Ras Al Khaimah's Al Hamra Golf Club: a hole-by-hole guide

Hole 1, Par 4, 373 yards. A gentle start, with a potentially a driveable par 4 due to the wind direction, which is normally assisting. Well-placed approach bunkers protect the run up to the green. All Photos: Al Hamra Golf Club

Hole 2, Par 4, 416 yards. A narrow par 4, requires an accurate tee shot. The approach can be tricky to a two-tiered green.

Hole 3, Par 5, 576 yards. The course’s signature hole with the Waldorf Astoria hotel as the backdrop. A reachable par 5 for the brave who take the aggressive line from the tee. There is water right, sand left from the tee. Certainly one to make the players think, particularly with a small green surround by water.

Hole 4, Par 3, 163 yards. There is an early opportunity for birdie on this short par 3.

Hole 5, Par 4, 355 yards. This is almost reachable with the right wind direction. Otherwise, a placed lay up will give you a short wedge into an undulating green.

Hole 6, Par 4, 443 yards. A long par 4. Long hitters may try to carry the left hand bunker. If not, it will require a mid iron into a large target. Distance control is key on the approach as some tricky pin positions.

Hole 7, Par 3, 166 yards. A tricky short hole as it can be hard to gauge the wind. For front pin positions, tee shots can end up in the front bunker.

Hole 8, Par 5, 607 yards. Very long, and will require three shots to get to the green for most players. There are thick bushes on the right hand side from the tee. A back right pin position provides a tricky approach with run off into the bunker.

Hole 9, Par 4, 479 yards. The start of the hardest stretch of the course, players will be looking to hold onto a good start here. A long par 4, it will require a mid to long iron approach to a small and typically firm green.

Hole 10, Par 4, 455 yards. The hardest hole on the golf course. The lagoon runs the length of the fairway on the left. Rough on the left of the fairway may save a few from the water. It requires a long approach shot, over water and sand into a left to right sloping green. Par is always a great score.

Hole 11, Par 3, 189 yards. A cracking par 3. A shallow green from an elevated tee makes club selection key and distance control hard in the wind.

Hole 12, Par 4, 486 yards. The second hardest hole on the course. A good tee shot to the left half of the fairway is key to playing this hole well, and to avoid the water that runs the right side of the hole.

Hole 13, Par 4, 353 yards. The 13th and 14th provide a respite before a tricky finish. The 13th plays similar to the first: if the wind direction is helping some players may have a go at the green. There may be plenty of birdies on this one.

Hole 14, Par 5, 582 yards. The easiest par 5 on the course, provides another great scoring opportunity. A solid drive could give you a long iron into the green. The deep greenside bunker may catch a few out.

Hole 15, Par 3, 215 yards. The strongest par 3 on the course. A well-protected green with run offs both sides into bunkers. Certainly avoid going long.

Hole 16, Par 4, 439 yards. A good looking tee shot to a narrow fairway, with bunkers left and desert right. A good drive will leave a fairly straightforward approach to a two-tiered raised green.

Hole 17, Par 4, 453 yards. Another long, straight par 4 at over 450 yard. It can be tough to get close to front pins, with a large bunker short, and a downslope between the bunker and green.

Hole 18, Par 5, 576 yards. A fantastic Par 5 to finish. The prevailing wind is straight into which brings any miss-hit tee shots into danger of the water on the right. Three shots for most will be safe. Those who have the opportunity to hit fairway wood in will have to factor in the intimidating water. The further you hit down, the more the water can creep in.

Former Masters champion Danny Willett, Richard Bland, Bernd Wiesberger, the Hoojgaard twins, and a number of other luminaries will be stepping into uncharted territory when they tee it up in Ras Al Khaimah for the first time in competition on Thursday.

Al Hamra Golf Club will be making its debut on the DP World Tour when it stages the first Ras Al Khaimah Championship presented by Phoenix Capital from February 3-6.

It will be an intensive crash course for the players, given that a second event at the same track will follow on straight away afterwards. Al Hamra is also hosting the RAK Classic a week later, as a substitute for the Qatar Master, which was postponed due to Covid.

The course is a jewel of the Northern Emirates, shaped around four open water lagoons. Accepted wisdom suggests it could provide a fast start for the tour pros, but they will have to be at their best to maintain their scores during the testing holes in the middle of the round.

Ross McGowan, twice a winner on the DP World Tour and a runner up at the first Dubai World Championship behind Lee Westwood in 2009, is affiliated to the club.

The Englishman breaks down the best way to attack all 18 holes in this course guide for The National which you can read in the photo gallery above.