Staff WriterIn a move that fuses youth development with fairway ambition, Qiddiya City – Saudi Arabia’s dazzling experiment in sport and entertainment-driven urban design – has become a global partner of the Faldo Series, the world’s leading pathway for aspiring young golfers.
This announcement tees up the Kingdom’s boldest step yet in making golf more than just a game, but a way of life for the next generation.
As part of the partnership, the Faldo Series will stage its youth events at Qiddiya City, which is now officially the regional hub for junior golf in Saudi Arabia.
This is more than just another trophy partnership. It’s a swing-for-the-fences commitment to grassroots development, wrapped in the glow of a Sir Nick Faldo signature.
And what a signature it is.
Set to open in 2026, Qiddiya’s showpiece will be a Sir Nick Faldo-designed 18-hole championship course, carved into the dramatic backdrop of the 200-metre-high Tuwaiq cliffs.
The project’s design puts accessibility front and centre, with innovations like a ‘3-hole return’ layout that encourages shorter, casual rounds for those who don’t have four hours and a caddie.
“This is a unique opportunity to become involved in one of the most exciting cities being developed today,” said Faldo. “Our partnership with Qiddiya City brings together the golf community with a whole nation bubbling with energy to be active and try new sports.”
Indeed, if ambition were a sport, Qiddiya would be top of the leaderboard.
“This partnership with Sir Nick Faldo in designing a new golf course and becoming global partner of the Faldo Series underscores our commitment to growing the game of golf and nurturing the next generation of Saudi golfers,” said Abdullah bin Nasser Aldawood, Managing Director of Qiddiya Investment Company.
But this is no simple fairway project. The plans call for a high-tech academy, floodlit practice facilities, and a clubhouse that doubles as a social and wellness hub – complete with conditioning suites, pools, restaurants, and even rooftop green space.
Designed by Patterson’s and seamlessly integrated into the desert environment, the facilities aim to attract more than 200,000 visitors annually.
Yes, you read that right – not just golfers, but wellness seekers, spectators, families, and foodies.
The site will be split across three core zones – the Golf Clubhouse, the Academy, and the Social Wellness Hub – all connected by a sweeping green-roofed promenade.
It’s a concept that blends tradition with a bit of golf theatre, and perhaps a nod to the sport’s future: immersive, inclusive, and endlessly photogenic.
Located just 40 minutes from Riyadh, Qiddiya City is one of the largest city developments on Earth, sprawling across 360 square kilometres.
The golf destination slots into a district already earmarked for elite-level entertainment and sports infrastructure. Highlights include the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium (a likely World Cup 2034 venue), a cutting-edge motorsport Speed Park, and the Mercedes AMG World of Performance – part museum, part racetrack, part adrenaline dreamscape.
So, what does this all mean for golf in Saudi Arabia? In short: the Kingdom is not just building a golf course – it’s building culture, community, and a competitive future.
The Faldo Series, long revered as the launchpad for global golf talent, now has a flagship Middle Eastern home with all the bells, whistles, and sand traps one could ask for.
And if the blueprint is any indication, Qiddiya won’t just change how Saudi Arabia plays golf. It might just change where the world wants to learn it.
