what is the definition of a links course?

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What defines a "true" links course?

A true links course will consist of an “outward” nine in one direction along the coastline, and an “inward” nine which returns in the opposite direction. The challenge here lies in a player’s ability to play one set of nine holes with one wind direction and the next nine with the opposite wind pattern.

What is meant by a "links" style golf course?

What Is a Links Style Golf Course?

• Links History. In Scotland, where golf is believed to have originated in the 15th century, the first courses were developed on stretches of land known as links.
• Links Characteristics. ...
• Traditional Links Course. ...
• Modern Links Style. ...
• Playing a Links Course. ...

How is links course different from other golf courses?

What Is a Links Golf Course?

• Links Golf Course Geography. The British Golf Museum says that "links" are coastal strips of land between the beaches and the inland agricultural areas.
• Hallmarks of True Links Courses. A true links course is not just any golf course that is treeless. ...
• See Links Courses. ...
• Source. ...

How do I validate links in a course?

• Click Start Link Validation. ...
• Each page that has bad links will be listed with all the bad links indented in a list. ...
• When the message states "unpublished content referenced in this resources" it means there is a link to unpublished content item on the page. ...

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What defines a links course?

A links golf course is the oldest style of golf course, first developed in Scotland. The word comes from the Scots language and refers to an area of coastal sand dunes, and also sometimes to open parkland. It also retains this more general meaning in the Scottish English dialect.

What is the difference between a links course and a regular course?

When discussing links golf vs regular golf, the difference in wind is one of the biggest differentiators. Because links courses are on a coastline, strong sea winds blow in off the water. Links courses rarely have any trees because the land that they are built on isn't suitable for large plant life.

Why is it called a links course?

Links course The term derives from the Old English word hlinc meaning rising ground or ridge and refers to sandy area along coast. While many courses claim to be links, call themselves links-style, or have the word links in their name, the category is more specific than that.

Is a links course harder?

It is often said that links courses are far more difficult for golfers to play due to the layout of the course. There is also a wind element that blows the ball around and can cause scores to climb during a golf tournament.

Is Augusta a links course?

MacKenzie and Bobby Jones, both having studied the Old Course, created Augusta National on the links principle of giving players options.

Is Pebble Beach a true links course?

In fact, less than 1% of all the golf layouts in the world would be defined as “true links,” with just a handful in the U.S. Many of the most famous American golf destinations – including Pebble Beach, Whistling Straits and the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island – are links-style courses.

Is Whistling Straits a links course?

Whistling Straits is one of two 36-hole links-style golf courses associated with Destination Kohler, a luxury golf resort owned and operated by the Kohler Company in Kohler, Wisconsin.

What are the two types of golf courses?

Most American courses fall into one of three main types.Links Course. Golf originated in Scotland, and links golf, too, has its roots in Scotland. ... Parkland Course. ... Desert Course. ... Executive Course. ... Regulation Course. ... Municipal Course. ... Daily-fee Course. ... Semi-private Course.More items...•

What is the rough called in Scotland?

The word "links" comes via the Scots language from the Old English word hlinc: "rising ground, ridge" and refers to an area of coastal sand dunes and sometimes to open parkland; it is cognate with lynchet.

How many true links golf courses are there in the world?

246 authentic links coursesThe book, entitled True Links, claims there are 246 authentic links courses in the world, but only four of them exist in the United States (and none yet in Canada).

How do you play a links course?

To play links courses well you need to drive the ball low and straight, under the wind, with less spin so that it lands and runs down the fairways. You can do this by hitting the “knuckle ball” with your driver. This shot creates a low top spinning flight that releases and runs on landing.

What does TPC mean in golf?

Tournament Players ClubTPC — which stands for Tournament Players Club — means that a golf course is part of a prestigious network of golf courses around the world. In the case of TPC Danzante Bay, we are licensed to use this designation and as the only TPC golf course in Mexico, have very special status.

What is a link golf course?

What is a Links Golf Course? A links golf course is regarded today as a golf course that has few trees, a lot of wind, thick grasses or thick heather, and a lot of bunkers. They are built on sandy soil and in most cases are on a coastline of a body of water. The term “links” actually has Scots origins and means “rising ground” or “ridge”.

What does "links" mean in golf?

The term “links” actually has Scots origins and means “rising ground” or “ridge”. The reason for this is because links courses really do play true to the contour of the course and is not usually very flat. Some people might argue that links golf courses have fewer or more characteristics, but that seems to be the general consensus ...

What is the difference between a parkland and a links golf course?

The main differences are that a parkland golf course is heavily developed by an architect and not as natural as a links golf course. The fairways tend to be more forgiving and flatter when compared to the rolling fairways on a links golf course. The best examples of each type would be St Andrews for links courses and Augusta National ...

Why are links golf courses so popular?

There are several reasons for links golf courses and why they are popular, but the main reason is because of the challenge and uniqueness of the course. The high winds and rolling fairways make the course play different each time because you never know how the course is going to turn out on that particular day.

What are the different types of golf courses?

There are links, parkland, and desert golf courses and even executive courses. The type of golf course that I am going to talk about today is a links golf course.

Where is the home of links golf?

The home of links golf is Scotland. The links golf courses in Scotland are the earliest recollection of golf and those courses were similar to links golf courses today. The Old Course at St Andrew’s is where the modern game started in 1764. The country of Scotland is where golf originated, and it has a ton of history with the game ...

Where did golf originate?

The country of Scotland is where golf originated, and it has a ton of history with the game of golf and its traditions. Flash forward to today, and there are links golf courses all over in the United States and in Europe. The majority of links golf courses are usually on the coastline of major bodies of water.

What are the characteristics of a link course?

Links Characteristics. A true links course will usually run alongside a body of water and normally consists of sandy soil with very little vegetation other than tall sea grasses and fescue. The bunkers on a links course are usually deep and known as “pot bunkers.”.

What is links golf?

Firstly, a links style golf course is the oldest style of course you can play. The word “links” is derived from old Scotland and refers to an area along a coast that includes sand dunes or high fescue and very few, if any, trees.

What does "let's hit the links" mean?

The phrase “let’s hit the links” has become synonymous with golfing in general but have you ever heard someone say, “it’s a links course” and wondered what they exactly they were talking about? Spoiler alert…it has nothing to do with sausages.

What do pro golf instructors say about the game?

They will quite often say that the game is played “closer to the ground” and since the terrain on a links course is normally firm, players will use more bump-and-run type shots.

Is Scotland a link golf course?

There are plenty of beautiful, historic links courses still open for play in Scotland, including the famous St . Andrews, a course that is widely known as the home of golf. You’ll find many links courses in Ireland, Wales and England, but it is believed that Scotland has the most concentration of courses of this specific type.

Do all links golf courses have water?

Traditionally, most of this type of course are found near a coastline but not all links style courses have water nearby. Some golfers feel that a links course is easier and more unobstructed due to the lack of trees, however, the high dunes and grass are rarely forgiving and can swallow your ball easily.

What is a link course?

Links courses tend to be on, or at least very near to, a coast, and the term is typically associated with coastal courses. However, links conditions can be duplicated on suitable ground, even hundreds of miles or kilometers inland. One especially notable example of an inland links-style course is Sand Hills Golf Club, ...

Where did links golf originate?

A links golf course is the oldest style of golf course, first developed in Scotland. The word comes from the Scots language and refers to an area of coastal sand dunes, and also sometimes to open parkland.

Where is Bruntsfield Links?

At Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh, Scotland, the course (a considerable distance from the coast) is still used for pitch and putt golf, and boasts a sign erected by the City Council which asserts that golf may have been invented there. The challenges of links golf fall into two categories.

Is the Open Championship played on links?

The Open Championship is always played on links courses, even though there are some celebrated courses in the United Kingdom which are not links, and this is one of the main things which differentiates it from the three major championships held in the United States.

What is a link golf course?

A 'links golf course' refers to the type of soil and terrain on which it is built. Only 92 of the golf courses in Scotland (17%) are true links courses, though this includes most of the historic courses. Another 5% of Scottish courses are coastal with some properties of 'links' courses and moorland vegetation.

Where did the word "links" come from?

Originally a 'links' was any rough grassy area between the sea and the land and the word itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word 'hlinc', of about 931 AD, meaning a ridge. Later the word was used to denote any common grassy area and today the term 'The Links' is commonly used to refer to any golf course. Montrose Links sand, grass and gorse as ...

What percentage of Scottish golf courses are coastal?

Another 5% of Scottish courses are coastal with some properties of 'links' courses and moorland vegetation. Apart from links courses, the other main types of Scottish golf courses are parkland (61%) and moorland (17%). The meaning of words changes over time.

Where are links golf courses played?

The first exception to this was the 2004 PGA Championship, which was played on a links-style course, Whistling Straits, located near Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The 2015 U.S. Open was played at Chambers Bay, a British links-style course in University Place, Washington. Royal Adelaide Golf Club is a links course in Adelaide, South Australia , and was partly designed by Alister MacKenzie where he stated, "One finds a most delightful combination of sand dunes and fir trees. I have never seen a seaside course possess such magnificent sand craters, as those at Royal Adelaide."

Where did the word "links" come from?

The word "links" comes via the Scots language from the Old English word hlinc: "rising ground, ridge" and refers to an area of coastal sand dunes and sometimes to open parkland.

What is links land?

Links land is typically characterised by dunes, an undulating surface, and a sandy soil unsuitable for arable farming but which readily supports various indigenous browntop bent and red fescue grasses. Together, the soil and grasses result in the firm turf associated with links courses and the 'running' game.

Do links golf courses have a green staff?

Soil movement, for example, had to be done by hand, and thus was kept to a minimum, as was irrigation. Even today, some links courses do not employ a greens staff, use only basic machinery such as hole cutters without boards, resulting in a hole that is cut unevenly, and use grazing animals to keep the grass cropped.

What are the characteristics of a links course?

A links course is along the sea, consists of sandy soil and has little vegetation other than tall sea grasses and gorse, a hearty low-growing evergreen plant. The natural terrain is used to develop the golf holes. Many of the bunkers were once natural windswept dunes. The layout of the holes is also part ...

Where are links golf courses located?

Links golf courses are situated along coastal regions. A links golf course is the oldest style of course. The word “links” is derived from ancient Scotland and refers to an area along a coast that often includes sand dunes and few, if any, trees. One reason the game originated on this type of land was because it suited play.

What are the most famous links courses in the world?

St. Andrews, Royal Troon, and Royal Dornach are considered three of Scotland's most famous and most traditional links courses. In Ireland, there are also traditional links, including Waterville, Ballybunion and Lahinch. The United States also has several famous links courses. One of them is the highly ranked Pebble Beach. Sinnecock Hills in New York and Bandon Dunes in Oregon are also traditional links.

Why is golf played closer to the ground?

Generally, the game is played closer to the ground. Since the terrain on a links course is naturally firm , players employ more bump-and-run shots. Putting from close off the green is also encouraged. And keeping your ball flight low helps to lessen the effects the usually brisk coastal winds have on your ball flight.

Why did the game Links originate?

One reason the game originated on this type of land was because it suited play. Course designers had limited resources for moving earth to shape a course. Many modern links-style courses are not necessarily coastal and have been shaped to take on traditional links characteristics.

Which country has the most links golf courses?

Andrews. Ireland, Wales and England also have true links courses, but Scotland is believed to have the most.

When did golf courses start?

Links History. In Scotland, where golf is believed to have originated in the 15th century, the first courses were developed on stretches of land known as links. Farmers deemed these coastal lands useless because of the sandy soil, so golf course designers began to make use of them. There are a number of true links courses still open ...

What Makes It A Links Course?

It is said in the book by Malcolm Campbell and George Peper, True Links, that only 246 courses in the world meet the definition of a “true” links course and only four in the United States. The rest are “link-style” courses and this is where you will get many arguments by the pundits over which golf courses are true links course and which are not.

Playing Strategies For Links Courses

As you can see these courses are extremely challenging and allows you to use as much creativity as you can think of to get the ball up and down for par. Most PGA Tour players have a total different play style or game plan when playing on links courses in Europe as opposed to when they play regular courses in North America.

Famous Links Golf Courses

The most famous and well known links course has to be the Old Course at St. Andrews. It is the oldest course in the world (established in 1552) and most consider it the “Home of Golf”. It has hosted the Open Championship (or British Open) 29 times dating all the way back to 1873. The best part of St.

Definition

A links golf course is a type of golf course that is built on or near a coastline and contains very limited plant life and trees. Links courses are most commonly found in Scotland and Ireland, where golf originated.

Wind

Since links courses typically do not have trees, wind becomes a greater factor when selecting what kind of shot to play. Links courses are often found near large bodies of water or areas where inclement weather can affect the outcome of a player's score.

Green and Fairway Undulations

While holes on a links course may seem much more wide open considering the lack of wooded areas, even the best tee and approach shots can provide unwanted lies in the fairway or green. This is due to the hilly nature of links courses, which feature major undulations in even the shortest of grass, presenting golfers with yet another challenge.

Rough

On a links course, another major factor in the difficulty of the course relies on the thickness of the first and second cuts of rough. Typically, links courses will have thicker grass in the first and second cuts when compared to other courses, and may even feature grass as tall as five feet.

Pot Bunkers

Links courses often contain deeper bunkers compared to traditional American courses. These bunkers are also called pot bunkers, and they add a different and difficult element to the golf course. Pot bunkers are more difficult to hit out of due to their increased height.