Golf in Jordan is small, but it is unusually well-defined. Instead of a scattered network of clubs, the country’s modern golf identity is anchored by Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba, a Red Sea resort setting that gives Jordan a true championship golf venue. Ayla is described by the club as Jordan’s first 18-hole championship golf course, with a 9-hole academy course and a Greg Norman design.
That makes Jordan different from many emerging golf countries. It does not have a large domestic course count, but it does have a flagship facility with international-standard ambitions. Golf here is not mainstream in the way football or basketball may be, but it has a clear home, a federation structure, and a visitor-facing course that gives the sport visibility beyond the local club scene.
Aqaba, Amman, and the Country’s Two Golf Realities
Jordan’s course landscape is essentially split between two very different golf experiences. Ayla Golf Club in Aqaba is the polished destination product: an 18-hole par-72 championship course, a 9-hole par-27 floodlit academy course, and a setting framed by desert, mountains, and Red Sea tourism infrastructure.
Bisharat Golf Club in Amman represents a more traditional local golf environment. It is listed as a 9-hole course with oiled greens, rubber tees, practice facilities, and a clubhouse, making it a very different kind of golf experience from Ayla.
Together, those two venues explain Jordanian golf. Aqaba gives the country a modern championship and tourism platform. Amman gives the sport a local base in the capital region. For residents, that means access is limited but not absent. For visitors, it means the best golf trip is usually built around Aqaba, while Amman is more likely to serve golfers already in the capital for work, family, or travel.
Federation Golf, Events, and Development
The Jordan Golf Federation provides the sport’s organizing structure, listing Ayla Golf Club and Bisharat Golf Club among its partners. Its membership materials emphasize spreading the game, developing golf for all ages and genders, and improving facilities across the kingdom.
Competitive golf in Jordan is still developing, but it has meaningful reference points. The Jordan Open has been staged at Ayla, and the federation has promoted national-team activity and tournament play through its official channels.
Ayla has also helped Jordan gain international golf visibility. In 2019, the Jordan Mixed Open at Ayla brought men and women professionals from three different sanctioning tours into one full-field professional event, giving the country a distinctive place in modern tournament golf.
Golf Travel in Jordan
Jordan is strongest as a golf destination when golf is paired with broader travel. Aqaba is the natural base because it combines Red Sea tourism, resort infrastructure, desert scenery, and the country’s best golf facility. For international visitors, Ayla offers the clearest version of Jordanian golf: warm-weather play, dramatic mountain backdrops, and a course that feels connected to the landscape rather than simply placed beside it.
Amman’s golf scene is more local and specialized. Bisharat will interest golfers who want to understand the older, more practical side of the sport in Jordan, but Aqaba is the main draw for a golf-focused itinerary.
Outlook for Golf in Jordan
Jordan’s golf future is likely to remain concentrated but credible. The country may not need dozens of courses to have a recognizable golf identity. With Ayla as a flagship, Bisharat as a capital-city base, and the federation working around participation and development, Jordan has a compact model with room for gradual growth.
