In the week of the Dubai Desert Classic, design firm Thomson, Perrett and Lobb has announced its planned alterations to Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course.

Architect Tim Lobb’s intentions are detailed in this document. Key changes are planned for the second, eighth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth and sixteenth holes.

At the twelfth hole, the currently bunkerless green complex will be reconfigured with a small ‘Road hole’ bunker being used to defend the front, and to encourage golfers to flirt with new fairway bunkering on the right side, in the hope of a better angle of approach.

Little lengthening of the course is planned, although the sixteenth will be stretched from 425 to 470 yards. The green complex will remain bunkerless, but a new swale to the front left will be cut, creating a challenging Sunday pin on the back left of the undulating green.

Work will commence after the tournament, with the installation of a new irrigation system being the first job. The course will shut during the summer, with the bunker work being slated for June-September of this year.