Yas Links Abu Dhabi - Spotlight
There are courses that transport you, that make you forget where you are and draw you into the pure rhythm of the game. Yas Links Abu Dhabi is one of those rare places. Standing on its rolling fairways, with the Arabian Gulf glinting beside you and the wind shifting off the water, you could easily imagine yourself on the Scottish coast rather than the desert edge of the Emirates. It’s a course that feels born from the sea, shaped by the elements, and guided by a designer who understood the poetry of links golf.
Created by Kyle Phillips, the man behind Kingsbarns and Dundonald Links, Yas Links opened in 2010 and immediately redefined what golf in the Middle East could be. Built on reclaimed coastline on the western edge of Yas Island, the project was a monumental feat of engineering — millions of cubic metres of sand reshaped into dunes, ridges, and rippling fairways that look like they’ve always belonged. What’s remarkable is how natural it all feels. Nothing here appears forced; the landscape flows with an effortless rhythm, the kind that only comes from a deep respect for traditional links design.
From the first tee, Yas Links establishes its identity. The fairways are generous but never forgiving, tightening subtly as they near the greens. Bunkers sit exactly where your eye doesn’t want them to be, their placement as strategic as it is aesthetic. The greens themselves are large, undulating, and endlessly interesting — the kind that reward imagination as much as accuracy. It’s the sort of course that asks for control, not power; for creativity, not calculation.
Yas Links - Abu Dhabi
The front nine moves inland and then back toward the sea, offering glimpses of what’s to come. The 8th, a gorgeous par-3 where water is definitely in play, is a standout early test, beautiful & beguiling, and tougher than it looks when the wind picks up. From there, the course begins to stretch its legs, with the coastline becoming an ever-present companion. The back nine is where Yas Links truly reveals its brilliance. From the 13th through to the finish, every hole dances with the shoreline, the Gulf winds dictating strategy on a shot-by-shot basis. The 18th is pure theatre, a par 5 that hugs the water all the way home, its fairway bending tantalisingly towards the edge, the green perched beneath the clubhouse like a final reward for those who dare.
What sets Yas Links apart is its authenticity. While many desert courses chase grandeur through water features and manicured precision, this one offers beauty in its restraint. The sandy dunes, the native grasses, and the unpredictable breeze all contribute to an experience that feels organic and timeless. It plays firm and fast, just as links golf should, allowing the ground game to thrive — bump-and-runs, low chasers, and those delicate recovery shots that test a player’s touch.
Conditioning is consistently exceptional, but it never feels artificial. The turf is tight, the fairways true, and the greens roll at that perfect speed where strategy matters more than pace. For a course that lives in the heart of a modern entertainment hub — surrounded by the roar of Yas Marina Circuit and the architecture of the W Hotel — there’s a remarkable serenity once you’re out on the fairways. It’s just you, the wind, and the game.
Yas Links - Abu Dhabi
Over time, Yas Links has matured into one of the world’s great modern links courses, and perhaps the finest in the region. It’s hosted major professional events and drawn players from across the globe, yet it remains wonderfully accessible — challenging without being punishing, elegant without being indulgent. Every round feels different; every hole tells a new story depending on the breeze.
Yas Links doesn’t rely on spectacle or novelty. Its brilliance lies in its restraint — in its ability to blend strategy, beauty, and playability into something that feels both natural and inevitable. For those who love golf that engages the mind as much as the hands, it’s a masterpiece. Standing on the final green as the sun dips into the Gulf, it’s hard not to feel that Yas Links isn’t just one of the Middle East’s great courses — it’s one of the modern game’s true triumphs.
Desert golf really doesn’t get much better than this.
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Yas Links - Abu Dhabi