Al Zorah, Ajman’s first golf course and Nicklaus Design’s first in the UAE, nears completion (Oct 7)

October 7, 2015 – The first Nicklaus Design golf course in the United Arab Emirates, and the first 18-hole layout in the emirate of Ajman, is nearing completion and is expected to open in December. The 18-hole, par-72 golf course features flowing dunes and an inland mangrove area. The golf course offers extensive practice facilities, generous fairways, and wide corridors arranged around two large lakes that enrich the challenge of the course and enhance its variety and playability. Set within a natural preserved environment, the golf course covers 700,000 square meters.

“We were given a very nice piece of property along the shoreline of existing mangroves,” said lead designer Dirk Bouts, who heads the European office for Nicklaus Design. “The goal was to fit the golf course onto the land, providing and ensuring we would maximize the benefit of the neighboring mangroves. At the same time, we wanted to maximize not only the views from the golf course, but the vistas to the golf course and to the mangroves from the surrounding development.

“Golfers can expect a very enjoyable and playable golf course set within a beautiful setting, taking advantage of the surrounding natural existing features. Our goal at Nicklaus Design is to always create a balance of aesthetics and good shot values, while always respecting and protecting the natural environment of the canvas we have been given. We believe we have achieved that at Al Zorah.”

Property developer Al Zorah is pressing ahead with long-held plans to build out 5.4 million square meters next to the emirate’s creek, and hundreds of homes at Ajman’s highest profile property are being marketed.

Al Zorah Development, a joint venture between Lebanese developer Solidere and the government of Ajman, launched two new projects at its ambitious Ajman nature reserve comprising 935 homes. The first project will feature 800 homes overlooking the golf course, while 130 homes will be built closer to the beach.

Currently, the developer says it has completed infrastructure work, and a first phase of 42 villas–due for completion next year–are already sold.

The project first launched in 2008 with the aim of putting Dubai’s tiny neighbor on the tourist map.

“Al Zorah is being sold at prices which are perhaps 30 percent lower than a comparable project in Dubai,” said Imad Dana, the chief executive of Al Zorah. “But the market in Dubai is not a problem for our project. We are not putting a huge amount of stock on the market and we are seeing a lot of investors who want to live in Ajman.”