Get your golf fix in Abu Dhabi
In just a quarter of a century UAE has gone from a potential golf paradise to true sporting mecca
With a transformation from a smattering of courses to more than 20 in 2024, golfers worldwide are increasingly packing their putters for a trip of a lifetime to the Persian Gulf.
Dubai may boast the world’s tallest building and a number of top courses, but the nation’s capital Abu Dhabi is a regular stop off for top golf pros and amateurs alike.
In fact, with a variety of courses from links layouts to fun, short and accessible venues and finally to serene coastal tracks wholly in touch with nature, Abu Dhabi can’t be overlooked.
Yas Links and Abu Dhabi Golf Club lead the way as pristine venues which have hosted the very best players in the world, while Saadiyat Beach Golf Club – the UAE’s first beachfront layout which remains the region’s only Audubon Certified Co-operative Sanctuary Golf Course – has stood the test of time.
Newly-built Yas Acres, a nine-hole layout in a thriving Middle Eastern community, shows how seriously Abu Dhabi is taking the growth of golf: they want everyone to give it a try.
Here we profile these four courses, all a short ride from the international airport…
<1> Abu Dhabi Golf Club
Opened in 2000, Abu Dhabi Golf Club boasts the iconic falcon-shaped clubhouse, a fitting sight for the 18th green and finishing post at this 16-time Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship host.
Past winners, recently made honorary members, include 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry and Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood. This is truly a location where you can rub shoulders with the greats.
‘Night Golf’ on this wonderful golfing test is now enabling the most keen of players to test themselves under floodlights on the back nine – brace yourself for a mesmerising view on the 18th with the spectacular clubhouse pitched against the darkened sky.
Location PO Box 51234, Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Tel +971 2 885 3555
Connect with Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn
Book sessions here
<2> Yas Links
As the first true links course in the Middle East, Yas Links was destined for success when it was designed by world renowned architect Kyle Phillips.
Host course to the 2023 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and set to welcome the world’s best again this November, with incredible views of the Arabian Gulf and the Formula 1 circuit Yas Links needs to be seen to be believed.
Rated number 34 in Golf Digest’s World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, Yas Links also offers an award-winning restaurant, gym, spa, as well as a floodlit Par 3 Course.
With a number of seashore greens, you’ll feel a long way from the heat of the desert here.
Location PO Box 128008, Yas Island, UAE
Tel +971 2 404 3000
Connect with Yas Links on Instagram | | Facebook
Book sessions here
<3> Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
With golfers increasingly keen on visiting environmentally-aware courses and venues, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is right up there in this respect.
Saadiyat is the Middle East’s first Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary golf course, – an accolade achieved for its outstanding dedication to nature given the 180 bird species, insects and gazelles seen on the fairways.
The golf is serene and the views are peaceful, whether you’re taking in the desert delights or coastal treats, and the course was the first Ladies European Tour host in Abu Dhabi while in 2023 the World Golf Awards awarded Saadiyat Beach ‘Abu Dhabi’s Best Golf Course’ prize.
Location Sheikh Khalifa Highway - E12 - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates
Tel +971 2 499 8100
Contact email golfbooking.ad@viyagolf.com
Connect with Saadiyat Beach Golf Club on Instagram | Facebook | | LinkedIn
Book sessions here
<4> Yas Acres
For every golf destination boasting a range of courses, the beginner-friendly layout is a vital ingredient.
Yas Acres Golf & Country Club, a new addition to Abu Dhabi’s burgeoning golf scene, gives novice players and their families a fun, floodlit 9-hole option as well as a leisure facility with padel courts, gym and swimming pool.
Through the course’s ‘Get into Golf’ program, Yas Acres is doing its bit to support golf growth by attracting a number of new players to the sport.
If shorter courses that serve a community and play a vital role in a social setting are the future of golf, Yas Acres is leading the way for innovative design.
Location Yas Island - Yas North - Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates
Tel +971 2 499 8100
Connect with Yas Acres on Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
Book sessions here
