- The Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship is at Yas Links from 5–8 November, followed by the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates from 12–15 November.
- Membership at Yas Links Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club has grown by 30% in 2026.
- Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club membership is up 25% on the same period in 2025, and Jumeirah Golf Estates is full with a waitlist.
Tournament build has started in the UAE for the DP World Tour Play-Offs, and the club operator behind both venues has released figures showing that demand for golf in the Emirates is still rising.
Viya, whose portfolio includes Yas Links Abu Dhabi and Jumeirah Golf Estates, says membership at Yas Links and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club has grown by 30% this year. Green fee revenue at Yas Acres Golf & Country Club has also increased.
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club has recorded a 25% rise in membership compared with the same period in 2025, while Jumeirah Golf Estates, home of the Earth course and the season finale, is operating at full membership with an active waitlist.
“The strength of the game here is not only reflected in our ability to host some of the most important tournaments on the global calendar, but also in what we are seeing every day across our clubs – more people playing, strong membership demand, and continued engagement from members, residents and visiting golfers,” said Christopher May, Viya’s chief executive.
Viya also pointed to continued investment across its clubs as part of how they are responding to that demand.
What is at stake in November?
The UAE hosts three Rolex Series events in 2026. The first came in January at Emirates Golf Club, where Patrick Reed won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic by four shots. That victory started a run that has kept the American at the top of the Race to Dubai for more than seven months, and Reed has confirmed his place at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The leading 70 available players on the rankings tee it up at Yas Links, and the top 50 move on to Dubai. The two events carry 21,000 points between them, more than four Back 9 events combined, so the standings can still change a great deal over the fortnight.
Rory McIlroy sits second and returns to the Earth course, where he has won three times, chasing an eighth Race to Dubai title to draw level with Colin Montgomerie’s record. US PGA champion Aaron Rai, fifth in the rankings, defends his Abu Dhabi title a year after beating Tommy Fleetwood in a play-off at Yas Links. Jon Rahm, a three-time winner in Dubai, will make his Abu Dhabi debut.
Tickets
In Abu Dhabi, general admission is free on Thursday and Friday, with weekend tickets from AED 75. The Bar on Nine Ticket+ option starts at AED 170 including an AED 100 food and drink voucher, and the Championship Chalet on the 18th green starts at AED 1,680.
In Dubai, Thursday entry is free with pre-registration and general admission for Friday to Sunday starts at AED 160. Children aged 17 and under attend free all week, provided their tickets are registered in advance.
For anyone planning to play while they are out there, Yas Links green fees were between AED 550 and AED 650 when we looked at the UAE’s resort golf last year.
For more information on Viya, click HERE.
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Simon Bale
Simon Bale is the publisher of Golf Today. A low single-figure handicap golfer, he was previously a major shareholder and course reviewer for Top100GolfCourses.com for over a decade, starting in 2010. Through this role, he developed extensive knowledge of golf course design and architecture while playing more than 300 courses worldwide.