Improving your golf handicap is like improving your grade-point-average. It requires practice, practice and practice. The UAE has over 10 Golf courses all with varying difficulty, opening times and green fees.
If you have played in the UAE before, you would know that Golf is not the cheapest sport to get into. Green fees can be anywhere from AED 255 for a twilight 9-hole round to over AED 800 for an 18-hole round during the day.
This is where our banks come in handy. Many of the credit cards available in the UAE give us privileged access to different golf courses with great deals on green fees.
Premium Credit Cards from Dubai First, Citibank, Barclays, Emirates NBD, Mashreq Bank, Dunia Finance, First Gulf Bank and Emirates Islamic Bank all provide complimentary or discounted green fees at UAE Golf Clubs.
Citibank Premium cards which would include their Skywards Ultima and Ultimate cards, their Citi Life Platinum and Infinite Cards and Premier Miles Platinum and Elite cards allows you to enjoy complimentary golf once a month at The Address Montgemerie and Al Badia Golf Clubs. For your golf equipment, it also provides you with discounts at the Pro shops. Just make sure you check the cancellation terms and conditions when you book.
If you are a regular golfer at Towers Link Golf Course, Al Hamra Golf Club or The ELS Club, you would have probably heard of the ENBD Premium credit cards which would include their Titanium, Platinum and Infinite Cards. Towers Link Golf Club will give you a complimentary round for you and a guest, Al Hamra Golf Club allows your guest to play for free through its “Buy one get one free offer” and The ELS Club is giving away the green fees with 35% discount.
If you are a golfer who is on a mission to try all golf courses in the UAE or enjoy change of scenery, the First Gulf Bank Platinum Credit Cards and the Emirates Islamic Bank Skywards Platinum Card comes with a Golf Fee Card which allows you up to 30% across 13 Golf Courses in the UAE.
The new Dubai First Skyy Miles Visa Cards keeps it simple and offers a flat 30% discount on green fees throughout the Emirate and covers Abu Dhabi Golf Club; Al Ghazal Golf Club; Arabian Ranches; Emirates Golf Club; Jebel Ali Resort; The Address Montgomerie; Al Hamra; Tower Links and Sharjah Wanderers. On top of the 30% off, you get up to 2 miles per USD spend paying for your golf round with your Dubai First card.
For free range balls and complimentary green fees (with two weeks advance booking) at The Montgomerie, try the Dunia Finance Diamond Card.
Last but not least, Mashreq Bank’s new Platinum Elite Credit Card targeted to the affluent customer offering 25% off green fees and 50% off range balls at Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, up to 50% off green fees at the Arabian Ranches Golf Club, 20% off green fees (5 days a week) at both Dubai Creek and Yacht Golf Club and Emirates Golf Club.
Now that you can no longer use cost as an excuse to stay away from the tee box, the only thing that stands between you and improving the number at the bottom of your scorecard is the courage to brave the summer heat.
Written by Souqalmal.com – This article was first published on Zawya