DP World Tour Championship – The lowdown on Jumeirah Golf Estates

AS the top 60 players on the European Tour roll into Dubai to compete for the season- ending DP World Tour Championship and the Race to Dubai Bonus Pool, they will be met by a truly world- class golf course that has steadily matured into one of the finest in the region.
The Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates was designed by two-time Open Champion Greg Norman and opened for play in 2009 – the year it first hosted the European Tour’s grand finale.

Although it measures a whopping 7,675 yards from the Championship tees, the wide fairways and large putting surfaces make course management just as important as length off the tee.There are no fewer than 102 bunkers waiting to catch errant shots while the undulating greens can result in tricky putts if a ball should catch the wrong slope.

Water plays a big part throughout the course and the three closing holes all feature dangerous water hazards, culminating in a meandering wadi which runs up the full length of the 18th hole.