Yas Links Abu Dhabi
Built on reclaimed land along the western shore of Yas Island, Kyle Phillips conjured something the region had never seen: a genuine links. Opened in 2010, a par 72 of 7,450 yards with eight holes hard against the water, Yas Links is widely rated the finest course in the Emirates and now hosts the DP World Tour each January.
Photo: Yas Links Abu Dhabi via Google.
The verdict
Yas Links is the course that proved the Gulf could build something beyond the lush, target style desert golf for which it was known. The American architect Kyle Phillips, whose Kingsbarns in Scotland looks as though it has been there for centuries, was handed a stretch of reclaimed coastline on Yas Island and asked to create a links. He moved enormous volumes of sand to build rolling, rumpled ground, threaded the holes between dunes and the sea, and produced a course that plays firm and fast in the manner of the great seaside links of Britain and Ireland.
Opened in 2010, it is regularly named the best course in the Emirates and among the finest in the region, and its standing has been confirmed by the DP World Tour, which moved the Abu Dhabi Championship to Yas Links in recent years. For the travelling golfer it offers a rare combination: links golf and its strategic, ground game demands, wrapped in the year round sunshine, five star service and easy access of an Abu Dhabi trip, with the coast on one side and the island's hotels and attractions on the other.
Yas Links at a glance
- Opened
- 2010
- Designer
- Kyle Phillips
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 7,450 yds
- Green fee
- Premium, indicative
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from Yas Links Abu Dhabi and leading course databases. The course was designed by Kyle Phillips, opened in 2010 and plays to par 72 of about 7,450 yards on Yas Island. It is regarded as the only true links in the Middle East and hosts the DP World Tour. Green fees are premium for the region, indicative for 2026 and subject to seasonal change; always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
What sets Yas Links apart is the ground itself. Phillips built movement into every fairway, so the ball gathers and kicks the way it does on a true links, and the smart player uses the slopes and the wind rather than flying everything to the flag. Eight holes run right along the coast, and when the breeze comes off the water the course transforms into a thinking examination, where a low, controlled flight and an imaginative short game matter far more than raw distance.
The bunkering is bold and natural in style, sand splashing up the faces of the dunes, and the greens are large and full of subtle contour that rewards an approach landed in the right quarter. The closing holes along the water give the round a championship finish, the kind of stretch that has decided DP World Tour titles, while the par threes are a highlight throughout, each one framed by the dunes or the sea.
It is a course that plays differently every day depending on the wind, which is the truest mark of a links, and it offers the travelling golfer an experience unavailable anywhere else in the region: the strategy and texture of seaside golf, under guaranteed sun and with the comfort of a world class clubhouse waiting at the end. Few courses anywhere combine that so completely.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Open to visitors and resort guests; tee times bookable through the club, and one of the most popular rounds on an Abu Dhabi trip |
| Green fee | Premium for the region, with twilight and summer rates the best value; indicative for 2026 and subject to seasonal change, confirm directly |
| Booking | Book online through the club or have your trip planner secure tee times, especially in the cooler high season from October to April |
| On the day | Walkable links with caddies and buggies available; recognised golf attire; control of flight and a sharp short game pay off when the coastal wind is up |
| Getting there | On Yas Island, close to the Formula 1 circuit and the island's hotels and theme parks, about 20 minutes from Abu Dhabi airport |
| Best months | October to April brings the most comfortable temperatures; summer is hot but offers keen rates and quiet tee sheets |
Access and fee guidance verified June 2026; visitor rates change by season, so always confirm the current green fee and tee sheet directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Yas Island is built for visitors, with a cluster of beach and city hotels a few minutes from the first tee, from family friendly resorts to sleek waterfront properties beside the marina and the racetrack. Staying on the island puts the course, the theme parks and the beaches all within a short drive, which makes it easy to combine golf with a wider holiday.
Downtown Abu Dhabi and the Saadiyat cultural district are close by for a more urban base, and Dubai is just over an hour away. For a fuller golf trip, Yas Links anchors an Emirates itinerary beautifully, pairing with Abu Dhabi Golf Club next door and the great Dubai courses for a week of varied, year round golf.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts on Yas Island.
Build an Emirates golf trip
We book the Yas Links tee times, pair them with Abu Dhabi Golf Club and the best of the Dubai courses, and arrange the stay and transfers around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Yas Links questions
Who designed Yas Links Abu Dhabi?
Yas Links Abu Dhabi was designed by the American architect Kyle Phillips, the man behind Kingsbarns in Scotland, and opened in 2010. It plays to par 72 of about 7,450 yards on the western shore of Yas Island.
Is Yas Links a real links course?
Yas Links is widely regarded as the only true links course in the Middle East, built on reclaimed land along the coast with rumpled fairways, deep bunkering and eight holes running right along the water. It plays firm and fast in the manner of the great seaside courses of Britain and Ireland.
Can visitors play Yas Links?
Yes. Yas Links is open to visitors, with tee times bookable through the club, and is one of the most popular stops on an Abu Dhabi golf trip. Green fees are premium for the region and indicative for 2026, so always confirm directly before booking.
Where is Yas Links and what else is nearby?
Yas Links sits on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi's entertainment hub, close to the Formula 1 circuit, theme parks and beach hotels, and about 20 minutes from the airport. It pairs naturally with Abu Dhabi Golf Club and the great Dubai courses for a wider Emirates trip.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.