Riyadh Golf Course

Overview: Known affectionately as the "Pearl of the Desert," Riyadh Golf Club is a premier championship grass course located just 20 minutes from the city center. Opened in 2005, the 18-hole resort-style layout was designed by Peter Harradine and features undulating, wide fairways, man-made streams, and strategic bunkering that provide a fair but challenging test for all levels of play. As a key venue for high-profile events like LIV Golf Riyadh, the course has become a central part of Saudi Arabia's push into the global sporting spotlight, offering a world-class championship environment in a lush, irrigated oasis.

History: The course was a pioneering facility for the region, proving that high-quality championship golf could thrive in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. Harradine and his team spent years meticulously shaping the terrain to ensure that the water features and the strategic routing provided a rigorous championship test while preserving the natural ecosystem. Since its opening, it has quickly gained a reputation for its exceptional maintenance and its role as a premier sanctuary of modern desert golf, drawing praise for its pure design and spectacular desert setting.

Did You Know? The course was a pioneering facility for night golf in Saudi Arabia, with several holes and the driving range fully floodlit for evening play. This flexibility makes it the most popular urban golfing destination in Riyadh, where the contrast between the green fairways and the arid desert landscape is highlighted by the dramatic shadows of the setting sun and the glow of the city's expanding skyline.