Jumeirah Golf Estates will upgrade its Fire course, with changes that are expected to make it more challenging, the development’s general manager, Yousuf Kazim, has told Arabian Business.
The upgrade will see Fire alternate hosting of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, the season finale event of the Race To Dubai, with current host course Earth.
The neighbouring courses are both within Jumeirah Golf Estates in southern Dubai.
Kazim said the company had signed an agreement with European Tour to host the annual finale at the two courses until at least 2017.
“We’ll make changes to [Fire to] make it more challenging, in line with what the Earth golf course is today,” Kazim said.
“Fire is easier [than Earth] and doesn’t require strategy … it’s not a tournament course.”
Kazim said the upgrade also would add value to the residences overlooking the Fire course.
On Sunday, Jumeirah Golf Estates launched the latest phase of the master development, Redwood, which includes 75 three- and four-bedroom townhouses and 42 five- and six-bedroom villas.
Kazim said both visitors and local players – the club has about 900 members – were attracted to the Earth course because of its reputation for hosting the DP World Tour Championship finale since 2009 and that would now also extend to Fire.
About 60,000 people attended the tournament last year, he said.
The upgrade also comes as Dubai developer Damac announced its second golf course in the emirate, with both now under construction.
Kazim said he was confident each of the dozen golf courses in the emirate could survive.
“Each individual golf course has its own features to provide,” he said.
“An 18-hole golf course anyone can build, but what other advantages will you add? How many of those golf courses have professional championships?”
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