This month Golfing World delves into the Middle East, to take a look at the emergence of golf as one of the region’s most popular sports featuring interviews with Ernie Els and Lee Westwood.

Golf course construction in the UAE began in the 1980s and since then the region has boomed with top architects brought in to help the game overcome logistical challenges that exist in a desert state.

Innovative initiatives like floodlit golf at night have proved very popular as they allow residents and visitors to play at cooler times.

The World No 1 is a regular fixture on UAE golf courses, be that Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy or Jordan Spieth, which provides excitement for golfers in the Middle East and is a testament to how high the quality of the courses is.