Golf in Abu Dhabi

Pierre-Emmanuel Rastoin

Abu Dhabi golf Parcours Rastoin

Un mot sur l'oeuvre

(PERAS003)

Yas Links Golf Club. Abu Dhabi, 2012. The club, which is in the heart of the hills and mangroves, was designed by Kyle Phillips and is the only real links golf course in the Arab world. It is on the west coast of Yas island, a mecca of entertainment in Abu Dhabi. The course has fantastic views of the Gulf, with 8 of its holes directly on the coastline. The influential American Golf Magazine voted it one of the Top 10 new international golf courses, and Golf Digest voted it one of the Top 25 par 72 championship courses.

Le témoignage de Pierre-Emmanuel Rastoin

We’d gone to Abu Dhabi for Luke Donald, but the champion was dragging his feet rather than having his portrait taken. We hung around for several days with no guarantee of a real appointment for the shoot. Oh the ruthless world of golf. I had time to kill waiting for him and got interested in the place itself, fascinated by the juxtaposition of these two worlds. The city, building work, noise, a bland and constantly expanding world on the one hand, and the silent, soft and green golf course on the other. For the anecdote, the temperamental champion did finally give me 5 minutes of his time after a press conference. Driven by pressure I managed to produce a great cover shot.

Le choix de Jean-Denis

The clash of two worlds makes this shot, and gives it its supernatural feel. It is so good at heralding the future that it can carry you far away. A few artificial oases, lost in the midst of all this noise and madness. A slightly scary image, but also beautiful and surprising.