- The DP World Tour Championship is played on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from 12–15 November.
- Around 80 agronomy staff work across the Earth and Fire courses, with resources redirected to Earth in the final fortnight.
- Earth moved to walking-only golf five weeks before the event and closes for nine days before players arrive.
The Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates hosts the DP World Tour Championship for the 17th time this week, and readying a busy members’ course for the Race to Dubai finale has meant more than a month of restricted play.
The club said approximately 80 agronomy staff work across its Earth and Fire courses, with significant resources moved onto Earth during the final two weeks. Earth went walking-only five weeks out to limit wear, followed by a nine-day closure before the field arrives, a window used for final work on presentation, consistency and playing quality.
That programme sits on top of year-round maintenance, backed by investment in specialist machinery, with irrigation and water management central to conditioning in Dubai’s climate.
Refinement, not change
Craig Haldane has returned as Golf Course Superintendent and now oversees both courses after earlier spells leading agronomy at Emirates Golf Club and Dubai Creek. In an October interview, he told GreenKeeping Magazine that the main source for irrigation is treated sewage effluent and that volumetric water content is measured each day in relation to defined target ranges.
On the trade-off with members, he said: “There is always a balance to be struck. Members understand that certain essential maintenance practices are required at key times of the year, but with clear communication and careful planning, we aim to minimise disruption as much as possible. If the foundations are right daily, then preparing for championship conditions becomes a process of refinement rather than change.”
The Dubai finale follows the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship at Yas Links, also operated by Viya, with the top 50 in the rankings moving on from the 70 who started the Play-Offs in Abu Dhabi.
Demand for membership
Jumeirah Golf Estates is operating at full membership with an active waiting list, according to Viya, which also reports 30% membership growth in 2026 at Yas Links and Saadiyat Beach and a 25% rise at Dubai Creek against the same period in 2025.
General manager Daniel Naudo tied that demand directly to tournament golf, saying hosting events of this calibre will “reinforce the prestige of being a member at a venue that regularly welcomes the world’s best players.”
For spectators, Thursday entry is free with pre-registration and weekend general admission starts at AED 160.
GolfToday Verdict: Five weeks without buggies and nine days locked out is a real cost to members, yet a full roll with a waiting list shows Earth’s membership is prepared to pay it for a course that closes the DP World Tour season.
Simon Bale
Simon Bale is the publisher of Golf Today. A low single-figure handicap golfer, he was previously a major shareholder and course reviewer for Top100GolfCourses.com for over a decade, starting in 2010. Through this role, he developed extensive knowledge of golf course design and architecture while playing more than 300 courses worldwide.