Host of three Problem Tour occasions between 2016-18, Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Hamra Golf Membership first joined the DP World Tour’s schedule in 2022, when it was given the uncommon honour of internet hosting back-to- again occasions in February because of the cancellation of the Qatar Masters resulting from Covid restrictions. First staging the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, after which having simply sufficient time to roll the greens and restore the divots for the next week’s Ras Al Khaimah Traditional, each tournaments had been nicely supported by members of the tour, with Ryder Cup hopeful Nicolai Hojgaard profitable the Championship and rising Kiwi star Ryan Fox taking the spoils within the Traditional.
My journey coincided with Al Hamra’s internet hosting of the 2023 Ras Al Khaimah Championship, which additionally attracted an honest discipline, with each Fox and Hojgaard again to defend their honours, whereas a complete host of stars, together with former Ryder Cup participant Thorbjorn Olesen and three-time main champion and former Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington, had been additionally within the beginning line-up.
During our journey we stayed within the five- star Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, which is only a drive and a pitching wedge from the golf membership, and likewise occurred to be the place the gamers had been being hosted, so it was fairly one thing to not solely be invited to attend the pre- occasion get together with all of the gamers, but additionally to take a seat down at breakfast daily and be surrounded by {golfing} greats.
Taking a courtesy buggy to the course on apply days I shared a journey with Thomas Bjorn and Padraig Harrington at separate occasions, which isn’t one thing you get to do a most tournaments! I used to be additionally fortunate sufficient to be invited to play within the Professional-Am for the occasion, and was paired with rising German star Yannik Paul, who was not solely nice enjoyable to play with but additionally a significantly good ball striker.
Our group loved a memorable spherical on Al Hamra’s wonderful course, which, as you’d anticipate for a Tour-level venue managed by Troon Golf, was offered in excellent situation. First opened in 2008, Al Hamra was designed by Peter Harradine, who’s liable for lots of the Center East’s prime tracks, together with the Nationwide Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Membership.
Situated on a largely flat swathe of land, the holes are laid out round a collection of lagoons, and as such water options closely on a lot of them, most notably both aspect of the golf green on the par-5 third. The sixth and seventh are the primary two ‘dry holes’ – a powerful par 4 and a beautiful quick gap, and these opening seven, together with 17 and 18, even have floodlights for night golf and make an ideal 9-hole loop.
A really lengthy par 5 and a maximum-distance par -4 take you to the flip earlier than the again 9 begins with a trio of very scary holes. The tenth and twelfth are in all probability the 2 hardest par 4s on the course, each with greens perilously near the lagoon, and so they sandwich a really scenic par 3 with a inexperienced that juts out into the water.
There’s some respite from the water over the subsequent 5 holes and hopefully the possibility to select up a shot or two on the cardboard. The spherical finishes with the extraordinarily intimidating par 5, the place water threatens all the way in which down the fitting aspect of the outlet to the very fringe of the triple-tiered inexperienced. It jogged my memory of a mirror picture of Pebble Seashore’s 18th, the place water is omnipresent down the left.
Sadly, regardless of our greatest efforts, our group didn’t win any prizes, however we totally loved the day. Yannik simply missed the lower in the primary event, however has since gone on to complete second in occasions in India and Thailand, and is driving excessive within the DP World Tour rankings, so fortunately his time with me didn’t hurt his future prospects!
I spent the subsequent two days transport backwards and forwards on the shuttle between the luxurious environment of the Waldorf Astoria and the golf course, watching the professionals in motion. In case you’ve not been to a event earlier than, and even when you’ve got, I’d strongly advocate coming to this occasion, as I’ve not been to at least one the place you’re in a position to get nearer to the motion or the place you’ll be able to interact with the gamers on such an intimate degree. England’s Dan Gavins received the occasion with a rating of 17 underneath, and with the lower coming at 4 underneath, it reveals simply how good these guys are.
The Waldorf Astoria was none too shabby both, with 346 spacious and splendid rooms and suites overlooking the Arabian Sea, eight fashionable eating choices, together with a buffet and seafood, steak and Japanese eating places, in addition to a pool and seaside bar. There are two massive outside swimming swimming pools and also you’re lower than a minute’s stroll away from the 350-metre non-public seaside overlooking the azure waters.
Being solely an hour’s drive north of Dubai, you may simply slip in a sport at Al Hamra and a keep on the Waldorf Astoria as a part of an prolonged journey to the UAE, however I’d strongly advise giving over a few further days to discover what this distinctive space has to supply. In addition to one other 18-hole championship course at close by Tower Hyperlinks Golf Membership, there are many memorable actions to do in ‘RAK’, as it’s recognized by Emiratis.
Amongst private highlights was a visit to the close by desert for a sundown dinner on the lovely Sonara Camp. Situated the center of the sand dunes, it had the whole lot you may ask for, together with some enjoyable actions to maintain you entertained earlier than dinner. Whether or not that be a brief
camel journey, feeding a falcon, sand boarding or stay music – it had all of it as you watched the solar go down. When the camp lit up it was time for a decadent three-course dinner, accompanied by some distinctive stay leisure together with a charming fireplace present and acrobatics. A Harvester this wasn’t.
Whereas it was an especially peaceable finish to the night time watching the solar setting over the dunes, the identical couldn’t be mentioned for the adrenaline-fuelled actions I skilled the subsequent day. About an hour’s drive away from the Waldorf Astoria sits the spectacular Jebel Jais, the best peak within the Hajar Mountain vary which gives breathtaking views proper from the very prime. It’s additionally dwelling to the world’s longest zip wire expertise, and within the bus on the way in which over, our group started to sound a bit of nervous as what lay forward of us got here into view.
The zip line, Jais Flight, measures 1.8 miles from prime to backside – or moderately aspect to aspect – hovering throughout the jagged mountain peaks and swooping by way of the deep ravines and roads under. Standing on the prime platform, it’s definitely a frightening prospect, however it’s merely an unmissable expertise. If travelling horizontally in a tangerine jumpsuit whereas strapped to face all the way down to a gurney- fashion harness at speeds of up 80mph for nearly three minutes is your concept of enjoyable, then be my visitor. It’s breathtaking in additional methods the one, however when you recover from that preliminary concern and open your eyes, the views throughout the vertiginous valleys are unimaginable, whereas the adrenalin rush is off the charts.
As soon as our coronary heart charges had settled down and our stomachs returned to someplace near the place they need to usually be, we loved an outstanding lunch at 1484 By Puro, a mountain-top restaurant named after its peak in metres above sea degree which affords extra of these majestic views and a few fabulous meals – though I gave the oyster platter a miss whereas I waited for issues to cool down within the tummy area.
As if the zipline wasn’t sufficient adrenaline for someday, after lunch was considerably digested, it was time for the ultimate exercise, the Jais Sledder. It’s successfully a bobsled on a monorail that reaches speeds of 30-40mph – though it feels a lot sooner as you’re sat so near the bottom – which hurtles you down the Hajar mountain vary on a 1.8km winding monitor. Whereas it will not be as heart- pounding because the zipline, it’s nonetheless a particular must-do in case you like seeing the whites of your knuckles as you maintain on for expensive life as your cart flies round hair-raising hairpins. And similar to the zipline, it solely takes a few minutes earlier than it’s throughout, however the recollections will stick with you for much longer.
One of many different fascinating experiences on my journey, though barely much less irritating than the excessive wire, was a go to to an area pearl farm. Situated within the outdated fishing village of Al Rams, about 20 minutes from our lodge, we boarded a conventional pearl fishing boat and headed out into the lagoon to be taught concerning the revolutionary scientific methods utilized in modern-day cultured pearl farming and find out about how Emiratis used to dive for pure pearls. We explored the Suwaidi Pearl farmhouse, which was situated on a floating pontoon, whereas our data information helped us to reap a handful of oysters and opened them to search out out whether or not there have been any Arabian pearls inside – which there have been! All informed, it was a superb few hours on the water and an great perception right into a centuries outdated enterprise that also thrives in the present day in Ras Al Khaimah.
Though it has lengthy been a preferred weekend retreat for Dubai’s stressed-out residents, ‘RAK’ appears to be like destined to draw adventurous travellers from everywhere in the world because of its distinctive mixture of pure wonders and man-made excitements each on and off the golf course. And that appears certain to be fast-tracked by the approaching opening of a brand new island off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah. As a result of open in 2026, the island shall be one big leisure and hospitality complicated operated by the Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts, that includes a 1,000-room lodge, 10 eating places, and, in accordance with newest reviews, the area’s first licensed on line casino. If that involves fruition, it actually shall be a game- changer for Ras Al Khaimah and its future on the world stage.
STAY
Rooms on the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah begin from £217 per night time. For bookings, go to hilton.com
PLAY
Al Hamra Golf Membership, Inexperienced charges from £110 for 18 holes, alhamragolf.com Tower Hyperlinks Golf Membership, Inexperienced Charges from £70 for 18 holes, towerlinks.ae
ATTRACTIONS
Take a look at all of the adventures and sights at rasalkhaimah.com
FLY
Emirates affords flights from theUK to Dubai Worldwide Airport (emirates.com). From there it’s an hour’s drive to Ras Al Khaimah
