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Oman

Laid out along a four-mile stretch of coastline by the Sea of Oman, The Wave is an ambitious resort project (embracing hotels, retail outlets and housing) to the west of Muscat, developed by Majid Al Futtaim Properties and the Government of the Sultanate of Oman.

A number of leisure facilities, such as the 400-berth marina, have been incorporated into The Wave master plan, which has as its spectacular centrepiece Al Mouj, a wonderful Greg Norman-designed golf complex that features both a championship 18-hole course (opened in September 2012) and a floodlit 9-hole par three layout.

Mubarak Hill, Sales & Marketing Manager for Al Mouj Golf, commented as follows:

"The toughest hole on the card is the 9th, it's a great conclusion to the front nine where only your best tee shot will give you an opportunity to chase the flag with your approach. The fairway itself is generous and banks away from the coastline but the true test of this hole are the greenside bunkers that dominate the last sixty yards and these must be avoided in order to finish your round safely.

The signature hole here is the 11th, a truly stunning par three that’s played against a mesmerizing azure backdrop. From the back tees hole requires a long iron or fairway wood to find the expansive putting surface. Be sure to factor in the wind when selecting your club as both the tee and green are elevated."

Al Mouj Golf hosted the inaugural NBO Open in February 2018 when Al Mouj and the nation made the step up from the Challenge Tour's Road to Oman to the main European Tour. Dutchman Joost Luiten got the better of England's Chris Wood to lift the title. The weather-impacted 2019 Oman Open saw America’s Kurt Kitayama emerge victorious, and Finland’s Sami Valimaki won the 2020 event to claim his maiden European Tour title.

Al Mouj (Championship)

Middle East

The spectacular centrepiece of the Wave Resort project is the wonderful Greg Norman-designed Al Mouj golf complex that features both a championship 18-hole course and a floodlit 9-hole par three layout.

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 – Muscat Hills 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.”

Muscat Hills

Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club 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.

The Sultanate of Oman was once part of the ancient Persian Empire but now the country depends on oil, as do so many other Middle Eastern countries. With a gloriously long aquamarine Arabian Sea coastline and a hot dry climate, the Oman could soon emerge alongside Dubai as one of the best holiday destinations in the Middle East.

In 2009 Oman opened its first 18-hole grass course at the 

, set close to the capital – designed by Paul Thomas, former European Tour player and son of Dave Thomas. There are now five Omani courses and we think the best is currently the Greg Norman-designed 

We’ll keep a watchful eye on golf in Oman and we'll let you know what develops, especially given that Oman sees the future of tourism in golf as well as sunshine. 

The 9-hole course at Jebel Sifah – designed by Peter Harradine and operated by Troon Golf – opened for play in July 2017. Set out within a new residential development an hour’s drive along the coast from Muscat, this seaside layout features wide fairways, a lack of fairway bunkers and gently contoured greens, allowing it to be enjoyed by golfers of all abilities.


 were last updated in March 2021. Click the link to read the story.
