Teeing Off In The Land Of The Pharaohs

By • Justine Moss
Photos • Egyptian National Tourist Authority

While golf may not compete historically with Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza – after all, the oldest and largest of these, the Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) was completed around 2600BC – the game of golf has only been around in this North African country for as recent as 100 years. Indeed, the Egyptian Open, which was launched back in 1920, is the oldest national open golf tournament in Africa.

Even so, in this football-mad nation (Egypt won the football African Cup of Nations back in 2006), golf is not at the top of the list for most Egyptian sports fans, either as a player or spectator. Over the past couple of years, however, there has been a concerted effort to change all that. The recent increased development of golf courses and a fledgling junior golf development program are just part of attempts to increase awareness of this sport, and to attract the all-important tourist dollar. The average cost for a round of golf in Egypt is currently between US$60-US$80, with its predictable desert weather enabling the game to be played year-round.

Where Pharaohs Used To Tread
While 18 holes at any of its courses would be an added bonus on one’s trip to Egypt, what really should be at the top of any itinerary on a trip to Cairo is really the Pyramids of Giza (Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure) and The Sphinx, which are one of the most incredible man-made structures in the world. The word "Sphinx", which means 'strangler', was first given by the Greeks to a creature which had the head of a woman, the body of a lion and the wings of a bird. The structure is 72.55 meters in length and 20.22 meters tall, while the face of the sphinx is four meters wide and its eyes are two meters high and is quite a sight to behold

Egypt has always stood as the land where civilizations have always met, and the Pharaohs together with the Greeks and the Romans have left their imprints here. Naturally there are many other fascinating and stunning cultural sights, structures and monuments which could quite possibly fill up a year’s itinerary, but if you could only spare only a few days in Cairo, then do visit the famous Egyptian Museum. It was established in 1835 and has been housed in its current location since the early 1900s. The items on display number over 130,000 and range from the pre-historic era to the Greco-Roman period with many artifacts from the “Tombs of Kings” and members of the royal family from the Middle Kingdom, as well as treasures from the Tutankhamun collection. A word of warning though, the museum is quite vast, so do pick up a map on entry and allow yourself at least half a day to see some of the important artifacts.

Cruising Down The Nile
A night should be reserved for a cruise down the River Nile, of which there are plenty of operators to choose from. Aside from watching the twinkling shore lights and cruising down one of the most famous waterways in the world, there’s entertainment included which comes in the form of shapely belly dancers. After diving into the buffet and having a few drinks, you can either watch the bejeweled belly dancer, or be inclined to join in the fun.

(For the complete article please refer to your July 2008 issue of Golf Asia magazine)