In 1993, a month into the construction of the Glashedy Links next door, a helicopter landed at Ballyliffin. Nick Faldo got out, played the Old Links, and called it the most natural links he had ever seen. He liked it enough that he stayed the night to finish all eighteen holes. Three years later, after Glashedy opened, he made an offer to buy the club outright. The members voted it down.

Usually I like Nick Faldo courses. The Cornelia in Belek is great. I've played his courses in Vietnam and Thailand and those were good too. Solid designs, proper bunkering, routings that make you think. So when I booked the Faldo at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai for the first time I was expecting more of the same. I was wrong.

Over the years, I've clocked countless rounds in myriad venues, and it is rare to have the privilege of walking off an 18th green with the experience of: *this is something different*. Not simply *this was great* but *this was something different*.