Yas Links Abu Dhabi
When Kyle Phillips finished Kingsbarns he built the Middle East its first true links, a par 72 that wraps around a saltwater lagoon on Yas Island. Firm turf, sea breezes and waste bunkering give Abu Dhabi a round that feels closer to the Scottish coast than the Gulf.
Photo: Yas Links Abu Dhabi via Google.
The verdict
Yas Links opened in 2010 and changed what golf in the Gulf could be. Kyle Phillips, the architect behind Kingsbarns in Scotland, shaped a genuine links on reclaimed ground beside the Arabian Gulf, with fairways that tumble through sandy waste, greens that invite the running approach and a routing that uses the water on Yas Island rather than fighting it. It is not a desert course dressed up as links golf. It is the real thing, built on sand by the sea.
For the traveling golfer it is the standout round in Abu Dhabi and one of the best in the region. The conditioning is immaculate, the par 3s are a highlight, and the closing holes around the lagoon give the finish real teeth when the breeze fills in. Pair it with a January visit for the DP World Tour week and you understand quickly why Golf Digest once ranked it the best course in the Middle East.
Yas Links at a glance
- Opened
- 2010
- Designer
- Kyle Phillips
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,450 yds
- Green fee
- From about $200
Design history, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the architect and course databases. Yas Links plays to par 72 over roughly 7,450 yards from the back tees. Green fees are indicative, around 200 dollars in the cooler winter high season with lower summer rates. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The lagoon defines the closing stretch. The par 3 17th plays across the water to a green set against the sky, and the par 5 18th bends around the same lagoon, tempting a second shot that flirts with the edge all the way home. It is a finish built for the cameras and for a tight match.
Out on the course the par 3s carry the round. Phillips routed them in every direction so the wind never repeats, and the green complexes reward a thoughtful miss over a brave one. The waste bunkering is the other signature, sandy scrapes that frame the fairways and gather a loose drive into an awkward, half buried lie.
The wind is the whole test. On a still winter morning Yas Links is a fair and playable links, but when the Gulf breeze comes up the firm turf and exposed greens demand the low, controlled ball flight that links golf was built for, and the scorecard tightens hole by hole.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A public access resort links on Yas Island that welcomes visitors and hotel guests, booked through the club |
| Green fee | Around 200 dollars in the winter high season with lower summer rates, twilight and replay deals offered (indicative) |
| Booking | Book ahead for the cooler October to April window, the peak season; the January tour week sells out early |
| On the day | A full resort clubhouse, floodlit par 3 course, academy and dining; buggies standard, caddies by arrangement |
| Getting there | On Yas Island beside the theme parks, around 20 minutes from Abu Dhabi airport and 75 minutes from Dubai |
| Best months | November to March for comfortable temperatures, firm turf and the liveliest sea breeze |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Yas Island is wall to wall hotels, from the Crowne Plaza and Radisson minutes from the first tee to the landmark W Abu Dhabi over the Formula 1 circuit, so you can stay within a short buggy ride of the links and tee off early before the heat.
For a split trip, the courses of Abu Dhabi city and the Dubai links and desert layouts are a comfortable drive away, making Yas Links the natural anchor for a wider Emirates golf week.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Yas Links.
Build an Abu Dhabi golf week
We pair Yas Links with the best of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, book the tee times around the heat and handle the hotels and transfers from the airport. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Yas Links questions
What is the par and length of Yas Links?
Yas Links plays to par 72 over roughly 7,450 yards from the championship tees, a true seaside links rather than a desert course, with the wind off the Arabian Gulf as the main defense.
Who designed Yas Links?
Yas Links was designed by Kyle Phillips, the architect of Kingsbarns in Scotland, and opened in 2010 as the first genuine links course in the Middle East, built on sand beside a saltwater lagoon.
Can visitors play Yas Links?
Yes. Yas Links is a public access resort course that welcomes visiting golfers and hotel guests. Book ahead for the cooler October to April high season, when the course also hosts a DP World Tour event.
How much does it cost to play Yas Links?
Indicative 2026 green fees run around 200 dollars in the winter high season, with lower summer rates and twilight deals. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design history, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.