High-handicap hackers all dreaming through the eyes of Tiger

Dubai: It is one of golf's most enchanting qualities that high-handicap hackers can, at least once in a round, hit a magical shot that even Tiger Woods would be proud of. Every day, amateur golfers across the globe regale friends with such fanciful comparisons. However, any player who has trod the fairways of the Majlis truly can gauge their moment of glory against shots taken by the world No 1.

When Woods bids to reclaim the Classic title everyone who has played the course, from Dubai residents to the thousands of tourists who have visited, will be watching his every move as they relive their round through the eyes of Tiger.

The Classic has been growing year on year since 1989, but in 2006, with more than 47,000 in attendance, its place among the best events on the golf calender was cemented when the name of sport's most marketable star was engraved on the silver Arabic coffee pot. That it is now a European Tour event and Woods has committed to play in it several times over the next few years is further confirmation of the Middle East's burgeoning status in world golf.

The growth of the sport is marked by the lush green courses that defy nature and sprout out of dusty dunes every month all over the region, but they all stem from one source — the course christened the ‘Desert Miracle' when it opened in 1988.

If St Andrews lays claim to being the home of golf, the Majlis can proudly declare itself the birthplace of the sport in the Middle East. And like the legendary Scottish course, it has survived the arrival of many young pretenders to remain the crown jewel of the region.

Sure, other courses can match the Majlis in terms of pristine greens and wonderful water features but, at nearly 20 years old, none can rival it in terms of maturity.

Incredible

Patches of sandy wasteland with indigenous desert shrubs give the course an Arabian feel, while the vibrant vegetation and bushy green trees, which flank many fairways, provide a tropical look, a combination that no doubt helped secure the Majlis a place in Golf Digest's 100 best courses outside the US.

However, what the pros want is a challenge, and despite Ernie Els carding an incredible 61 to set the course record, nobody could say the par-72 Karl Litten-designed Majlis is easy as, with water and sand hazards cleverly placed throughout its 7,000-plus yards, much thought is required to survive unscathed.

The par-four eighth is the hole which captures the essence of the Majlis best. It is one of the hardest, yet with the Dubai skyline on the horizon, also one of the most attractive. A perilous expanse of sand lies to the right of the dogleg fairway and there is little room for error with just a narrow strip to aim for. Good shots are rewarded by a straight run at the green which is framed by a building in the style of a Bedouin tent.

Lakes are a major feature of the Majlis, but the water hazard, which guards the giant green of both the ninth and 18th holes, is easily the most memorable.

Els certainly won't forget it after his hopes of winning the Classic in 2006, during a play-off with Woods, drowned in that watery grave. The last hole is designed for drama, with a sharp dogleg giving big hitters a real chance to save a stroke, but cutting out the dogleg is a high risk/high reward strategy as passage to the green could easily be blocked by a palm tree. No matter which route is taken, the approach shot at the long narrow green, tight against the lake, is daunting.

No doubt those reliving their round through Tiger will be watching closely as it will be no surprise if the Classic is won or lost there again.