Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club
Hole-by-Hole Guide
Hole 1
Not an easy start! A long and straight drive is required if you wish to have a clear view of the green with your second shot. A sandy waste on the right and two bunkers on the left make the opening tee shot quite a test. The green is well protected too, with sand left and right, and the undulating green demands accurate club selection if you hope to have a realistic chance for a birdie.
Hole 2
And you thought the opening tee shot was tough? From the back tee this is possibly the most difficult tee shot on the course, with only a relatively small area of fairway to aim at from the tee. Water is ‘everywhere’ left, however two sand traps down the right side are an incentive not to play too safe. If you have found the rolling fairway, then the second shot must be struck solidly to cross the lake that has swept in from the left side. You have to be positive here to get through this hole with your scorecard unscathed!
Hole 3
The overhead drawing of this hole makes it look relatively straightforward, with the yardage belying its difficulty. No water to deal with, but some deep bunkers down the left side of the fairway and again around the green ensure that only well struck shots will be rewarded. If you do miss the green with your approach, be prepared for a testing chip/pitches the putting surface falls away drastically at the backhand sides.
Hole 4
The only par 5 on the front nine should offer a good birdie chance for the longer hitters. However if the prevailing wind is blowing with any strength, then this hole will be no pushover. Favour the left side of the fairway to ensure you avoid the bunkers down the right side, but take care with your second and third shots here as this hole features a very narrow green and a huge bunker down the left side that will devour any slight mis-hits.
Hole 5
The first of the par 3s and it is a beauty. Not overly long, but dependant on the pin location, a par may be hard to achieve. The Creek lurks ominously at the back of the green, but don’t be fooled - to reach the putting surface you must take enough club to carry the large sand trap eating into the front left of the green. Have a close look at the pin location here, because if you hit your ball to the wrong part of the green, you will do well to take only two putts!
Hole 6
The feature hole on the front nine. The gents medal and regular play tees are located on a ‘floating’ tee, some ten metres out into the Creek. You really do feel isolated out there as you prepare to strike your ball back on to the mainland. Look out too for the three level water feature down the left side, which will usually have to be crossed with the approach shot unless you are playing conservatively. A gorgeous hole that requires a confident mind and relaxed swing.
Hole 7
The longest par 4 on the golf course. The prevailing wind should be helping but if not, it will require two mighty hits to reach the green in regulation figures from the back tees. A gentle dogleg, those that can draw the ball right to left will have the advantage here. Water is lurking down the left for a mis-hit second shot, however it is not really in play and sand is likely to be the result for most loose approaches.
Hole 8
The longest par 3 on the course from the back tees. A huge expanse of water protects the green and the pin location should dictate your strategy. Only the bravest player will be trying to get close if the flag is in the back left portion of the green. Middle of the putting surface is a good play here. Try to make your par and move on!
Hole 9
No water here, but the ninth is one of my favourite holes. It should not play overly long, but a well-positioned tee shot is critical. A soft fade down the left will avoid the bunkers down the right side and give you a clear view for the slightly uphill approach shot. The green has two levels and if you put your ball in the wrong area of the putting surface, your first putt will be a real challenge. Accurate club selection on this hole is a must.
Hole 10
The longer hitter may try to get home in two shots here if the wind is favourable and they find the left centre of the fairway with their tee shot. There is water all the way down the right side of this hole and plenty of sand too around the front of the green. Most will try to lay up with their second shot to leave a mid to short iron approach. A strong par 5 this one.
Hole 11
Two fairly deep bunkers placed strategically on the left side of the fairway at driving distance, make this left to right dog-leg a hole that should favour a left to right ball flight from the tee. An ‘island’ of trees located in the sandy waste area short and right of the green will make the approach from the sandy waste area very difficult, so try to keep your tee shot as far left as possible. Be careful around the green too, as there are some sharp run-off areas and an imaginative short game may be needed if you miss the green.
Hole 12
A very long and testing hole. There is no water, not much sand, but 453 yards of relatively straight golf hole to be covered and we still have it graded as stroke index one. There is a slight incline up to the putting surface, so take enough club with your approach shot. You will need two well-struck shots here to make a regulation par.
Hole 13
A favourite par 5 on the course. A well struck tee shot will get over the rise in the fairway and reward you with potentially another 30 - 40 yards of roll. From there the decision is do you have a go at the green? What is not apparent from the fairway is that the green is an island only accessible from a walk-bridge positioned on the left side of the green. Laying up may be a better option for those who are comfortable with their wedges, but no doubt many of the longer hitters will be tempted. To me this is a great example of risk and reward, and this is what makes it such a great hole.
Hole 14
A tricky par 3. Water lurks at the front and right side, so any sort of tail on your ball flight is likely to result in a watery grave. This hole is usually played into the wind, so make sure you have enough club in your hand before you play. A bailout left is likely to find one of three small, but relatively deep bunkers. A potential ‘disaster hole’ that will ruin many scorecards.
Hole 15
A fairly gentle hole this one, that moves softly from left to right. No water and only a little sand to contend with but nevertheless it requires concentration and respect to get your par here, with the undulating green offering many different challenges. Keep your drive down the left side to ensure a clear view of the green and a level stance for your approach.
Hole 16
The last of the par 3s. A very undulating green awaits at the end of this hole, which is usually played in a cross-wind. Most players come up short here, so again choose enough club to reach your intended target. If the wind is blowing, aim right and allow for the wind to coax the ball back on target. Again, no water to worry about so commit to your shot!
Hole 17
This is perhaps the start of the finest two consecutive finishing holes ever played. The 17th is not overly long, but the salty Creek is only a few feet off the fairway on the left side and there is no real space to play safe to with the driver up the right side. For the big hitters, a long iron towards the bunker on the right is a sensible play. From there, a mid to short iron will be required to find the slightly elevated green, but don’t pull your approach left as a large bunker awaits and beyond that the watery doom of the Creek. A beautiful hole.
Hole 18
When the wind is blowing, this is probably the hardest hole on the course. From the tee you have the Creek on the left, a large water hazard on the right and bunkers to contend with. If you manage to find the fairway with your tee-shot, you then have to carry another expanse of water with your second if you are to find the green in two shots. Wonderful final holes that will always guarantee an exciting finish to your round.
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