Favorite U.S. Links Course?

[Vespidae]

Watching the Ryder Cup, I'm curious about any opinions on Whistling Straits (only if you have played it). I'm debating a trip to either the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island or Whistling Straits but also open to other options. I don't really want to travel to Oregon or the UK, so let's just limit the options to the USA. Thanks.

PS. I have played Pebble Beach, so let's table that one for now. It was fabulous.

[gbogey]

 

 

Links Courses of The Americas: The Few, the Proud, and the Imposters | LINKS Magazine

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Here are the six courses that qualify in my book as the true links courses of The Americas - and what good choices they are.

Interesting perspective in this article. Streamsong is lots of fun. Chambers Bay is beautiful but I didn't feel links. I'd add Gamble Sands to this list for fun.

[iacas]

Almost none of the courses listed are "links" courses.

A course with few trees ≠ "links course."

So, what definition are we operating under here? The actual one, or the bastardized "few trees" one?

[Vinsk]

Wine Valley GC, Walla Walla, WA.

[nevets88]

13 hours ago, iacas said:

Almost none of the courses listed are "links" courses.

Is Bandon Dunes technically a links course?

[saevel25]

I think it’s tough to get courses hard and fast enough to be a links course where you can play it along the ground as an option. We may make courses that look links-ish, but you have to play it through the air like any other course. 

[Vespidae]

3 hours ago, saevel25 said:

I think it’s tough to get courses hard and fast enough to be a links course where you can play it along the ground as an option. We may make courses that look links-ish, but you have to play it through the air like any other course. 

You may be right. Do you have a favorite you would recommend? If not, I may just head to Pinehurst.

[GolfLug]

Not coastal but the Streamsong complex is a solid linksy set up (I've only played Blue). Dunes, windswept, open landscape, undulations.. checks a lot of boxes. 

[DaveP043]

On 9/25/2021 at 6:47 PM, gbogey said:

 

 

Links Courses of The Americas: The Few, the Proud, and the Imposters | LINKS Magazine

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Here are the six courses that qualify in my book as the true links courses of The Americas - and what good choices they are.

Interesting perspective in this article. Streamsong is lots of fun. Chambers Bay is beautiful but I didn't feel links. I'd add Gamble Sands to this list for fun.

Its an interesting perspective, perhaps, but this also seems like a straight publicity piece for Mike Keiser's resorts.  Six courses listed, and all owned by Keiser.  These are all fine courses, in stunning settings, but are they true links, and are they the only ones on this continent?  I don't claim to have the breadth of experience to say, but I do know that even in the British Isles the number of sites that qualify as true links are really limited.  Big name courses like Kingsbarns in Scotland and Old Head in Ireland are spectacular, but aren't really links.  

I guess for me it doesn't matter whether the course is a proper links or not, I don't mind if the publicity talks about links-style.  Its fun to play really firm fast fairways, random undulations in fairways, the relative absence of trees, that's about all we can hope for if we're staying in the US.  Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes were a blast, Pinehurst courses have a somewhat similar turf quality (with lots of pine trees all around).  And if I really do want to play a true links, its a pretty short hop to get to the British Isles

[boogielicious]

11 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Its an interesting perspective, perhaps, but this also seems like a straight publicity piece for Mike Keiser's resorts.  Six courses listed, and all owned by Keiser.  These are all fine courses, in stunning settings, but are they true links, and are they the only ones on this continent?  I don't claim to have the breadth of experience to say, but I do know that even in the British Isles the number of sites that qualify as true links are really limited.  Big name courses like Kingsbarns in Scotland and Old Head in Ireland are spectacular, but aren't really links.  

I guess for me it doesn't matter whether the course is a proper links or not, I don't mind if the publicity talks about links-style.  Its fun to play really firm fast fairways, random undulations in fairways, the relative absence of trees, that's about all we can hope for if we're staying in the US.  Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes were a blast, Pinehurst courses have a somewhat similar turf quality (with lots of pine trees all around).  And if I really do want to play a true links, its a pretty short hop to get to the British Isles

How about we use the term “links-ish”? 😀

[mcanadiens]

I guess there is a sort of sense of grandeur when you refer to a golf course as links. We got a local course that calls itself National Golf Links. Maybe it is because it links US 40 and I-70. The ground it sits on is just your typical Ohio farm country soil, so balls don't roll out any more than they do everywhere else.

 

Edited September 27, 2021 by mcanadiens

[Bonvivant]

On 9/26/2021 at 12:23 PM, nevets88 said:

Is Bandon Dunes technically a links course?

Under the definition that I am familiar with, yes. Links courses to me, and I believe this is a fairly strict definition, are as follows:

1.) Oceanside

2.) Sandy turf

3.) Rolling dunes

4.) Land is unfarmable. This is one of the most important pieces, as it is how golf really picked up steam. Because the turf is sandy, dune covered, and close to the ocean, it makes it unsuitable for agriculture. Rather than the land just sit there unused, let's make a game that can be played on said land.

5.) Trees are minimal. This is a course feature, as well as a natural one, because the variety of trees that can withstand sea-spray (salt) is low.

6.) Deep bunkering which is often smaller in area than what is seen on parklands courses.

7.) Plenty of acreage of the course is left "natural". Long uncut fescue and gorse are common, though not required.

 

The challenges on these courses lie in the land itself more than "manufactured" hazards. The wind, unpredictable bounces, severe bunkers, and natural areas are the course's defense, as opposed to on course water and trees. Many courses in North America have this idea going for them, but may not be seaside, or may not be in that unfarmable strip of land.

 

[KMP]

My understanding of "links" is that many people have a different set of criteria. I guess I agree that Chambers Bay and The Kingsley Club are not true links courses. When I hear the term it brings a vision of natural seaside dunes, sandy soil, fast, firm with weather often in play, and options to play the "ground game". Chambers was created by necessity; there is no sea or Great Lake near Kingsley; but both courses offer the same style of play along with most of the other features, and are a blast to play every round.

[Bonvivant]

On 9/28/2021 at 6:02 PM, KMP said:

and options to play the "ground game"

I completely missed this in my list. Although bunkering around greens is common, I'd say that they shouldn't be too close to the green, or blocking more than 25% of the front of most greens, allowing for bump and runs, or knockdown iron/wedge shots from the fairway if you aren't on the complete wrong side.

[StuM]

On 9/25/2021 at 6:22 PM, Vespidae said:

I don't really want to travel to Oregon or the UK, so let's just limit the options to the USA

Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs Course) in Michigan is a must play.  
note: Oregon is in the USA

Home | Arcadia Bluffs

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Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club is one of the premier golf destinations in The United States, offering two...

 

[ncates00]

On 9/28/2021 at 6:02 PM, KMP said:

My understanding of "links" is that many people have a different set of criteria. I guess I agree that Chambers Bay and The Kingsley Club are not true links courses. When I hear the term it brings a vision of natural seaside dunes, sandy soil, fast, firm with weather often in play, and options to play the "ground game". Chambers was created by necessity; there is no sea or Great Lake near Kingsley; but both courses offer the same style of play along with most of the other features, and are a blast to play every round.

Chambers is still a great, as @boogielicious phrased it, links-ish course. I played it several years ago before the ‘15 USO. My wife walked it with me while she was pregnant. We enjoyed it. 

[chipper2]

Since I live in the Lansing, Michigan area there is a great link style course Eagle Eye. Always keep in great shape. A challenging and beautiful course that is fun to play.

[cdb]

Fenwick in CT.  I played here quite a bit when I used to go to Old Saybrook on business trips, and they call themselves a links course. It is on "links" land, but there are trees:

 

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Edited November 2, 2021 by cdb