Golf in Soma Bay: World-Class Red Sea Golf for a New Generation of Players

Soma Bay isn’t your typical “old school” golf break. It’s a private Red Sea peninsula with a championship Gary Player course, a floodlit par-3 challenge layout, a huge modern academy and year-round sunshine – all wrapped in a chill, resort vibe. For golfers who want great golf and a proper holiday, it’s pretty hard to beat.

The Gary Player Championship Course: Desert, Reef & Ridiculous Views

Somabay’s main 18-hole course is a par-72, Gary Player–designed championship layout that threads its way through the desert and along the edge of the peninsula.

Tees, fairways and greens form a lush “golf oasis” set against raw desert and the turquoise Red Sea.

The routing is what makes it special:

six holes are positioned directly on the Red Sea coastline, with others framed by wide desert vistas and distant mountains.

You get that “Pebble Beach, but in Egypt” feeling – pure blue water on one side, golden desert on the other.

• Designer: Gary Player Design
• Holes: 18, par 72
• Key feature: multiple holes running right along the reef edge
• Tees: several tee boxes per hole, so you can make it as friendly or as savage as you like

It’s the kind of course where you’ll genuinely argue over the best time to play:

early morning with the sun lifting over the water, or golden hour with the Red Sea glowing next to the fairways. Either way, it’s insanely photogenic.

Signature Moments

The course has plenty of “remember this forever” shots – long par 4s that play towards the sea, approaches framed by rockwork and water, and par 3s where a half-committed swing means a swim for your Pro V1.

It’s challenging, but designed so that holiday golfers can still have fun and put a score together.

The Par-3 Challenge Course & Short Game Arena: Golf Under the Lights

Alongside the main course, Somabay has a 9-hole par-3 Challenge Course and a seriously cool short-game complex.

The par-3 layout was completely reimagined in 2019 by architects Tim Lobb and James Edwards.

• Total length: 1,239 yards across 9 holes
• Designers: Tim Lobb & James Edwards
• Lighting: floodlit – play day or night
• Vibe: quick, fun, perfect for a warm-up loop or evening skins games

The course is built so you can create almost every approach shot imaginable, with teeing options that let you dial in wedges and short irons properly.

It’s ideal if you’re the kind of golfer who actually likes practising – or just wants a fast, social 9 under the stars.

Next door is a 5,000 m² Short Game Arena with around 27 different zones where you can grind every chip, pitch, bunker shot and awkward lie you’ll ever see on the course.

Combined with the par-3 layout, it feels more like a golf playground than a traditional “range corner”.

The Golf Academy & Floodlit Range

Somabay Golf also leans hard into modern practice. There’s a 40-acre academy with a full-length,

floodlit driving range that’s over 300 yards long with teeing areas at both ends, target greens, bunkers and multiple practice greens.

If you want to mix holiday mode with a quiet “project” on your swing, this is the place:

grab a late-afternoon bucket after the beach, or hit balls under the lights before dinner.

Coaching with PGA pros is available for everything from total refreshers to proper game overhauls.

New Course Incoming: A More Playable 18 for Holiday Golfers

On top of the existing championship course, Somabay is currently building a brand-new par-71, 18-hole course designed by Lobb + Partners.

It’s being created specifically as a more manageable, fun test for holiday golfers – not a brutal tour-level layout.

• Par: 71
• Length: around 6,200 yards
• Design goal: fun, family-friendly, visually striking, with sea views from nearly every hole
• Status: under construction, opening in phases with full 18 expected around winter 2026 (with preview play earlier)

Think dramatic mounding, waste areas, split fairways and generous landing zones – the kind of course where you can score if you’re smart, but still lose a bet if you get greedy downwind.

Sustainability & Conditions: Green in the Desert, Without the Guilt

For a course this green in the middle of the desert, Somabay takes sustainability seriously.

The championship course was recently resurfaced with Paspalum Platinum, a grass that tolerates high heat and salinity, which allows them to cut water use significantly.

They also rely more on recycled water and native, water-saving plants around the course.

On the energy side, a new solar plant helps power the facilities, and Somabay Golf has earned international sustainability certification from GEO for its environmental approach.

The result for you: lush, consistent playing surfaces.

Why Soma Bay Works So Well forGolfers

You probably don’t want your holiday to feel like a week at a traditional golf club.

Soma Bay hits a different note:

• Year-round sunshine and warm, dry air – you can play in winter without five layers on.
• Plenty of non-golf activities: snorkelling on the reef, kitesurfing, diving, pristine beaches, spa days, boat trips and Red Sea sunsets.
• Modern practice and short-game facilities if you actually enjoy working on your game, not just hacking around.
• Flexible vibe: play serious morning golf, then switch fully into “holiday mode” by lunchtime.

Add The Cascades Spa & Thalasso, beach clubs, the Marina and Soma Bay’s restaurant scene, and it feels more like a full-experience destination than a pure “golf resort”.

Practical Stuff: When to Go & Where to Stay

Soma Bay is about 45–50 minutes south of Hurghada International Airport, with direct flights from many European cities and a one-hour domestic hop from Cairo.

Thanks to the dry climate, you can play almost any month of the year, with autumn and spring offering the sweetest combination of temperatures and conditions.

If you’re a group of golfers or a couple who want apartment-style living rather than a traditional hotel,

staying in one of Seascape Stays' Soma Bay holiday rentals can work really well – you get more space, your own social area, and flexibility around tee times and non-golf plans. Many of our listings are in neighborhoods that are quite close to the golf course.

Wherever you base yourself on the peninsula, the course is only a short ride away and you’re never far from the sea, the reef and the next cold drink.

Why Soma Bay Should Be on Your Golf Bucket List

If you’re looking for a golf trip Soma Bay is a bit of a cheat code:

• World-class Gary Player championship course with holes along the reef
• A floodlit par-3 course and short-game arena that make practice genuinely fun
• A new, more playable 18-hole Lobb + Partners course on the way
• Year-round golf weather on a private Red Sea peninsula
• Easy access to diving, kitesurfing, spas and beach clubs

For modern golfers who want great golf, big views and a holiday that doesn’t revolve solely around the clubhouse bar, Soma Bay quietly punches way above its weight – and might just be the Red Sea golf trip you keep coming back to.