Links Golf Courses: Grassy and Breezy, But Not Easy

I used to always say “hitting the links” if my friends asked what I was doing on the weekend. The term is a bit of a colloquialism, meaning “I’m going golfing!”.

When I was growing up, I thought that was its only meaning because I lived nowhere near any coastline, and my local courses were tree-lined. So if we said “hitting the links,” it was to one of those courses.

Little did I know, there are actually links golf courses, and it is a style of course in its own right!

In this article, I am going to describe the key differences between a links course and a parkland style, and discuss some of the strategy that is different, like using punch shots and bump and runs more effectively.

Key Takeaways

• A links course is a style traditionally built in coastal regions, on sand dunes, with little-to-no trees, thick grass, deep pot bunkers, and wind.

• Despite their wide-open look, they can be more challenging than parkland-style courses, given the design features and added wind.

• Course management and shots like the bump-and-run and punch shot can help oppose a links course’s challenging layout and conditions. 

What are Features of a Links Golf Course?

In short, they look easy! They mainly are wide open with basically no trees. 

I remember venturing a little further out of my city area as I grew up and seeing a links-style course built in a more rural town nearby. It looked less challenging from the highway than the forest-laden, narrow fairway municipal courses I was used to. 

I couldn’t have been more incorrect…

Traditionally, links golf courses are built in coastal areas (on coastal sand dunes) with undulating terrain. In a way, picture dune buggies driving along the rising and falling sandy terrain, but instead, build a golf course over it. 

Other fun features of links courses: 

• sandy soil (better drainage for firmer fairways)

• basically NO trees

• Thick, thick grass (picture like horsehair or even longer fescue just slightly off the fairway).

• Finally, WIND!

The greens on a links course are usually firm and fast due to the sandy soil, which allows for excellent drainage. Additionally, links courses often feature a multitude of bunkers (deeper/pot-style bunkers), adding another layer of difficulty to each hole. 

If you watch The Open, you will see how difficult these bunkers can be when the players usually stare at the high bunker face and need to strategize their way out. 

Links Courses vs Regular (Parkland) Courses

The links courses are the style we see when watching The Open (British Open), whereas if you’re a PGA Tour fan, you'll see them play on the regular or “parkland” style courses most of the time. 

The chart below will show the differences between traditional links style and parkland courses. 

Remember that not EVERY course in both categories necessarily follows these features exactly, and there can be unique variations of both styles. Still, as a general comparison this is useful:

Why is Links Golf Harder than Parkland Courses?

Honestly, they don’t look it, but based on conditions alone and the fact that average golfers generally don’t use course management as much as they should, along with the common problem of not hitting straight, you can get into a lot of trouble IN A HURRY on links courses. 

Even if it is not too windy a day when you’re playing a links course, you better be pretty solid on knowing how to hit a driver consistently in terms of being in control. 

So as a generalization, yes, links courses are often more challenging. 

How to Play Strategically on a Links Course

The mere fact that most links courses you play will have the wind in probably all directions, depending on which hole you play, really makes for the need to play a bit differently. 

If you can hit punch shots with a lower trajectory and a good rate of accuracy, this will help you manage the wind by keeping your shots under it with a more predictable result. 

It’s also important to understand club selection and the differences in having to probably club up on a lot of shots. The wind will be strong, so where you usually hit a 9 iron, you could have to use a 7 iron or maybe even a 6 iron. This is where hitting punch shots helps, as mentioned, to take out a lot of the wind impact. 

Also, for your short game around the greens, if you can read the course terrain well and have a good touch with the bump-and-run, this can come in handy to save you some strokes. 

What are Some Famous Links Courses in the World?

To find most of them, a venture across the pond to Scotland (the motherland of golf; Turnberry, Old Course at St. Andrews, Muirfield) and Ireland (Royal County Down, Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland), and England too (Royal Birkdale) to find a bunch of links style courses.

Those are some of the more popular ones that may ring a bell as courses that The Open plays, or have played at, over the century and a half plus of that tournament’s existence. 

Aside from those areas across the Atlantic, there are some nice links style courses that are over here in the USA as well. Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, and The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island in South Carolina are all beautiful courses in a links style that have hosted their share of significant tournaments (PGA Championship, US Open, Ryder Cup). 

Conclusion

Links courses are very different from regular courses that most of us in North America have grown up playing. They are very challenging to strategize for because it’s often difficult for amateur golfers to stay consistent in their swing, and adding so many hurting factors to take into account makes it even more difficult.

Don’t let the wide open look fool you. Links courses are grassy and breezy, but they definitely aren’t easy. 

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