Red Sea Global RSG has officially revealed the name and designs of its golf course and clubhouse on Shura Island at The Red Sea, which is set to be completed and open in full in 2025.
Shura Links promises a one-of-a-kind golf experience, offering Saudi Arabia’s first 18-hole island golf course with holes next to the water, marina views, and spectacular fairways framed by the Red Sea.
Developed in partnership with world-leading environmental consultants, Shura Links is guided by the highest sustainability standards, addressing a number of areas such as water-use reduction and innovative re-use of irrigation for habitat development.
The iconic Clubhouse is designed by Foster + Partners
“Shura Links will provide an unparalleled golfing experience, offering a visually stunning, natural course right here on the Red Sea. As ever, it’s not enough for us to provide spectacular experiences and world-class playing conditions. We are committed to ensuring Shura Links aligns with our ambition to set new sustainability standards. From innovative turf management and careful foliar feeding, we’re putting respect for nature above everything else,” said John Pagano, Group CEO of RSG. “We’ve already commenced with turfing the fairways and look forward to welcoming the first players to this unique course.”
World-Class Designs
The iconic Clubhouse is designed by Foster + Partners. It follows the overall Coral Bloom design concept on Shura Island, also created by Foster + Partners, which takes inspiration from the incredible flora and fauna found uniquely in Saudi Arabia.
The course has been designed in partnership with world-renowned golf architect Brian Curley, the designer behind the world’s largest golf facility, Mission Hills Golf Club.
Brian Curley, Principal of Wagner-Curley Design, said: “There are very few places in the world that can offer year-round sunshine, stunning vermilion sunsets and a wonderfully natural design. Shura has it all. We expect everyone from professionals to beginners to be drawn to this unique course and have designed it accordingly. There’s plenty to challenge the world’s best while stirring the senses of amateurs looking for the greatest playing experience.”
The par 72 Shura Links course tops out at a championship length of 7,500 yards
The par 72 Shura Links course tops out at a championship length of 7,500 yards but offers multiple tees and experiences at each hole. Every hole has been designed to provide maximum variety, playability, and memorability. Holes four to seven hug the coastline, while holes 14 to 18 provide a crescendo finish with each enjoying a backdrop of open sea or channel views. The 18th hole finishes below the iconic Clubhouse.
The designers incorporated width off the tee making the course suitable for beginners. It also includes challenging features that ensure the course is tournament quality, opening the possibility for staging major events in the future. There is also a two-acre putting course that the designers expect to rival the best in the world.
Fully Integrating Sustainability
RSG is working with the OnCourse® platform to ensure sustainability is at the heart of Shura Links. Water consumption is reduced through the careful selection of turf grass and soil sensors to understand moisture levels and minimize water use. It is also using the innovative POGO turf management system to measure key variables that influence growth and performance, including salinity, temperature, and weather, helping to inform decision-making and irrigation efficiency. The course also uses foliar feeding incorporating natural nutrients like seaweed to ensure a precision approach that maximizes nutrient uptake while mitigating nutrient runoff and maintaining the quality of turfgrass and golf-playing surfaces.
Of the 140-hectare site, just 20% is maintained turf. The designers purposely developed a natural golf course, using irregular turf lines and transitional bunkering with outside edges that blend into the natural dunescapes.
On top of this, RSG is developing a Habitat Development and Protection Plan that will explore ways to encourage the island’s wildlife to thrive. This includes research into whether the course’s irrigation system can be used to accelerate mangrove growth around the course.
RSG is working with the OnCourse® platform to ensure sustainability is at the heart of Shura Links
Golf Saudi Partnership
Golf Saudi has been awarded a contract to manage the golf course and operations. The 18-hole championship course will be accessible to all 11 hotels on Shura Island, as well as guests staying at other resorts at The Red Sea. A second course is in the works as part of subsequent phases of the destination’s development and is part of Saudi’s ambition to become the world’s next golf destination.
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