I'm now an addict

[Daniel Eason]

I played competitive links golf for the first time yesterday under the most brutal conditions and thought i'd share my experience.

 

In the South West of the UK links golf is limited, and not entirely in the league of some of the great Scottish courses probably are.

 

Course played was Royal North Devon, a course that is the oldest in the UK designed by Old Tom Morris, it was a museum, it really was. Walking in the club house was interesting, this by no means is a club with money others have, membership was 75% less than mine and this was still a Top100 UK club. The Youtube-ratti have played here so go google it if you want to see there vids, i won't create click bait!

 

Links golf really was enjoyable and the things that have hooked me on this now;

 

Conditions

 

Wind was cold and brutal, first 7 holes played into wind at about 18 on the forecast, in the UK this week we've had feet not inches of rain, after a 2.5 hour drive it wasn't great to hear the comp had been canned as a qualifier....however people were going out and so was I. I felt like I was adjusting to them, punching drives into wind and focus around this point required 110%. Down wind also tough, less club into blind shots can be deceiving, I've compiled a lot of notes for future times i'll play here, club selection etc.

 

 

Short game

 

They always say punch/chips/runs are the only way to play links courses, watching The Open I never get this, i guess a lot of this is course dependent, but i felt I could pretty much play a chip or bump and run from anywhere, i got creative. Example drop dead feeling was hole 4, i'd slapped the first three holes and was X over par...a short par 4 guarded by bunkers into wind and i go long left...the simple pitch and run and the ball rolls like that putt and down for a tap in...no drama, just simple and effective.

 

Also missed tonnes of short putts with the ball in the wind, you really can't get that theory until you play in it.

 

So, if you aren't asleep at the moment after reading this then thanks for reading.

 

If you can play above your weight and leave the HCP ego at the door then play some Links golf and get out of your comfort zone.

[MarkFromTheUK]

Links golf is great fun. It forces you to be creative in ways that wouldn’t even be on the radar on an inland course.

 

SW England has a couple of other great links courses you should check out - if you can stand the EVEN longer drive... St. Enodoc and Trevose are both spectacularly good.

[elwhippy]

Links Golf is awesome. I am lucky to have Silloth and Powfoot less than 25 miles away and Southerness is only an hour. Links courses teach patience and make you use more shots around the green. You have to use, not fight the wind, and be happy to hit a 5 iron 130 yards when required. Putting in the wind needs a different technique. Hunker down more, lock your knees and soften the grip to avoid getting jerky. I find seaside greens don't break as much but the wind can move the ball no matter how good a putt is struck.

[Sean2]

It sounds like fun. I have never played links style golf before, though I have had occasion to hit shots into very high winds. Even small pitch shots can be affected by the wind. Shot making in those conditions requires a bit more creativity. :-)

[Daniel Eason]

Its strange they dont have many true links courses in the US, for the volume of land mass!

 

Will play enodoc and trevose soon, they are about an extra hour from my base.

 

The open comps these clubs have is very good value if you are happy to make a fool of yourself lol...saying that i beat local members this weekend so i'm pretty happy with overall results.

[Shipwreck]

I’ve always wanted to try a true links style course as the views always seem spectacular and the challenge is beyond anything I can imagine. At the same time desert golf is some of the harshest conditions I’ve ever played but for completely different reasons. You have fescue, we have dirt/gravel/cactus if you’re not in the fairway or first cut. If you ever get a chance to play a true desert course, don’t bring clubs you love. They won’t look the same at the end.

[farmer]

Its strange they dont have many true links courses in the US, for the volume of land mass!

 

Will play enodoc and trevose soon, they are about an extra hour from my base.

 

The open comps these clubs have is very good value if you are happy to make a fool of yourself lol...saying that i beat local members this weekend so i'm pretty happy with overall results.

There is more dunesland in the US than there is Scotland in Scotland. Outside places like Bandon and Cabot, it's too hot to replicate the Scottish type of links. The inland courses like Ballyneal and the Nebraska courses have to be watered, or the grass dies. Maybe very early in the season, or late, they can dry them out, but during the summer, not possible.

[Man_O_War]

Prince's in Sandwich..all time favourite!!!... nothing like links golf. Gotta say though, links golf with no wind is so much fun, tee shots run forever.....but links golf with cold and wind? that is true golf ;) forget score

[DivinDave]

Living in Texas, we dont have true links golf.

 

The closest I've gotten was 3 weeks ago north of Dallas at Old American. Wind blowing 30mph all dam day long.

I was punching 6 irons to the green from 100 yards out. Hitting anything in the air was a futile exercise. It was fun, and now that I have that 1 round down, I would like to give it another go.

[Dancin]

Its strange they dont have many true links courses in the US, for the volume of land mass!

 

Will play enodoc and trevose soon, they are about an extra hour from my base.

 

The open comps these clubs have is very good value if you are happy to make a fool of yourself lol...saying that i beat local members this weekend so i'm pretty happy with overall results.

There is more dunesland in the US than there is Scotland in Scotland. Outside places like Bandon and Cabot, it's too hot to replicate the Scottish type of links. The inland courses like Ballyneal and the Nebraska courses have to be watered, or the grass dies. Maybe very early in the season, or late, they can dry them out, but during the summer, not possible.

 

As far as Ballyneal is concerned it plays firm and fast all season. With 70 feet of sand as a base, the roots of the fescue grass go multiple feet deep so it easily survives with little water in the summer. I haven't been to Bandon yet, but Ballyneal is the only course I've played in the US that allows shots like the Scottish links courses.

[DivinDave]

Living in Texas, links golf is far away thought.

I naturally hit the ball with a fairly low trajectory, so I would like to give a links a good try.

[Lijka]

Where I play it seems like the higher you hit it the better. That sounds like a different game to me...

 

My only experience similar was at a course in late May that had dried out so that the greens and fairways were rock solid. I would hit a 150 club into a 170 pin and watch it bounce its way up there. No wind though so I really doubt I'm cut out for that.

[BlueFab5]

Seems like every time I've played this year it's been really windy. I've gotten gotten pretty good at playing the ball low and fighting down shots.

[Johnny_Fairway]

It sounds like fun. I have never played links style golf before, though I have had occasion to hit shots into very high winds. Even small pitch shots can be affected by the wind. Shot making in those conditions requires a bit more creativity. :-)

 

With enough wind, even putts aren't safe!

[Man_O_War]

are there true american Links courses?