YAS Links vs. Trump International Dubai - A battle for the top spot in the UAE

[Derek_Duncan]

Hard to get a good sense of the actual contour from these photos but so far YAS is kicking its ass.

Derek,


Both courses have a lot of contour, mainly it's the dune-like containment mounding used at YAS that adds to the visual I think. Why do you think YAS is kicking ass on the other. I'd be quite interested to hear your thoughts here.


In terms of the photos, other than the fact that I'm a rubbish photographer with my iPhone as I'm playing think about how difficult it is to get a feeling for a place like Augusta when you see it on TV or in the photos. I don't honestly know how to bring that out but these courses are anything but flat and without contour.


Anyone else agree/disagree with Derek?

David,


That's not a criticism of your photography. I know it's hard to capture contour and depth digitally -- I'm not very capable of it either.


YAS has the appearance of grander ground contour and space, with more minimal bunkering -- bunkering that matters. The holes have a more natural look, like they could exist somewhere not the desert. The greens also appear to have more variety and interest.


I'm thrown a little by all the "waste areas" at Trump. It comes off as landscaping. The holes seem more fussy and designed. And the two water holes early on just killed me. They read South Florida.


It's hard to tell beyond your descriptions what strategic problems the holes pose, so I'm basing my thoughts on how the holes are presented.

[David Davis]

I understand the tension keeps building and it's near killing y'all so without further ado...


YAS Links 9th hole - 428 yds par 4.


However please note on this hole that in the afternoon I played from the 481 yds tee. Normal wind is behind and I made a 3 ;-) The tee shot from the back tees is in my view a much better and more interesting shot.




This shot is from the 428 yds tee, it becomes another straight drive with hazards left and right like quite a few other holes. More interesting when angles are brought back into the hole.



Here is the tee shot from the back tee. Notice even the sky cleared up. Grass is always greener.










Trump Dubai 9th hole - 561 yds par 5


Into the wind from the left this was a solid 3 shot hole. Much better to play up the left hand side and take the right hand hazard completely out of play. However, with this very tricky pin location the angle on the second shot might well have been better from right next to the water hazard. It didn't feel like it until I arrived at the green to see the shot I thought was perfect having hit the green then rolled back down off of it into the bunker.







In the end this front portion of the green was just a really tough one to approach with the wind we had. Distance control was essential and tough to judge.

[David Davis]

YAS Links 10th hole - 348 yds par 4


This short dogleg right 4 offered an interested contrast to most holes on the front 9. Very much a placement hole. Little advance could be won by taking on the right side bunker with a driver but miss right and risk losing the ball. I deemed it an unwarranted risk when I 3 wood or rescue towards the middle bunker or the left side left a wedge in.













Trump Dubai 10th hole - 482 yds uphill dogleg right


This was definitely a par 4 and a half playing straight into the wind. Our tees were playing about 450 I'd guess. This is a hole where you really want to be center or left to have a look at the green which offers a tough approach. I hit down the right side and the shot was tough enough and blind I chose to simply hit a 9 iron and lay up. Since I didn't get all of the drive I would of had to hit a risky 3 wood Hale Marry. Maybe the toughest hole on the course in these conditions.







This green was sloped fairly severely back to front. Ideally you are below the hole.

[Jeff Schley]

David,

Anymore back 9 holes to post?  I really enjoyed Yas and haven't played Trump yet.  Several friends played last month and really enjoyed it.  It seems more bunkers at Trump and more mounds at Yas from the photos thus far.  The wind is what really makes these courses difficult or more difficult for that particular day IME here in the desert.

Looking forward to playing Trump.  I also like Saadiyat Beach quite a bit as well, especially when staying at the St. Regis right next door, makes for a great time.

[David Davis]

Jeff, sorry fell asleep on this one. There was so little engagement with the dojo nobody really seemed interested and it's a time consuming endeavor to put these posts together.






Yas Links - 10th hole - 394 yds


This is a mid length par 4 to start out the back 9. It doglegs right around those dunes. the good play is a 3 wood or hybrid at that bunker that seems to be in the middle.








Here is a shot of the green. Very much a target golf hole. Approach is played with a 9 or wedge in hand after a good tee shot and this hole plays down wind, or did during our rounds.







Trump Dubai - 10th Hole - 482 yds par 4


This hole is very tough in my view a definite par 4.5. The tee we played must of been about 460 yds.







Even though the green is fairly receptive for a long iron and has a slight bowl effect what I found was that the hole begs you from the tee to play the right side. However, unless you hit the drive 300 yds plus you are left with an impossible blind shot from a terrible angle. Ok I played it wrong. The left side give a better view and better angle but longer approach, for most something like a 3 wood or hybrid. The greens has some serious back to front slope in it. All in all a solid but very tough one.

[David Davis]

Trump Dubai - 11th hole - 388 yds par 4


This was an excellent little short 4. Playing at the centerline bunker is a safe play. We both hit into the waste area on the right and both made pars from there so it was also very playable and the green was really interesting with a lot of movement.














YAS Links - 11th Hole - 577 yds par 5


This was a solid 3 shotter with a pretty wide landing area even though it's visually crimped by the dunes on the right side. Any thing from driver to hybrid works fine aimed at the bunkers on the left. Clearly longer driver have to take on the right side bunker.





Here's a shot of the green complex which kind of begs you to go for it in two once you know the course but it does have some fall offs.

[David Davis]

12th hole at YAS Links - 484 yds par 4


This one is a solid par 4.5. I was doubting due to a mix up with the photos if this was the tees hot but after going back and forth through everything it fits. Schulzie in action again.












Here's a shot of the right side of this what I remember to be double green shared with the 15th.













Trump Dubai - 12th hole - 287 yds (probably was playing about 267 for us)


This may well have been my favorite hole between the two courses. A short drivable par 4 with no bunkers. Just goes to show how bad this photo turned out. The green is near the pole in the distance where the people are playing. For example I hit a 3 wood that run up and I thought was going to be on the green only to watch it roll back down and leave me in bogey range which basically is anywhere not right next to the pin on this par 4.







Here is another shot of the green which might add some appreciate to this hole. This view is from the right side just about perpendicular to the tee. Knowing how difficult it is to see undulations and height differences, look at how crazy this green is. Brilliant for a short, bunkerless par 4.

[Derek_Duncan]

Thanks for posting these David. I'm still really loving the ground movement and bigger dune shapes of YAS. Trump Dubai's greens look wild and fun too.


But damn all that noise in the background is distracting. It would almost be better if these were lesser courses -- then the constant visuals of cranes and towers and airport would be less tragic.

[Jeff Schley]

David much appreciated.  Out of curiosity did the trump course have water stations everywhere or on the cart or what was their plan for hydration. Most desert courses either have coolers on the carts, or actual half gallon jugs etc.  This is important to me as cool towels can really go a long way to preventing overheating.

[Thomas Dai]

The short par-4 without bunkers 12th at Trump Dubai looks nice. Cool looking green.
Atb