Shura Links - my new home course

The project I am working on here in Saudi is delivering some truly mind blowing hotels and resorts, all of which are amazing but to be honest, probably way out of my price range and unfortunately things I will probably never get to experience.

There has always been one glimmer of hope however and that has been the development of Shura Links, Saudi Arabia’s first island golf course and a key part of the biggest project in this area, being Shura Island. Myself and the rest of the guys who regularly use the simulators onsite always held out hope that we may get access to the course as it opened but we were never sure that would be the case.

So when we received confirmation that we would indeed have access to the course when it opened, and at reasonable green fee rates (for teh region), excitement levels were very high to get out there and play some actual, real life golf.

That day finally came on the 10th of October and I have been lucky enough to get out there more weekends than not since opening day.

The course itself is beautiful, fair and at the same time incredibly tricky around the greens – a true championship standard course. At the time of writing this (mid Jan 2026) I am yet to have a really great round there but after a confidence eviscerating, weeks long case of the shanks pre Xmas its finally starting to feel a bit more comfortable. Still plenty of work to do before March though and the next installment of the G.Smith Golf Tours in Tauranga.Read more