Few are short but all are sweet examples of world-class golf design. Welcome to the Middle East’s best par 3s

By Kent Gray
With a defence system including (but not limited to) an old railway shed, a grand hotel, heather, a skinny green, a subterranean pot bunker and an equally uncompromising stone wall, the fearsome reputation of the ‘Road Hole’ at St. Andrews is warranted.

If you still need a refresher on why the 17th at the Old Course is the most recognisable hole in golf, search the ‘Sands of Nakajima’ and follow the endless thread. Just don’t say you weren’t forewarned, especially if you are of a nervous disposition in the sand already.

Thankfully you needn’t be a 450-yard par 4 at the Home of Golf to inspire awe.

There’s something about par 3s that trigger the golfing senses. Picture the 12th at Augusta National, the island greened 17th on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass or to the tiny (f)lick that is the ‘Postage Stamp’ at Royal Troon. How about wedging toward the pounding Atlantic Ocean that backdrops the downhill, 106-yard 7th at Pebble Beach?

In the Middle East, we’re blessed with countless examples of how a good little ‘un often beats a good big ’un. That, of course, begged this, the definitive compilation of the region’s finest short holes.

So what’s the criteria to make the cut in our list of treacherous tiddlers? It’s the same exhaustive process that determines the world’s most respected course rating system, seven categories which reward shot values, design variety, resistance to scoring, memorability, aesthetics, conditioning and ambience.

Our Top 10 Courses in the Middle East 2020 judging panel applied the same criteria to each par 3 at all the courses rated. We then tallied the scores and ranked them accordingly to compile our list from 18 to No.1. A couple of clubs feature more than once, other clubs not at all. Some selections will surprise from courses flush with memorable par 3s. It all serves to emphasise the impartiality of the system.

Without further ado, welcome to the Middle East’s best par 3s, wee wonders all. Enjoy.

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18. 16th Royal Greens Golf & Country Club
180 Yards, Stroke Index 16
Hit the ball right to left? Welcome to the warm turquoise waters of the Red Sea my friend, a place where Dustin Johnson’s title hopes momentarily took a dip with his ball in the final round of the inaugural Saudi International in 2019. Bail out right and you may still donate your sphere to Davy Jones’ Locker given how tight the green is cut to the wet stuff. Soak in the views while trying not to think about blading your chip or bunker shot.

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17. 16th Ayla Golf Club, Jordan
210 Yards, Stroke Index 14
The odds are against even low markers on this downhill, normally downwind hole to a green that slopes away to a back left bunker. Back right? Water. A pure strike is required to hold the green with the strong prevailing wind lowering ball spin. Come in too low and the ball will find its way to the back or fall into the sand. Gulp.

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16. 2nd Fire, Jumeirah Golf Estates
250 Yards, Stroke Index 17
You might be sensing a theme emerging by now and it’s not the fact Fire, like Ayla, came from the design board of Greg Norman, nor that the Shark loves a good bunker. What we are trying to say is, ball striking baby, like, you better be ripping your irons today kinda ball striking. You’ll need something stronger if you play from the tips here, something we strongly advise against. It’s easy enough to drop a shot or three without going further back than most of us travel to work nowadays.

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The pyramids are the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and a magnificent distraction at NEWGIZA.

15. 4th NEWGIZA Golf Club
187 Yards, Stroke Index 13
If you like your golf with a hearty dollop of history, put NEWGIZA on your must-play list. The signature hole at the Cairo layout – the last project of Thomson Perrett & Lobb – includes elevated views to the Great Pyramids of Giza. Breath-taking.

RELATED: Top 10 Golf Courses in the Middle East: The Class of 2020

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14. 17th The Els Club, Dubai
212 Yards, Stroke Index 15
Trust us, don’t leave it short on this beastly par-3. Don’t go long either come to think of it. Or right. And definitely not left. Gosh no. Any two putt par, one each of which will be a slippery down or side hiller, is cause for celebration. An up and down par? Well played, Seve.

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13. 16th Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club
198 Yards, Stroke Index 17
With views to the Burj Khalifa on the 5th, that big carry over water on the 8th and the equally memorable 14th, you might be surprised by the par 3 that resonated with our judges at DCGYC. But by a fraction, they plumbed for a mid-iron carry over sand to the elevated 16th and a test with the putter. The start of a magical three-hole finish that gives the ‘The Creek’ its name and your card all those big numbers.

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12. 12th Abu Dhabi Golf Club
186 Yards, Stroke Index 16
The green here isn’t tiny but boy, how magnetic is that water short? And that sand left and right. Heck, we’ve even bounced it off the boulders at the back trying to take all the other hazards out of play. Like the 7th on The National, this is another gem from Harradine Design. Which leads us too…

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11. 8th JA The Resort Golf Course
177 Yards, Stroke Index 15
Club selection is critical from the elevated tee where you are treated to lovely views over the resort’s marina and out to the Arabian Sea. With water wrapping around the left side of the green, it’s easy to find sand right and then leave your bunker escape short for fear of a thin into the H2O beyond. A seemingly simple hole where dropped shots are not uncommon.

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10. 17th Al Zorah Golf Club
224 Yards, Stroke Index 8
We’re huge fans of the short 2nd hole at Al Zorah which tests your mettle early with wetness waiting any weak or pulled (pushed for lefties) strike. We also enjoy the short 15th but for design and resistance to scoring, the 17th at the Golden Bear’s Ajman layout takes some beating. Forget par if you are short here, especially if you draw a sticky lie when the tide is out. All carry, all class from Jack Nicklaus Design.

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9. 15th Majlis, Emirates Golf Club
190 Yards, Stroke Index 14
The final par 3 on the Majlis isn’t dissimilar to the 17th at Al Zorah. This is a hole all about hitting and holding the green because anything short or left will leave a tricky desert lie to an elevated green and likely a frustrating blob on your scorecard. Beyond the green? Best left for spectating at the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.

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8. 17th Dubai Hills Golf Club
203 Yards, Stroke Index 2
Few of the holes in our selection have a single figure stroke index rating. A clear exception to that coincidence is the penultimate hole at Dubai Hills. Good players will look to draw the ball away from the water that hugs the right-hand side of this hole but even low handicappers will be frustrated by a poor strike or an untimely gust at some point. Brutal!

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7. 17th Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
147 Yards, Stroke Index 15
Framed by the white sands and the sparkling waters of the Arabian Gulf, the penultimate hole at Gary Player’s Abu Dhabi masterpiece scored well for aesthetics. It also resonated with our judges for resistance to scoring despite being a mere flick most days. Proof that par 3s needn’t be monsters to be memorable.

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6. 11th Al Mouj Golf
230 Yards, Stroke Index 13
The island-style green on the 5th at Greg Norman’s Muscat gem makes for a memorable par 3 but it can only doff its cap to the 11th where the green seemingly melds into the horizon. Don’t be distracted by those dreamy Sea of Oman vistas…you’re going to need a pure blow to escape with par or better here.

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5. 9th Dubai Hills Golf Club
220 Yards, Stroke Index 3
They clearly like their par 3s tough at Dubai Hills as witnessed by the two entries in our list, including the stroke 2 17th. The 9th is the most picturesque of the memorable collection of par 3s (we like No.2 as well) and, at 220 yards from the tips, is not for the faint of heart. We’d love a dirham for every water ball and two for every bailout right.

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4. 7th Majlis, Emirates Golf Club
186 yards, Stroke Index 15
The second of the memorable collection of par 3s imagined into life by Karl Litten on the Majlis more than 30 years ago wouldn’t be out of place today at one of the UK’s famous old parkland courses. Beware the false front ready to suck your ball back into the lake and don’t be surprised if you face a lengthy first putt. And a knee-knocker for par. Or bogey.

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3. 17th Earth, Jumeirah Golf Estates
195 Yards, Stroke Index 8
It’s the UAE’s answer to the 17th at TPC Sawgrass and like The Players Championship, the penultimate hole on Earth regularly has its say in the outcome of the Race to Dubai decider, often with a incredible escape from one of the bunkers. Club selection can be tricky if the wind is swirling. Par here is never to be sniffed at.

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2. 17th Trump International Golf Club, Dubai
156 Yards, Stroke Index 18
Designer Gil Hanse clearly got the memo on the beauty of short, short holes. It’s easy to be sucked in by any pin cut to the front right of this cleverly sculpted green. Anything short is a bogey-plus in the making and good luck negotiating that shallow wee bunker beyond the green too. The sage option is to aim for the middle of the green and take your chances with the flat stick.

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1. 17th Yas Links Abu Dhabi
204 Yards, Stroke Index 13
The downhill 4th, the nifty 8th, the pretty little uphill 13th. All stunning. But the penultimate hole at Kyle Phillips’ Abu Dhabi masterpiece? In a different league. Any tee-ball other than a green finder leaves a devilishly difficult up and down. A par here will linger in the memory, as will the social media mementoes you snapped with your phone camera from the tee. And looking from beyond the greenback towards the tee. It’s majestic from every angle and in every sense.

RELATED:
Top 10 Golf Courses in the Middle East: The Class of 2020
Be at 1: Tame stroke index 1 Middle East courses

The post Wee Wonders: The Middle East’s best par 3s appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Frenchman Sebastien Gros is determined to resuscitate his career this year and has made a brilliant start by winning the inaugural $75,000 NEWGIZA Open, the first MENA Tour by Arena event staged in Egypt.

The 31-year-old, a two-time champion on the Challenge Tour who lost his European Tour card in 2018 after playing at the highest level for three years, started the final round two shots behind overnight leader Curtis Knipes and finished two ahead of the runner-up David Hague.

Gros (67) played a second straight bogey-free round that was one better than his second-round four-under-par 68 to reach 13-under par 203 and take home the winner’s cheque of $13,500.

Young Hague, who decided to turn pro after securing his card at the MENA Tour Qualifying School, almost turned his second start as a professional into a dream win, charging through the field with a seven-under-par 65. He could have finished much better than his eventual 11-under par but paid the price of making a late bogey on the par-5 17th hole.

Ireland’s Conor Purcell (67) made a great start to his MENA Tour career as well, finishing tied third alongside the promising Swede, Niclas Weiland (68). Knipes (73) never got going after a triple-bogey seven on the par-4 eighth hole and finally finished tied fifth at nine-under-par 207 along with Scotland’s Scott Henry (69) and England’s Abu Dhabi-based Luke Joy (69).

“This is fantastic. I have worked very hard this winter along with my team and to get a win so early in the season is surely going to give me a lot of confidence going forward,” said Gros.

The Frenchman took full advantage of the easier opening stretch of NEWGIZA, making three birdies in his first four holes, and then added two more in a round which saw him hit 16 greens in regulation.

“I missed the green on the eight and had a poor tee shot on the 16th. Those were the only two holes where I had to battle for pars. It was very solid otherwise,” he added.

“I got off to a good start and was very pleased when I two-putted for birdie from 95 feet on the third. That was a very good first putt to tap-in distance despite facing two or three breaks. Immediately after that, I hit what was possibly my best shot of the day on the fourth – a five-iron against the wind to about six feet.

“It was after that fourth hole that I felt I could win this. My long game was very good throughout the day once again, and even though I missed a few other birdie chances, I putted well too.”

Hague, who entered the MENA Tour Qualifying School as an amateur, turned pro right after securing his card, and was delighted with his performance this early in his professional career.

“I got off to a hot start and was eight-under-par through 13 holes. Slightly disappointed with the finish as I missed a birdie chance from six feet on the 15th, then three-putted from 15 feet on the 17th hole for my only bogey of the day. And I missed an eight-footer on the 18th,” said the 23-year-old from Molton, near York.

“But seven-under-par is a great round and I am really pleased with the way I have played, especially after missing the cut last week in Jordan.”

The MENA Tour by Arena next moves to Muscat, Oman, for the Ghala Open from February 17-19. The winner of the tournament gets a spot at the European Tour’s Oman Open, held the following week at Al Mouj Golf.

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Having qualified as an amateur, the English teen’s simmering plans to turn pro were only emboldened after rounds of 72-79 for a +9 total left him in a tie with, among others, Masters champion Adam Scott, a solitary shot shy of Phil Mickelson and a shot better than another former Open winner, Tom Lehman.

“Playing the Open Championship gave me a lot of confidence that I can compete with the best,” Knipes said ahead of the 9th MENA Tour by Arena season a fortnight ago.

Fast-forward to Wednesday at the $75,000 NEWGIZA Open on the outskirts of Cairo and Knipes continued to walk the bold talk. A second-round 68 moved the 19-year-old to -10 at the second event of the new regional development circuit season, a shot clear of countryman Bailey Gill who roared up to solo second with a fine seven-under-par 65.

After earning amateur honours in three MENA Tour events last season to finish runner-up to Dubai 15-year-old Josh Hill in the season-long Journey to Jordan, Knipes now has pole-position to seal what would be a wire-to-wire his maiden victory in just his second start as a professional.

“Tomorrow is obviously a big day for me. First time leading the MENA Tour and being in the final group of the day. I will just try and approach it as I have done every other day. I can’t control what others are doing. I am just going to go out there and shoot the lowest round that I can.”

It’s would be the stuff dreams, a priceless confidence boost worth far more than the winner’s cheque, not that Knipes would sniff at a cool $13,500. But he isn’t there yet, even if he’s recorded just one bogey in his last 36 holes and is a collective 14-under-par for his last four rounds.

Swede Niclas Weiland and Frenchman Sébastien Gros will start Thursday’s final round just two strokes adrift of Knipes and Weiland has the advantage of knowing what it takes to win on the MENA Tour after capturing the Ras Al Khaimah Open late last year.

Just four back in a gaggle of four players in a share of 6th place is Englishman David Langley who won last week’s season-opening Journey to Jordan #1 Championship. At -5, five off the lead, two-time MENA Tour winner Luke Joy can’t be discounted either.

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By Kent Gray
Curtis Knipes’ professional career might be in its infancy but the English teen is clearly in a hurry to get his maiden win in the paid ranks.

The 19-year-old set his stall out early, stating before the start of the 9th MENA Tour by Arena season that winning the season-long Journey to Jordan was his “main goal” as well as to “be consistent throughout the season and make some money.”

Fast-forward a week and Knipes has made good on that promise thus far. After a T-8 finish at the Journey to Jordan #1 championship in Aqaba, his professional debut, he made a blistering start to the new $75,000 NEWGIZA Open in Cairo on Tuesday, a bogey-free, six-under-par 66 earning a two-shot lead over seven players.

Indeed, taking advantage of the relatively benign morning conditions at NEWGIZA Golf Club, Knipes bolted out of the blocks with five birdies in his opening seven holes. He had to wait until the par-5 17th, where he holed a slightly fortuitous downhill, left-to-right breaker from 18-feet, to pick up another shot but it was good enough to earn the handy buffer over Scotsman Scott Henry, Englishmen Joshua McMahon, Tom Sloman, Joe Heraty and Robbie Busher, Frenchman Sébastien Gros and Swede Niclas Weiland.

“Yeah, very happy to get a bogey-free round in obviously,” said Knipes who later relayed frustration in being unable to convert good chances on the 9th, 12th and 14th, the latter when he wedged it tight and saw a short putt burn the lip of the cup.

“The nine pars after the hot start was a little bit frustrating because when you feel like you are on a roll you want to keep the momentum going.”

It’s not that Knipes is grumbling. He’s played his last three rounds in a combined 10-under-par and could have seriously challenged in Aqaba save for an opening 76. Indeed, if he’d been able to wipe four shots off that opening round to the season and sign for an even-par round, he’d have finished solo second at Ayla Golf Club.

But it’s a new week and a new venue for the MENA Tour with Egypt the 12th country to host an event on the regional development circuit as the 9th season heats up.

“The golf course, yeah, it’s a great track, I really like it. I think the layout’s really good and the set-up, it’s in really good condition, the greens are rolling nice,” said Knipes who qualified for last year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush as an amateur.

“Conditions today, obviously this morning it was a lot calmer, there wasn’t too much wind which was nice, obviously give me the opportunity to get off to a good start and take advantage of that. It picked up a little bit towards the back nine, especially the last few holes which were playing quite hard coming back into the wind. Conditions are pretty fair out there [now] but I think we are in for a windy one tomorrow.

Knipes has one of the latter starts in Wednesday’s second round, off the 10th at 11.45am. He’ll be determined to make the most of his great start though after earning amateur honours in three events last season, twice alongside Dubai teen Josh Hill who went on to pip Knipes for the amateur Journey to Jordan OOM title.

England’s Curtis Knipes, who made headlines by qualifying for @TheOpen at @royalportrush last year, shot a six-under par 66 in the first round and is leading the NEWGIZA Open in Cairo, Egypt, by two shots.

He spoke about his bogey-free round and the golf course…@NEWGIZAegypt pic.twitter.com/XnpRnuANRW

— MENA Tour (@theMENATour) February 11, 2020

Englishman David Langley, fresh from winning the season-opening Journey to Jordan #1 Championship last week, signed for a two-under 70 that could have been better save for a double-bogey seven on the 14th. Defending professional Journey to Jordan champion MG Keyser also had a 70 in his opening round of the season.

Former European Tour winners Romain Wattel and Richard Finch carded scores of 72 and one-over 73 respectively while the UAE’s only professional, Ahmed Al Musharrekh, fought back well from being two-over after six holes to finish on one-under-par 71.

Shergo Al Kurdi mixed six bogeys with two birdies in a 74 that left the Jordanian T-68 in the 85-strong field and with huge ground to make up if he is to figure anywhere near as prominently as his T-2 finish in Aqaba last week where he become the first player from the GCC to earn Official World Golf Ranking and Olympic qualifying points. The English-domiciled teen at least has the consolation of a share of the amateur lead in Egypt alongside Saudi Arabia’s Ali Alsakha.

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By Kent Gray
Egypt will become the 12th country to host an official MENA Tour event in the regional circuit’s eight and a bit season history when the $75,000 NEWGIZA Open begins on Tuesday morning. It also serves as a refreshing start to MG Keyser’s defence of the circuit’s season-long Journey to Jordan title.

After sitting out the first event of the season in Aqaba last week, the 32-year-old South African is raring to go at NEWGIZA Golf Club, a 7,351-yard, par-72, Thomson Perrett & Lobb-design that opened to rave reviews last year.

RELATED: MENA Tour champion MG Keyser to continue winging it

Keyser was resting while Englishman David Langley and Jordanian amateur Shergo Al Kurdi stole the headlines at Ayla Golf Club but returns to action on the outskirts of Cairo after an encouraging T-66 finish at last month’s brutally tough OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic. The €6,031 payday was the Dubai-domiciled pro’s reward after earning the start at Emirates Golf Club courtesy of his MENA Tour Order-of-Merit win last season.

“I feel like I had a nice break and playing the Omega Dubai Desert Classic was a nice way to start the year. I am focused, prepared and ready to go,” said Keyser who is also guaranteed a start in the Made in Denmark in May and the Diamond Cup, a co-sanctioned event on the Asian and Japan Tours, as the reigning Journey to Jordan OOM champion.

“Having loads of opportunities in Europe and Asia is definitely a bonus for me this year, thanks to the MENA Tour and my management company. It is going to be fun and getting a good start on the MENA Tour in Egypt will obviously help build a lot with confidence going into the rest of the year.”

The challenge for Keyser and co. in Cairo might be keeping their mind on the golf with the Great Pyramids of Giza, the oldest of the seven ancient wonders of the world, serving as a stunning backdrop this week. The subtle intricacies of the course, which meanders through an old quarry, will be no cinch either with no rough but dramatic changes in elevation, lakes and gnarly desert waste areas to contend with.

“I played the course for the first time yesterday and really enjoyed the challenge,” said Keyser, a three-time MENA Tour winner. “It’s a fun course to play and in excellent condition. All 18 holes were really nice and very challenging in the wind, but the par 3s are especially good.”

RELATED: NEWGIZA is a new, aesthetically pleasing test for MENA Tour’s best

They were playing a mutual appreciation game on the eve of the tournament with NEWGIZA Director of Golf Ali Mohamed hinting at an increased Egyptian presence on the developmental circuit soon.

“It really is a matter of great pride for us that we will be hosting our first MENA Tour event on our golf course,” said Mohamed. “We have received some very good reviews since our launch and we are confident that the professional players will find it challenging.

“We have had some very good talks with the MENA Tour and we’d like to help them extend their presence here in Egypt. We have another golf course in Sokhna by the Red Sea and we are looking at having another tournament there.”

Former European Tour winners Richard Finch (ENG) and Romain Wattel have bolstered the 86-strong field this week.

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If you like your golf with dramatic views, check out the very last Thomson Perrett & Lobb design which has just opened on the outskirts of Cairo

By Kent Gray
Even the royal and ancient game sometimes have to bow to seniority. Or in the case of Egypt’s newest course, tip its cap to the splendour of the Great Pyramids of Giza. Just 6km from the ring road surrounding the Egyptian capital Cairo, the golf course at NEWGIZA is the centrepiece of a 680-hectare development that includes upscale housing, a sports arena, hotels, schools and majestic views across the Pyramids 8km away. Nearly 15 years in the making since its conception in 2005, it is the final project of Thomson Perrett & Lobb, the firm founded by the late, five-times Open champion Peter Thomson. The championship-length course is characterised by often dramatic changes in elevation, water hazards and huge undulating greens. There is no rough with landscaped sandy waste areas lining the fairways. The only way to lose a ball is in lakes although the huge greens provide a constant challenge with significant movement on every surface. You’ll struggle to concentrate on your green reading with all that history in the distance mind you, most notably from what is sure to become NEWGIZA’s signature hole, the par-3 4th, pictured above.

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