Tiger's Dubai Desert Project, Al Ruwaya, and first NLE - Part 2

I remember the copy on Tiger's original design web site.  He said he wanted to create amazing golf courses - it has since been edited.  The hole pictured (Golf Digest pictures) above is a par 5 with 6! tees.  I can imagine it is very windy at times and that might be reason for extra tees, but I doubt it.  The 2nd & 5th tees are totally superfluous - who are those for?  Some of the best holes and courses in the world have just 2 sets of tees.  On to playability:  The first shot should stay left of the fairway bunkers - but doesn't look like it matters - because the 2nd shot will just find the fairway too with little advantage for attacking the green - the angles are too narrow.  The bunker in front of the green may be a nice touch and give the few people in the world who can reach the green in two some concern.  Everyone else will try to hit the fairway twice then the middle of the green.  This hole is not memorable - nice - but certainly not memorable - I wouldn't call it amazing, unless spending more money on a golf hole than any other on the planet is part of the criteria.  They do get a point for not making lacey edged bunkers that are so in vogue these days - they are clearly Fazio bunkers though - using one of their shapers is my guess.


The previous hole, a par 4, looks like store brand vanilla ice cream. A tee shot between two bunkers to an angled green.  That's it.

I'll guess the grass is Paspalum - a warm season grass that does well in high salt environments. The water comes from a desalination plant - this lush vegetation requires a LOT of water. Golf courses do best - look and play - when they blend into the native environment. The course isn't fighting nature and it looks like it fits.



I have one last picture to describe for tomorrow.