Birdies and Bogeys: The Real Reason I Play Golf
By Dr Munir Virani
Photos by Marios Mantzourogiannis
Let me get this out of the way: I’m mad about golf. Mad-crazy. I’m also not very good at it. My drives occasionally resemble boomerangs, and my short game can be described as “experimental” at best. But I don’t play for the score — I play for the soul.
As a biologist and lifelong bird nut, the golf course is less a place of competition and more of a sanctuary — for me and the birds. Golf is just my cover story. What I’m really doing is birdwatching in khakis, carrying a bag of oddly shaped sticks, while occasionally pretending I meant to hook that ball into the mangroves.
For the past three years, I’ve been a member at Yas Links, arguably one of the most beautiful golf courses on the planet. Sure, it’s ranked among the world’s best, but what really makes it elite in my books is the fact that I’ve spotted kestrels, herons, hoopoes, osprey, curlews and even prinias while trying not to triple-bogey the 9th. The birds here don’t care about your handicap — they just show up and dazzle.
On Sunday, April 13, I had the great pleasure (and minor challenge) of hosting my friend Marios Mantzourogiannis. Marios is a brilliant, award-winning wildlife photographer, and — crucial detail — had never played golf before. That meant I was simultaneously playing caddie, golf guide, etiquette enforcer, and part-time referee for wildlife photography rules. “Marios,” I whispered urgently on the 5th hole, “you cannot lie on the fairway to get a better angle of a sandpiper. There are golf balls flying at 200 km/h.” He looked slightly offended, but complied.
Despite the odds, we had a phenomenal morning. I didn’t bring my camera — rookie move — but Marios came through. By the time we reached hole 6, I casually pointed out a kestrel. Marios disappeared like a ninja into the rough and re-emerged grinning with spectacular shots of the kestrel mid-hunt, clutching a dove in its talons. Game, set, match. (Wait… wrong sport?)
Other highlights included a western reef heron stalking the shallows, a whimbrel doing its best runway strut, and the ever-charismatic hoopoe — one of the three birds mentioned in the Quran — flashing its magnificent crown as if it knew it was being watched. We also spotted a delicate prinia right as I attempted a delicate chip shot, which naturally went screaming across the green. Coincidence? I think not.
It also happened to be the final day of the Masters — so as the world’s best battled it out at Augusta, I was battling a bunker while identifying sandpipers. We all have our calling.
I wrote this not just to share a funny, memorable morning, but to celebrate something often overlooked: Yas Links is more than a golf course. It’s a thriving habitat, especially during migration season. Right now, thousands of birds are making their way north to breed, and this course offers a critical resting stop. You don’t need to be a biologist or birder to appreciate that — just slow down between shots and look around.
This post is also the unofficial kickoff of what I’m calling “Birdies and Bogeys: Snippets from the Fairway” — a series of light-hearted reflections about birds, golf, and the strange joy of blending the two.
And if you ever spot a guy in the bunker holding binoculars instead of a sand wedge… that’s probably me.
Enjoy Marios’ stunning photos, and if you’ve got bird questions — especially about raptors — feel free to email me: munirvirani@gmail.com or check out my website www.munirvirani.com
Play badly. Watch birds. Be happy.
Follow Marios on Instagram @marios.mantzourogiannis and Munir @the_raptor_guy_
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