Bunkered! The golf course with 17 acres of sand
YAS LINKS, Abu Dhabi’s answer to St Andrews, has a wind-affected shoreline dotted with dangerous pin positions and an understated clubhouse where a Scot might happily order a pot of tea. Over the annual Abu Dhabi Invitational charity weekend, make that a pint of beer or glass of champagne.
In glorious Emirates winter sun, the sporting world gathers to compete in the high-profile competition. Earlier this year Paul McGinley led out pro golfers including Ian Poulter and Thomas Pieters to play against sporting legends such as Mike Tindall, Jimmy Anderson and Brian Lara. Golf-mad Ronan Keating performed at the gala dinner.
Near the international airport and opened in 2010, Yas was designed by Kyle Phillips, also the creator of Kingsbarns, a contemporary Scottish links on the St Andrews coast.
In Scotland, Phillips converted centuries-old farmland; at Yas, he conjured magical fairways out of flat desert scrub. Bunkers are strategic rather than invasive, their no-expense-spared sand part silica imported from Germany.
As at Kingsbarns, huge sloping greens test your nerve to the max. In terms of risk/reward, Yas’s final two shoreline holes are make or break. ‘I love that,’ said Tindall, a ten handicapper. ‘Who wouldn’t? I’m not here to play safe golf.’
I next move on to Saadiyat Beach Golf Club on Saadiyat Island, a Gary Player-designed course that proudly offers 17 acres of sand, starting on hole one. By the time you reach the third hole, you may feel you’ve negotiated most of it, but you’d be wrong. Seventeen acres is a lot of sand, enough to cover half the fairways and block off easy access to most of the greens.
You may not spot the rare hawksbill turtles breeding in the rough, but dolphins play in the sea beside the sixth fairway.
Saadiyat Island is Abu Dhabi’s cultural heart and the first Louvre outside Paris opened there last month.
While Yas and Saadiyat are excellent new courses, the premier course is still the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, which will celebrate 20 years of championship play in 2019.
A huge concrete falcon gazes out from the roof of the clubhouse over 27 lush holes.
The club’s status as host to a European Tour championship event every January guarantees immaculate greenkeeping. Both Yas and Saadiyat would dearly love to steal the prestigious fixture, but the great bird of prey, wings at full stretch, talons hooked into a giant golf ball, sends out a powerful message of intent.
Recycled water and desalination plants ensure green fairways even as temperatures soar above 40C
But if you prefer more of a real desert golf experience, a visit to Al Ghazal, Abu Dhabi’s all-sand course, is an eyeopener, although pleasure is not guaranteed: balls hit off stones, grit or a small square of artificial turf fly off at random. ‘Browns’, sand putting surfaces slicked smooth with oil, are true, but each step is Man Friday on the move, the deep imprints requiring extensive sweeping to restore the status quo.
If you’re that fond of sweeping, try curling. If not, a holiday with tee times on the three grass courses is perfect.
A four-night bed-andbreakfast stay at Yas Rotana costs from £779pp with yourgolftravel.com (0800 043 0481). The price includes three rounds of golf (Yas Links, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club & Abu Dhabi Golf Club) and return British Airways flights.