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Jumeirah Golf Estates |
Inspired by the natural elements of Fire, Earth, Wind and Water, Jumeirah Golf Estates draws on the remarkable talents of some of the game's most famous names: Greg Norman, the 'Great White Shark'; former world number one Vijay Singh; European Ryder Cup hero Sergio Garcia; and "the father of modern course design", the legendary Pete Dye.
The courses will be surrounded by individually designed residential communities which bring a new sense of luxury and space to Dubai.
The Race to Dubai and The Dubai World Championship
Such is the appeal of the development's four magnificent courses, that from 2009 The European Tour will come to a thrilling climax at The Dubai World Championship, a US$10,000,000 prize-fund tournament hosted at Jumeirah Golf Estates. To be held annually, the tournament will be open to the players numbered 1- 60 on The Race to Dubai - formally The European Tour Order of Merit - with players also being given the opportunity to compete for an additional US$10,000,000 bonus fund.
The new home of The European Tour
From 2009, Dubai will become The European Tour's International Headquarters, with the organisation based at and operated from a purpose-built facility within Jumeirah Golf Estates.
Fire
Designed by golf legend Greg Norman, Fire will be the first of The Great White Shark's two Eco-Signature courses at Jumeirah Golf Estates - and his first anywhere in the world. Designed to exist in harmony with the natural desert landscape, Fire will no doubt prove a tough and, needless to say, fiery challenge for golfers of all abilities.
Fire's tees have been placed to provide variety, with length, direction and elevation constantly changing throughout the course. The use of existing natural features and topography will allow for a unique perspective from each tee, increasing both interest and challenge. While generous landing areas seemingly invite safety, strong bunkering has been carefully placed to catch wayward strokes, forcing players to concentrate carefully on tee shot placement.
Greens will stress the importance of positioning. Going directly at the flag may not always be the best option, as most putting surfaces will be slightly elevated with protective bunkering and tightly mown areas to challenge errant approach shots.
Earth
The second of Greg Norman's two Eco-Signature courses, Earth, is inspired by the great parkland courses of Europe and North America. Incorporating lush, garden-like vegetation and traditional fast-flowing Water features, Earth's design will enhance the already picturesque landscape and offer panoramic vistas of the entire course.
Earth will use bunker placement and myriad trees to guide players, while at the same time protecting the ideal line. Broad, rolling fairways will be broken on several holes by often meandering and sometimes daunting Water features, strategically positioned to capture shots that stray from the fairways and greens.
Water
Vijay Singh, a true golfing phenomenon, is behind the design of Water. The course will Wind through naturally vegetated dune troughs, following ribbons of wetland. The dunes themselves will be vegetated with native salt-tolerant tall grasses and sedges, for a natural look, and oasis and pond areas will be fringed with palm trees. This approach is unique in Dubai, and will result in a challenging, traditional course that is dramatic in both appearance and feel.
A variety of teeing options allows for a wide range of course lengths, from 7,500 yards down to less than 5,000. Greens are open in the front, but pin placements are closely guarded. The many hazards - many of which are, naturally, water hazards - have been strategically placed to challenge longer hitters, while allowing shorter hitters a little more space.
Wind
In January 2007, Jumeirah Golf Estates announced a world first in golf course design, with the news that Sergio Garcia, Greg Norman and Pete Dye - one of giants of golf course design - would join forces to create Wind.
Wind takes golf back to its most elemental roots, with a traditional course in which the power and energy of the Wind plays a core role.
The course is characterised by undulating fairways, thick rough, pot bunkers - and of course, the swirling patterns of the Wind - in a design reminiscent of where golf started. And Wind at Jumeirah Golf Estates brings all of those elements to Dubai for the first time.
With a varied range of teeing options Wind promises to pose a unique challenge to golfers of every skill level. Tight fairways cushioned between rolling dunes allow little room for error, with approach shots to well-protected sloping greens ensuring that precision is the key to unlocking the vast rewards of this course.