was founded by five times British Open Champion Peter Thomson, confirmed that they are currently carrying out an audit of the course’s bunkering as part of a programme to upgrade the course for professional events.

The course currently hosts the Dubai Desert Classic and Dubai Ladies Masters.

Rod Bogg, special advisor to owners Dubai Golf, and who oversaw construction of Emirates Golf Club 22 years ago, said: “Our bunkers are out of date and, due to modern equipment, out of play.

"Some of the players are hitting the ball 60 or 70 yards past the fairway bunkers during the Dubai Desert Classic. While that is only one week of the year, we need to ensure that the course remains the enjoyable challenge that it is for professionals and amateurs all year round.”

When it opened in 1988 the 7,301-yard, par-72 layout was the first grass golf course in the Middle East and last year it was ranked among the Top 100 golf courses outside America by Golf Digest magazine.

“We are not redesigning the course and not adding additional bunkers to the course, but we are looking at relocating, reshaping and reconstructing the bunkers we do have to bring the course up to the highest modern standards, as well as making some improvements to the aesthetics of the course,” added Bogg.

The new look course is due to be ready for the Dubai Desert Classic in 2011.

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