Practical information and Golf info

Shoes
Shoes with metal spikes are not allowed on the green; please bring shoes with soft spikes or cleats.

Handicap
Normal handicap should be 28 for men and 36 for ladies. Exceptions could be made for players with higher handicaps, who will be considered as beginners and can use a practice golf yard in the same course. Please make sure to have your handicap information available.

Tee times
Tee times have to be booked well in advance. Please keep in mind that weekends in Egypt are Friday and Saturday. Booking tee times on these days should be avoided.

Rental of clubs and buggies on the course
Most golf courses have rental clubs* and buggies* available (*not included in the price). Please ask about availability at the time of booking.

• Bread (aish) comes in several forms. The most common is the pita type. Try aish shams or sun bread, which is made from leavened dough and allowed to rise in the sun.
• Beans (ful) are cooked and served in several ways, often with vegetables and then mashed with onions, tomatoes and spices. Formed into patties and deep-fried they are called ta’miyya or falaafil if made from chickpeas. Served with salad, pickles and bread.
• Molokhiyya is a distinctively Egyptian thick soup, made from a leafy green vegetable. If you don’t like molokhiyya, try the lentil, vegetable, and fish soups, which all are delicious.
• Salads (salata) can be made of greens, tomatoes, potatoes, as well as with beans or yoghurt. At the salad bars you can make a whole meal of the fresh produce. The yoghurt is fresh and unflavoured.
• Egyptian style kabab is lamb seasoned in onion, marjoram and lemon juice, roasted on a spit over an open fire. Kufta is ground lamb flavoured with spices and onions, rolled into narrow meatballs and roasted like kebab. Beef is often water buffalo. Firaakh mashwi is grilled chicken. A national delicacy is Hamaam, grilled pigeons stuffed with seasoned rice. Both freshwater and sea fish are served.
• Rice (ruzz) is often varied by cooking it with nuts, onions, vegetables and spaghetti.
• A multitude of fruits are available year round, which are all tree or vine-ripened.
• The desserts are bountiful present at the buffet style dinners and all are delicious. Pastry or puddings are usually drenched in honey syrup. Classic desserts are basbousa, a semolina pastry soaked in honey and topped with hazelnuts; Umm Ali, raisin cake soaked in milk and served hot; mahallabiyya, Egyptian rice pudding topped with pistachios.

• Drinking coffee (ahwa) is a national tradition. The strong Turkish coffee is made from finely powdered beans brewed in a small pot. Breakfast coffee in the hotels is the strong French type and is usually called Nescafe.
• Tea (shay) is served with milk, lemon and sugar on the side. 
• Karkaday is a refreshing bright red native drink made of dried hibiscus flowers, served hot or cold.
• Bottled water (mayya) is spring water and available everywhere. Delectable treats are the fresh fruit juices, which are made from fruit in season including strawberries and mango. You can also get drinks made of vegetables such as cucumber, tomato and carrot or in combination with fruit. Western soft drinks are widely available and popular among Egyptians.
• Although almost all Egyptians refrain from drinking alcohol, beer, wine and hard liquor are available at bars and restaurants.

Etiquette and customs
It is a good Moslem’s duty to offer his brethren food and drink. The polite refusal is ‘Showkron, Allah y barakfeek’ (‘No thank you, God’s Grace upon you’) Consequently, to be really polite, one offers again. On the third refusal they need not offer again. Please don’t be upset by Egyptian’s seeming inability to understand that the answer is ‘no’. It may seem convoluted to the Western mind, but this is simply a different culture, and a very gracious one.