A Thousand Yards and a Dream: Why the UAE might be ready for golf's next big leap
Located at Gunung Do Golf Club in North Jeolla Province, this fairway marathon sits on the 3rd hole of the Jeongeup Course and has become a bucket-list pilgrimage for golf purists and social media addicts alike.
But the buzz around this par-stretching spectacle invites a bold question: Could the UAE, home to more than 24 championship-grade courses, be the next to build golf's longest hole?
In a country where architectural ambition turns dreams into skylines, the idea doesn't seem far-fetched. The real question is: what would it take to bring this bold vision to life?
After all, few countries combine ambition, land, and luxury like the Emirates. We've seen golf courses carved out of desert dunes and floodlit rounds under Arabian stars.
The Long Game in the Gulf
While the South Korean course challenges power and patience, the UAE champions strategy and spectacle.
When it comes to golfing in the UAE, the experiences go way beyond the fairway. Take the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, home to the iconic Majlis Course, one of the first grass golf courses in the region and a true championship test with its lush greens and desert skyline backdrop.
Just a short drive away, Jumeirah Golf Estates offers a contrasting vibe with two world-class courses: Fire and Earth. The Fire course challenges players with rolling dunes and strategically placed hazards while the Earth course has hosted the DP World Tour Championship, where the world's best compete.
But if you're after more than traditional courses, the UAE offers some truly unique golfing experiences at Ras Al Khaimah's Al Hamra Golf Club, Ajman's Al Zorah Golf Club or Yas Links Abu Dhabi. From impressive long stretches that transition dramatically from desert landscapes to lush oasis settings, to courses set along scenic coastlines where sea breezes add an extra layer of challenge.
Each destination offers its own signature style, making the UAE a truly diverse playground for golf lovers.
With innovation embedded in the UAE's DNA, a record-breaking hole feels less like a fancy idea and more like a natural evolution.
Golf is shifting. Players want experience, not just impressive scorecards. They want a story to tell. A Par 7 in Korea may be extreme, but it taps into a universal golfer's itch: to conquer the unconquerable. And the UAE, already leading the region in golf tourism, has a chance to redefine the modern golf challenge, not just by just sheer ength, but by imagination.
So the next time you grip your driver on the 1st tee at the Majlis or Yas Links, ask yourself:
What would it take to go a thousand yards and still dream of making birdies?
Gunung Do Golf Club
Quick Facts
Location: Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, South Korea
Hole: 3rd hole on the Jeongeup Course
Length: 1,097 yards (1,003 meters) – Par 7
Course: The club has multiple 9-hole courses combined into 27 or 36-hole loops
Features:
The hole is flat but demands multiple precise long shots.
It's part of a championship-level facility that has hosted various professional events in Korea.
It has become a pilgrimage site for golf enthusiasts seeking a unique challenge.
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