Six courses set for Dubai

The affluent Gulf emirate of Dubai is to build six new golf courses at an estimated cost of $150m, private sector developers have announced.

The property development company Nakheel, whose portfolio includes The Palm and The World man-made islands projects, has established a new arm - Nakheel Golf - to "spearhead Nakheel's foray into the world of golfing", said commercial executive director Wahid Attalla.

Attalla said the estimated cost will cover only the development of the six courses, but this "would vary depending on the total cost of the property projects on which these courses will be developed."

The project was launched at a press conference in the presence of noted Australian world golfer Greg Norman, at Dubai's landmark Burj al-Arab hotel.

Norman's company Great White Shark will develop the six courses which are planned to feature 96 holes in total.