Jebel Sifah Golf Course, Muscat
Driving through the mountain ranges after leaving Muscat, and through the villages where you need to be careful of wandering donkeys and herds of goats on the road, it’s hard to imagine a golf course here. Yet when you turn off into Jebel Sifah you arrive at a stunning resort where the golf course is situated. With some of Oman’s most iconic scenery in abundance, mountains to your back and the deep blue of the sea in front of you, this feels a bit like heaven on earth.
This is Jebel Sifah Golf Course in Oman.
Course layout (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆☆)
Jebel Sifah is at the moment a nine hole layout with two par 3’s, five par 4’s, and two par 5’s. There are plans to develop it into an 18 hole golf course and I feel that once this happens it will be a great addition to the course.
The current holes are quite open in width and forgiving off the tees. You can be a bit off target with your driver and still not have to worry too much about being in trouble for your next shot. At the moment there are not a lot of bunkers or hazards on the course so players looking for a challenge may be disappointed. The course is more suitable for the leisurely golfer who is looking to hit lots of fairways and greens without too much stress.
Some of the holes are quite long, especially the par 5 3rd, at a distance of 658 yards off the blue tees it was a real challenge to hit in regulation!
The par 3 6th at 198 yards is another long one and the breeze coming off the sea may also be against you here.
As there are five sets of tees you can make the course much shorter than I played it, but at least the option is there for golfers of all lengths to play how they like.
Course condition (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)
The condition of the course was perfect, it really was maintained well and beautiful to look at and play on! The fairways showed some lovely mow lines and the greens were a good pace.
The bunkers were perfect with lovely white sand. The off course desert areas, while hard to play from were not overly punishing when it came to looking for your ball if in there.
All in all, the course was at an extremely high rate of condition and top marks to all involved for that.
Facilities (⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆☆☆☆)
Finding the clubhouse at the moment is a little tricky as online maps point you in the direction of the marina. But basically as soon as you enter the resort, keep going straight until you reach some tennis courts, then turn directly left. You will see the buggies parked outside.
The clubhouse has a nice shop and the staff there are very friendly and helpful. Club rental is also available from the clubhouse if you don’t have your own clubs.
For food and drink there is a restaurant close by just down some steps. In a nice setting overlooking the marina and the yachts you can get a coffee here and the food is excellent!
The buggies were in perfect condition and water was supplied for you during your round.
At the moment there isn’t a driving range available but there are some hitting nets if you wanted to loosen up a bit before your round.
Price (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆)
The price at the moment is really reasonable in Jebel Sifah. For OMR22 you get 18 holes during the weekend and during the weekdays it’s only OMR20. For a course in this condition I see this as a really reasonable price and as Middle Eastern rates go it’s one of the best I’ve encountered so far.
For Jebel Sifah rates please click here.
Setting & Course location (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆)
The course is located about an hour from Muscat and is the furthest of the Omani courses from the city. However, an hour isn’t long when you consider how long it may take you to travel a short distance in some of the other Middle Eastern countries due to traffic! Plus the drive is a really lovely one through the mountains and the villages of Oman and the time will go fast, you’ll be there and back before you even know it!
For the location on Google Maps please click here.
Conclusion
Jebel Sifah is the type of place every golfer dreams of retiring on when they get to a certain age. With the resort, the sea, the mountains, and a stunning golf course what more could you want?
I really enjoyed my time on the course, while it may seem a little forgiving or not challenging to some people, sometimes you need to just go out and play golf and not have to worry about hitting shots off target, or hitting bad shots. You just want to be out there because you want to enjoy it. If you are one of those people, then Jebel Sifah is definitely for you.
OVERALL RATING – (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆)
Contact Details for Jebel Sifah Golf Course, Muscat
Website: Click here
Telephone: +968 2474 9193
Email: golf@jebelsifah.com
Hole-by-Hole
All distances from the blue tees which I played from. Indexes are men’s indexes and are separated by “/” for front nine and back nine.
Hole 1: Par 4, 342yds, index 13/14
The hardest thing I found on the first hole was to not go right off the tee. You have lots of room on the left but the tendency is to aim right and if you fade you’re in the desert. It’s not a very long hole so you can get well down the fairway and leave a nice short one in for your approach shot. The approach needs to carry a bunker short left of the green.
Hole 2: Par 4, 448yds, index 1/2
Keep this tee shot on the right hand side of the fairway as it gives you the best line and the shortest line to the green for your approach shot. It’s a long approach and there is a bunker short left of the green to avoid. If you can draw your long irons this is the perfect shot here.
Hole 3: Par 5, 658yds, index 5/6
An absolutely crazy long hole! (Which I birdied with a driver, a 4 iron, a 3 iron and one putt!) Take this hole one shot at a time. Get your drive in a good location in the centre of the fairway and then lay up before the valley going across the fairway. This still leaves you a long shot in and it’s a good shot to hit the green. Especially when you need to make sure to miss the bunker short left of the green also. It takes three good shots but it’s not impossible!
Hole 4: Par 4, 344yds, index 15/16
This is a pretty straight forward easy hole after the last one. You can take a driver and try to get within pitching range or lay up with a fairway wood or long iron. There are no hazards to worry about around this green and it’s a nice relaxing hole.
Hole 5: Par 5, 549yds, index 9/10
For this par 5 it’s two good shots again to hit the green in two but it is downhill so you have that to your advantage. The only thing to watch for on your second if going for it is the bunker in front of the green. If you are laying up then for your approach you need to be mindful of a bunker on the left of the green also. Again, not a very complicated par 5.
Hole 6: Par 3, 198yds, index 11/12
This is a really nice par 3 where you’re hitting towards the sea. The setting is stunning. The green is a large green but it’s a long shot to hit it especially as the wind may be coming off the sea into your face. It is a little downhill but this doesn’t help you much. Also take care of the bunker on the right hand side of the green. Walk away with a par here and be very happy.
Hole 7: Par 4, 378yds, index 3/4
This teeshot is possibly the tightest on the course. The hole is another really nice hole down by the sea. It’s important to hit the fairway on this to give yourself the chance of an easy shot to the green. Your approach shot needs to carry a bit of a waste area in front of the green so make sure and get over this. The setting of this hole makes it my favorite on the course.
Hole 8: Par 3, 153yds, index 17/18
This one is a pretty simple par 3. It’s not overly long and there are no hazards to worry about. Complacency is your only enemy on this one thinking it’s too easy!
Hole 9: Par 4, 430yds, index 7/8
The last is a nice hole to finish on. The drive needs to be accurate again. The fairway is quite forgiving but not as much as the opening holes. If you hit the left side of the fairway it gives you a clearer shot into the green. There are two bunkers on the right side and short of the green to avoid when playing in your approach.
