Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, Earth Course FR

Had a blast of a day with Ghoonk at the above course yesterday. Wanted to try out the Els but was recomended otherwise. Shot a career low of one over at the first 5 holes. 3 pars and 1 birdie later, I was a very happy man, thank you bro!

The Earth Course @ Jumeirah is very reasonably priced at 118 SGD for a weekend (courtesy of Ghoonk's membership) and for that price, I think it is well worth every cent.

Conditions:
As in most courses I played in the UAE, the overall conditions can only be summed up in one word: immaculate.

From the tee box to the well-manicured fariways to the pristine sandy white bunkers (a tat too many for my liking) to the firm greens. It isnt a surprise why many faved about the earth (and fire) course at the Jumeirah and why it hosted the finale of the Race to Dubai at the end of last year.

Difficulty:
I know Ghoonk does not agree with me but I found this course pretty challenging, especially the back nine.

Numerous occasions when we chose not to pull out the drivers because of the strategically places bunkers that either forced one to rip the tee shot over the bunker (with little room for erros) or play it more conservative with a 3W on the landing area that looks the size of a green for me.

It is one of those courses where I had to think hard about where to land the ball (left or right side of fariway) before executing the tee shot and sometimes the subsequent second shot on a Par 5 (and a couple of Par 4's).

The par 4 Hole 15 played uphill and the long par 5 Hole 18 with a creek spliting the fairways equalling to the left and right are classic examples (and ones I am still analysing after yesterday).

Green Fee:
Weekend twilight @ 118 SGD

Perks:
Free use of range facilities (grass ranges, bunkers, greens) before/after the game and wonderful showering/shoe/club cleaning facilties, as standards most clubs in UAE. Unlimited callaway balls. Downside, no GPS for this course.. why ah?

Recommendation:
Need to come back again for the Fire Course as promised, at this price of course!

[left]

You are right, this is very nice.. wish i can play it.

That f***ing course is hard to play in all 18, not just front or back 9, although I felt i played a bit better on the back 9...

range balls and chipping area balls are TP Black, not Callaway

And man, i remember we pulled 3w on a couple of holes, only to find that the 2nd shot in was still damn long! If i can shoot bogey average on Earth course off the Tournament tees, I'm going to be damn happy.

We really need to come up with a strategy to beat the 18th hole... even the regulars there have a problem with that hole. Damn hard to par, though I did (tai-ko) nearly par that hole on my first time...

Next round, I'm going to play off the White tees

ghoonk wrote:

That f***ing course is hard to play in all 18, not just front or back 9, although I felt i played a bit better on the back 9...

range balls and chipping area balls are TP Black, not Callaway

And man, i remember we pulled 3w on a couple of holes, only to find that the 2nd shot in was still damn long! If i can shoot bogey average on Earth course off the Tournament tees, I'm going to be damn happy.

We really need to come up with a strategy to beat the 18th hole... even the regulars there have a problem with that hole. Damn hard to par, though I did (tai-ko) nearly par that hole on my first time...

Next round, I'm going to play off the White tees

Ahhh I was waiting for you to add your reviews! Balls TP's! No chance to try them yst, though I think Steve would be quite acquainted with them. hehe

Okok , we play off the whites next time!

Ghoonk: Can I share your text book swing pics with the GR'ers?

sure

LOOKS textbook, but results not so textbook. Did have some nice shots yesterday though, esp on the 16th island green

Yes, You can remind me of 16th again.... #&^$#

Nice or not? Notice how the shaft bisects the left and right forearms on the down swing? Where the ball foes after that I dunno.... hehe

ya lor. looks damn tb (textbook), outcome damn nb.

i think we shot bogey on this hole. it was a par 5 (damn long one too), you played a hybrid and i played a 5i to lay up, chip on, 2 putts for bogey

weird thing is, despite the nice bisect, my damn shots are still fading!

wow looks like you guys had a great time! and i had this impression that those courses in UAE would cost a bomb. turns out it's very reasonable! can't wait to reach that stage where i'm going overseas (apart from JB) to play.. haha fantastic review btw.

Erm, it DOES cost a bomb. JGE is AED800 a round (around SGD300+), but I'm a member, and they have twilight rates for members' guests

Yes. I am still very high so I still can remember vividly.

This was Hole 14 right? Par 5 569 yards off the green

I recount:

A slight downhill tee shot with distance being rewarded. The hole doglegs slightly to the right after the landing zone.

I hit a 3W downhill to about 231 yds behind the first bunker on the left. I then hit a good second shot with the hybrid to the right of the second bunker to the second bunker, with a good look at the entry to the greens, about 105 yds out.

You were already standing at the greens liao.

I then hit my wedge to the greens and 2 putted!

That was my only Par of @ the back Nine....

Not a Boogey!

remind me to call you if i'm playing there then. hahaha

ironfist wrote:

wow looks like you guys had a great time! and i had this impression that those courses in UAE would cost a bomb. turns out it's very reasonable! can't wait to reach that stage where i'm going overseas (apart from JB) to play.. haha fantastic review btw.

Thank you! Since I am on a high and quite free today, I posted a couple of reviews to share with you guys and also to serve as an archive for myself when I get old and forget.

I am glad you enjoy the review and pics!

Thanks to Ghoonk invitation for me to venture out of Abu Dhabi to play!

Ghoonk:

Anyway bro, I am trying to recollect. Which hole was it that you lent me your TP Burner????? The one when I had the weird distance of 225 yds left after that drive and I did some math and confirm with you that I actually hit it 270 yds off the deck??

So it must be a Par 4, and at the back nine.

Hole 10?

It was the 10th, after you dropped Steve off. You freaking nuked that drive

Itchy for tour issue driver now har?

bro, got us a tee time for 2.25 pm on Saturday at Fire Course at JGE. Let me know if you can make it. Bring your camera and I'll bring mine as well

Yes the tenth! AFter Steve!

What driver is that? Whats the loft of that one? Where can i get that driver? Non tour issued one got??

I Wan! Plus I liked and can accept the shape of it. You know I cannot hit w/o duck bill

ghoonk wrote:

It was the 10th, after you dropped Steve off. You freaking nuked that drive

Itchy for tour issue driver now har?

That's a TM Tour Burner LCG (tour issued), 10* of loft (whole lofted, not 0.5*), 2.5* face open, with a TM tour-issued Diamana whiteboard 63x5ct in X flex

i want!

My mistake. The one you used is a 9* whole loft.

The 10* (true loft is 10.7*) one I have is back in Singapore, fitted to a Diamana Ali'Islei shaft (S-flex)

Next time we play, I'll bring my King Cobra L4V 9* with Diamana Blueboard shaft for you to try. Sounds weird, but the ball does go well.