3 Best Golf Courses to Play in Abu DhabiI spent 3 days in Abu Dhabi, here’s a glimpse of how I made the most of my time exploring sustainable golf courses, architectural wonders, top-ranked links, and even the desert dunes.Authorssgibri
DestinationsAbu DhabiItinerary

Day One: Tee Off on the Sands at Al Ghazal Golf

Al Ghazal Golf Club
My Abu Dhabi golf journey began with a twist – a round at Al Ghazal Golf Club, a sand golf course. With fairways defined by stakes and a whole new golfing strategy, playing here was an adventure in itself. I carried a small piece of artificial grass for when I was in the fairway. You see, the fairways were identified by stakes, and if you were outside of the stakes, then you would play the ball as it lies. There were new golf terms, for example, the “greens” were now called the “browns,” and there was a whole new strategy to walking and putting on them. Naturally, my first question was ‘what are the browns made of?’ The simple answer, the browns are created by compacting rolled and treated (with used oil) sand. It may sound confusing, but I promise it’s worth experiencing.
See More
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
Most visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque during the day, but I could only fit it into my schedule at night, and wow, it exceeded my expectations in every way. This is the largest mosque in the UAE, and as a “day-time” realtor working with developers, I can appreciate its architecture, consisting of three different styles.
See More

Day Two: Yas Island Adventures

Yas Island
Yas Island may sound familiar to you because the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has been hosted here since 2009. This is where I stayed in the W, but more on that below...
See More
W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island
I stayed at the W Hotel with a balcony view right above the F1 track and got to see it being resurfaced just a month before the big race.
See More
Book
Yas Links Abu Dhabi
Yas Links is considered to be the first links course in the Middle East and ranked at no.1 in the UAE (Top 100 Golf Courses). The greens here are immaculate, and the course has even hosted prestigious events like the Special Olympics World and the DP World Tour’s HSBC Championship. The course plays along the Persian (Arabian) Gulf and you’ll spot parts of Ferrari World, the Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi’s skyline, etc. The conditions of the course were outstanding, you won’t find a blade of grass out of place. With greens rolling as true as they can roll, you’ll hopefully be stroking your putter well and dropping putts right on line.
See More
Louvre Abu Dhabi
After a round at Yas Links, I explored the awe-inspiring Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi, a testament to architectural brilliance and cultural collaboration between the UAE and France. The stunning architecture alone is worth a visit.
See More

Day Three: Saadiyat Beach Golf and Desert Trip

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
On the third day, I tackled Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, a Gary Player-designed masterpiece that sits right on the beach. To no one’s surprise, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club comes as a top-ranked course in Abu Dhabi. This course, with its lush fairways and challenging design, hosts the prestigious Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Open, named after a remarkable advocate for women’s rights in the UAE. She is referred to as the ‘Mother of Sheikhs’ and ‘Mother of the UAE’, awarded by many United Nations organizations for her role in women’s rights.
See More
In the afternoon, I traded golf clubs for camel rides and sand dunes. Exploring the desert was an unforgettable experience, from thrilling sand dune bashing to camel farm visits. Be sure to add this to your Abu Dhabi bucket list. Although I was more familiar with desert excursions in Dubai, I explored the desert life in Abu Dhabi, and I was not disappointed. We started off with some sand dune bashing, which is super fun and can be a huge thrill for about 25 minutes. Definitely a bucket list activity…
See More