Shura Links: Championship Golf on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Island

The defining feature of Shura Links is its relationship with the sea. The routing brings several holes close to the coast, while other stretches look across the island’s dunes, channels and mangrove environment. The result is a course whose identity comes as much from its setting as from the strategic demands of the golf itself.

Golf course architect Brian Curley designed the 18-hole, par-72 layout for Shura Island. The course uses the island’s natural forms to create a varied round, with coastal holes, sandy ground and broad views over the Red Sea. Holes along the shoreline bring the water directly into the playing experience, while inland sections move through the island landscape and its native vegetation.

The routing is designed to feel connected to its location rather than imposed upon it. The wider masterplan limits the maintained playing surface to a relatively small part of the island, with water-conscious management and the use of adapted planting forming part of the destination’s sustainability approach.

Shura Links is one element of The Red Sea development, a tourism destination built around the archipelago and coastline of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea. Its island setting gives the course a distinctive sense of separation from the mainland, with the sea, beaches and surrounding natural habitats shaping the visitor experience beyond the fairways.

The course is complemented by a contemporary clubhouse designed by Foster + Partners. Its architecture is intended to sit comfortably within the island setting, creating a central place for golfers to gather before and after play.

The combination of shoreline holes, sandy terrain and exposed island positions gives the round a character distinct from the inland courses found elsewhere in Saudi Arabia. Wind direction and strength can influence club selection and shot shape, while the visual appeal of the coastline provides a memorable backdrop throughout the round. The par-72 format gives the course a full championship structure, with the design asking players to balance aggression with careful positioning.