Madinat Makadi Golf Course: A Green Desert Wonder on the Red Sea

South of Hurghada, where the turquoise Red Sea meets the rugged foothills of the Arabian Desert, American architect John Sanford has created a masterful resort layout: the Madinat Makadi Golf Course. The course sets the standard in Egypt for maintenance, sporting excellence, and scenic design. From the terrace of the adjacent “Spikes Bar,” players are treated to a panoramic view of lush greenery, golden desert sand, and the azure-blue sea. The clubhouse is directly adjacent to the excellent Steigenberger Makadi Hotel, which impresses with its boutique charm and first-class service.

Madinat Makadi, however, is not a course for the faint of heart: with an impressive total length of up to 6,871 meters from the back tees, it is one of the longest courses in the country. Unusually, all distances are given in meters rather than yards. A charming detail: Each hole is dedicated to a figure from Egyptian mythology, as explained on large information boards at the tees. The course is played on extremely dense Seashore Paspalum grass, which keeps the ball perfectly in place, just as if it were on a Tee.

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Front Nine: Mythology and Strategic Water Hazards

While the first nine holes can still be managed quite well on foot, a cart is strongly recommended for the entire round—not least because of the high temperatures and the steady north wind. The opening hole, a 400-meter-long Par-4, is forgiving of initial mis-hits thanks to its wide Fairway. However, anyone who strays from the dense green will inevitably end up in deep waste areas.

On the front nine, the wind-prone Par-3 fourth hole (210 meters) with its lightning-fast greens and the sixth hole stand out in particular. The latter is considered the most difficult hole of the round (par-4, 403 meters) and, as a true “risk-reward” hole, requires a precise drive past a lake and an approach shot over a water hazard. To conclude the first half, the 9th hole (Cleopatra VII, par-5, 550 meters) features a blind tee shot past massive Bunkers before heading downhill to a plateau-like green.

Back Nine: Hilly, cratered terrain

The second nine holes run below the hotel and are considered even more scenic, but also more tactically challenging, as the elevation changes increase significantly. After a blind tee shot on the 11th hole, the 12th hole (Anubis, Par 4, 380 meters) marks the lowest point of the Back Nine, which is lined with intricate little stone sculptures.

A strategic highlight is the double dogleg on the 13th hole (Par 5, 530 meters), which winds through a veritable crater landscape of Bunkers all the way to the green. The final par-3 on hole 16 is spectacular: from a hilltop, you hit a steady downhill shot over an impressive 211 meters, with the fairway sloping sharply to the right. The round concludes with a thrilling, 555-meter-long par-5 dogleg that, after a blind tee shot, requires three perfectly executed shots to conquer the well-defended plateau green in Par.

Athletic Excellence and Luxurious Comfort

The offerings are complemented by a fully functional 9-hole executive course (Par 27) for a quick round in between, and one of Egypt’s largest driving ranges. Madinat Makadi combines sporting excellence with luxurious comfort and—especially in combination with the Steigenberger Makadi (an adults-only hotel)—is the perfect destination for any golf vacationer.