La Vie Club (Muscat Hills)

La Vie Club (formerly Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club) is located adjacent to Muscat International Airport, close to Omani capital and the Arabian Sea. Head south towards the foothills of the Western Al Hajar Mountains and you will find Oman’s first grass golf course.

Fully open for play in 2009 and designed by Paul Thomas – son of former Ryder Cup player Dave Thomas – La Vie Club is routed across unusual terrain created naturally by wadis that run parallel to a number of holes. These wadis – dry riverbed valleys – and the dramatic mountain backdrop provided Thomas with a unique design opportunity and the result he delivered is striking.

Design alone does not make a great golf course; turf condition is a key element that golfers often take for granted but here in the arid Middle East grass is a nurtured luxury. Muscat Hills have taken the issue of grass seriously and have incorporated the Middle East’s first Turf Maintenance Academy within the club.

Muscat Hills has set its sights on becoming the “home of golf” in the Sultanate of Oman and early signs suggest that the club is proudly paving the way to success.

Paul Thomas, course architect commented as follows:

“The terrain at Muscat Hills is quite dramatic with the wadis running through the golf course and obviously having a significant effect on the design. It was never going to produce a golf course for beginners, as being able to hit the ball through the air is required for many tee shots. This is not ideal given the number of new players in the region but is a factor of the site available. However, for experienced players I believe the golf course will provide a variety of fair challenges.

The ground conditions being entirely of rock will give a very natural and rugged look to the course and the landscaping will be an integral part of the softening process that will be required. I believe the golf course will mature and develop in the coming years to be well-liked for the challenges and the requirement for golfers to have to improve to get the best out of the course. The development of the surrounding real estate will obviously have an affect in reigning in the enormous backdrop of mountains that dominate the course. My favourite holes will be the par four 11th and the par four 18th.”