As it used to be....

What's the putting line?

Red Ball in the Desert!

Professional Tommy Horton and his Pro Am Team

Professional Carl Mason with amateur DCC Caddy!

Lost Ball !!!

Tommy Horton's and John Morgan's Golf Workshop

Don't forget to brush the browns!

Start of Golf in Dubai

UK's Royal Air Force built UAE's first Golf Course in Sharjah in the mid 1950's. Dubai Golfers trekked their way around various creeks to get to Sharjah for their afternoon game of golf (Dubai-Sharjah Road did not open until 1971). This led to Dubai's first Golf Course being built in 1965. Dubai Petroleum Company Staff laid out two holes (later extended to nine) on land near the Al Cola Factory, off Zabeel Road in Karama. Course was over sand dunes which constantly moved. Often the "browns" would be covered in sand from an overnight Shamal. Maintenance costs were high for Dubai's 40 Golfers. A search soon began for a more suitable location.

These golfing enthusiasts built a 9 hole course in Ras Al Khor in 1969. In addition they also wanted to develop social facilities. In 1970 His Highness Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, then Ruler of Dubai, issued a Decree granting use of the Golf Course and surrounding land and establishing Dubai Country Club Ltd. DCC officially opened in January 1971 with 174 Founder Members, mainly golfers.

DCC's 9 hole Golf Course was basic! "Browns" were initially 8 feet diameter with flags but no holes! The ball was lifted as soon as it stopped on the "brown" and two putts added to the score. In 1971 Captain Ian Butcher joined DCC. Ian previously worked in East Africa where there were similar golf courses. He became DCC's "Golf Course" Member and made a major contribution to DCC's Golf Course design and development. He become an authority on construction of "browns" and sand golf courses. His advice was sought by clubs throughout the Gulf. Also in 1971 Mrs. Doreen Prince was elected the first Captain of a newly formed DCC Ladies' Section later to have over 40 active golfers with LGU handicaps.

Golf Development

DCC's Golf Course underwent many changes after 1971. In 1978 the original 9 hole course expanded to 12 holes with 20 feet diameter "browns" including R&A standard holes on the "brown". A further 6 holes added in 1979 providing Dubai's first 18 hole golf course. DCC remained "unfenced" with the golf course readily accessible to wandering camels and Bedouins driving Landrovers who regularly damaged the course. DCC eventually raised finance for a perimeter fence but this required a golf course redesign. Ian Butcher, Bill McBride and Ron Holder developed new holes using the area's natural contours. A second 9 hole course was later added to cope with the increasing number of golfers

In 1972 Gray Mackenzie and Co. Ltd (later to become MMI) supported DCC's annual golf championship with Johnnie Walker Whisky as the sponsor. This competition became an important annual event and continued until DCC closed in 2007. DCC's Annual Golf Championship was Dubai's first commercially sponsored sporting event. Past Winners include:-

1972 R. Thomson
1973 J. White
1974 J. Campbell
1975 J. Campbell
1976 J. Campbell
1977 J. Campbell
1978 J. Campbell
1979 R. Mummery
1980 R. Mummery
1981 R. Campbell
1982 R. Mummery
1983 J. Campbell
1984 J. Campbell
1985 J. Campbell
1986 R. Mummery.

Changes

Astroturf replaced "plastic water pipe tees" in 1975. Golfers now played their shots after placing their ball on a small rectangular piece of Astroturf. This simulated playing off grass and raised both the standard of DCC's Golf and interest in Golf. There were restrictions on where and how this Astroturf could be used. Fairways were delineated by wooden pegs. Only balls coming to rest on the marked fairway were played off the Astroturf otherwise the ball had to be played as it lay i.e. off the sand or wherever it came to rest. Astroturf could not be used to gain advantage. Rectangular pieces of Astroturf were eventually replaced by circular pieces of Astroturf. The rectangular shape was considered to provide unfair advantage as Golfers could use that shape to assist their shot alignment. Sabkha paths were laid along the fairways from 1975 to 1979. Golfers no longer walked through soft sand which was exhausting, particularly during summer months. DCC Golfers generally used red coloured golf balls (intended for winter use in Europe) to make them easier to spot in the sand.

Golf Clubhouse

In 1976 JOANNOU & PARASKEVAIDES LTD donated a portable Construction Site Office for use as a Golf Clubhouse. Installing and refurbishing the building was paid for by donations from Dubai Companies principally National Bank of Dubai. This new Golf Clubhouse enabled DCC's Golf Section, led by Golf Captain Andrew Millar, to organise its own events. The first Dubai Men's' Open Golf Championship was held in 1977 with entries from South Africa, Australia, England, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and the Gulf Countries. Dunlop Oil and Marine sponsored the competition providing prizes that may have been more generous than the Royal and Ancient allowed! Ali Misbah from Bahrain won both the inaugural and subsequent Championship. DCC's Open Golf Championship continued until 2007 when DCC was closed. A Ladies' Open Golf Championship established in 1980 sponsored by the National Bank of Dubai. This also attracted an international entry and continued each year until DCC closed in 2007.

The Professionals

Mike Cahil is an Australian Professional Golfer who played in DCC's 1978 Open Championship. Mike was invited back to DCC in 1979 for 3 days to play with DCC's Golfers and provide tuition. Subsequently Bob Elliot, Senior Teaching Pro at Foxhills Golf and Country Club and John Morgan a UK based Professional Golfer provided tuition until DCC appointed Mohammed Jabar as Dubai's first full time Golf Professional.

British Caledonian Lions

British Caledonian Airways was an independent airline operating internationally out of UK. BCal started their Gatwick-Dubai-Hong Kong Service in 1980. BCal Golfing Lions had been set up as part of BCal's marketing operations. The Lions comprised 12 of UK's top golfers who were flown to various BCal destinations to play with local Clubs. The Team included professionals such as Tommy Horton, Brian Barnes, Malcolm Gregson, Carl Mason, Martin Poxon, John Morgan, Ewen Murray, Roger Chapman some of whom became Ryder Cup Players and competed internationally. With Dubai now a BCal destination, DCC was able to arrange for the BCal Lions to come to Dubai to play in Pro Ams and provide tuition. The Lion's visits were shared with Golf Clubs in Abu Dhabi and Das Island and eventually with Emirates Golf Club when Dubai's first grass course opened.

Golfing for the Future

Dubai announced the building of a new grass golf course in 1986. The Project CoOrdinator talked about the new grass course in a TV interview. He ended his interview by throwing a piece of Astroturf into the desert saying "No Golfer in Dubai need ever play golf off plastic grass again". His intent was understandable but his gesture ignored the significant contribution Dubai Country Club's Sand Golf Course had made to the development of golf in Dubai. DCC's Golf Section introduced hundreds of Dubai Residents to golf enabling them to enjoy the game in an affordable way. DCC pioneered the commercialisation of Golf in Dubai with sponsored tournaments run and organised to a professional standard. Sponsors were generally local Companies with international connections who saw sponsoring a golf tournament as a way to connect with the community and gain exposure for their international clients. DCC's Sand Golf Course may have merged back into the desert but its legacy continues.

Dubai Country Club's Golf Course as it used to be in 1986

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VALENTINES TANK: 374Yards. Par 4

Watch out for the out of bounds to the left of the road and don't go fishing in front of the Brown.
BUTCHER'S BUNDS: 525 Yards Par 5

You need two good wellies and a back wind to reach so settle for down the middle and an easy par.
WEE ROGUE: 192 Yards Par 3

A tough hole. Watch the fence if you have a slice. Use your putter if you are on the left of the brown but a shovel on the right.
SPEAKER'S CORNER: 419 Yards Par 4

Two hazards: the fence for the duck hook and the nearby labour camp loudspeaker that always calls for "Ali" at the top of your back swing
LOST TREE: 490 Yards Par 5

Tough desert hole with a sneaky plateau brown. Lots of skeletons in the rough. Don't join them by cutting the corner. Where's the tree? It's not there anymore!
DUNE RIGHT: 342 Yards Par 4

It's tempting to cut the corner off he Tee but you need pinpoint accuracy. Ground drops away in front of the brown which can be tricky.
SMA'BUT BRAW: 142 Yards Par 3

Looks easy but isn't. Even pitching on the brown can lead to despair as ground slopes away into a bunker.
DRIFTING SANDS: 339 Yards Par 3

Longer than it looks! Who measured it? The tiger line is not the design.. "a ball in the rough and a six you could sign".
REST-A-WHILE: 313 Yards Par 4

Soft Sand on the left, palms on the right. Too big a second and you will go out of sight.
GAPS AND TRAPS: 385 Yards Par 4

A hook's in the rough, a slice is OB but you'll be OK if you're straight off the Tee.
CASEY'S BURN: 396 Yards Par 4

Playing into the wind with water in front make this hoe hard. Hit your second with a wish or you'll be joining the fish.
THE NARROWS: 532 Yards Par 5

Big wellies required to reach this brown. Avoid the right or be prepared for a flight.
BULL'S EYE: 153 Yards Par 3

Into the wind, choose the right club. Unlucky for some if you get caught in the traps.
CAMEL'S HUMP: 430 Yards Par 4

As stroke index one the going is tough. To gain a par here requires some really good stuff.
WOE BETIDE: 163 Yards Par 3

Over the tree and down to the brown. It's easy to say but harder to play.
POLOWAY: 357 Yards Par 4

If the fence doesn't get you, the smell of the stables will. Keep you head down the 19th is not far away.
THRON TREE: 130 Yards Par 3

Looks easy it's true but don't hit right through... otherwise you'll join the players on the next Tee.
LANG WHANG: 484 Yards Par 5

Watch out for the tree when hitting your second. It could be a thorny third. You'll get a big cheer from the gallery when you sink your putt.