I recently got the chance to play Yas Links in Abu Dhabi, it has barely been mentioned on this board and with what I see as the potential to become abit of a milestone for golf architecture in the UAE and the middle east I thought a few of you might be interested in a few photos. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but I thought it was great fun so here goes.
A little background to the course, opened in 2010 on the man-made Yas Island in Abu Dhabi the course is a Kyle Philips design that claims to be the first links course in the Middle East. With 8 holes played along the shore line and on pure sand the course definitely boasts some of the characteristics of a true links course but as always there are those who will smirk at the links tag. The rolling dunescape we see today has been completely man-made and is fairly bold at times, yet as with Kyle's work at Kingsbarns it sits into it's surroundings very well and provides some very fun and visually stimulating golf.
My personal opinion of the course is slightly split.....or I simply can't make up my mind. I can't think of a weak hole and there are a few fantastic ones, the views are stunning if slightly bizarre at times due to the local architecture, it was in superb condition and I had a great time yet there was something about the course that didn't quite grab me and makes me hesitate from saying it is up there with the best I've played. That may just be a personal preference for more subtle courses that look a bit rough around the edges as it does look abit over the top at times in my opinion. The styling initially looks as though they were going for the big blow-out bunker/rough look but as with everything in Dubai and Abu Dhabi it is presented in pristine condition which can make it look a touch contrived. The shaping is pretty severe at times with extremely large elevation changes for a course that is on land that was originally as flat as a pancake, though perhaps my opinion would have been different if I hadn't known about the original land. The large elevation changes around some of the greens make for some tough golf if you find yourself on the wrong side. It is hard to compare with any other course I have played/seen but almost straight away I got the feeling I was playing a Kyle Phillip's course. Although in an entirely different setting, the proportions, scale and shaping along with some of the strategies and bunker placement made it somehow feel very similar to both Kingsbarns and The Grove. I would be tempted to say that although I probably prefer the setting and ruggedness (in comparison to Yas) of Kingsbarns I think the golf at Yas was maybe more fun as a whole. I don't think it hits the heights of 12 and 15 at Kingsbarns but the overall golfing experience is great with every hole making an impact. The turquoise water and sunshine probably helped make me enjoy it all abit more too!
Anyway onto the photos and I'll let you make up your own minds and share your experiences/thoughts.
Course Layout:
The course is set up in two loops of nine either side of the clubhouse. Kyle and his team have tried to make the most of the long coastline with 8 holes playing along it including the final tough yet beautiful stretch of 16,17 & 18 all playing into the prevailing wind back towards the clubhouse.
1st:
A gentle short par 4 opener. There is plenty of room up the left hand side which opens up the green but the heavily bunkered right hand side might be more favourable when playing to pin positions tucked into banking on the left side of the green. The water park provides the first and definitely worst of the bizarre backdrops.
2nd:
A demanding looking tee shot yet there is more space than you think. The hole is very reachable in two but is a pretty wild green and the right side bunker makes for a tough up and down.
3rd:
The first show stopper, hugging the coastline with exceptional views over the water and mangroves to the famous 'biscuit' building and Abu Dhabi further on. It is a mid-length par 4 that asks you to bite off a touch more than you really need to, though in fact the best line to the green may well be from the outside of the dogleg.
4th:
We move back inland with a pretty cool downhill par 3. There is more green tucked in behind the bunker that you first think and I am sure they could put the pin in there and make for a really nasty little hole.
5 & 6 then play down to the shore and back, and are both short-mid length par 4's.
5th:
The bunker perched on the top of the mound is reachable from the tee, though by laying up short as is the play I guess most will go for leaves a blind approach played over the bunker and a massive grass bunker/swale short of the green that I didn't have a clue about until I reached the top of the crest. The bunker left is nasty spot with the front pin...from experience.
6th:
A really good 4 that asks you to hit as close to the right side rough as you can to open up the green especially with the tight left pin we had. The rough has been left to go wild and planted with 'wiregrass' type plants though I'm unsure of the actual species. It is pot luck what type of lie you'll get with some being completely dead and others easily playable from hard packed sand. Anything in the left side of the fairway is safe but will probably be down in a slight dip leaving a tough approach up and over a bunker. Long and left is a tough recovery from steep drop-offs around the green. Front right pins would be good fun as you can try to run the ball in off the slightly redan-esque apron.
7th:
A strong par 5. Heavily bunkered off the tee, but the bigger hitters can clear nearly all of them (at least from the tees we played) and leave a blind approach over a centre-line bunker and pretty huge hill. The left side offers better views of the green though over a greenside bunker so if laying up the play is up the right side with your second over the bunker leaving a fairly simple approach down the length of the green. Left looks to be a tough up and down.
8th:
The second of the stunning shoreline holes. A short par 3 where left is a really tough recovery from large mounds and with the water right and prevailing wind hard off the left it's not as easy as the short yardage suggests.
9th:
From the back tees this looks like a fantastic hole, unfortunately we were further forward and further round to the left leaving the tee shot over solid ground rather than across the water. With water all along the right I actually think the tee shot from the forward tees although shorter is probably harder from this angle. It's a fairly long hole with the approach another tough shot.
A jetty if you prefer to arrive by boat...
Back nine to follow.