Going From Regular To Links Course

[Dent]

This year im getting a membership at a new club, but this is a Links type of course. My last course, was a regular course (dont know what its technically caleld) but with treees and such.

As far as course management, what should i look out for on my first round for the year on a links course.

What are the pure differences besides long grass and no trees compared to regular courses?

[x-forged]

the links style courses(salt creek, barona, and a couple others) i play every so often has super quick, tight cut, firm fairways, and the greens are very firm, quick, and dry as well. the whole course is very dry and quick. i would say the biggest differences are lots of roll and little spin.

[Big_M]

Depends how it plays... is it firm and fast or more receptive. Wind will obviously be an issue, so practice controlling ball flight. Also, a good links course will be more receptive to a bump and run style game... so that gives you more options. Also, if there is fairway mounding, etc., then you'll want to pay attention to how the mounds will affect tee shots and approach shots. You'll also have to learn to take your medicine from the fescue... which is tough because w/o trees or other obstructions in the way you think "sure I can pull this off", and next thing you know you're in deeper fescue and have no shot at par/bogey. Other than those things... it is golf, just put the ball in the whole in the least amount of strokes.

Also... a more typical inland course with trees, ponds, etc. is called parkland.

[iacas]

This year im getting a membership at a new club, but this is a Links type of course. My last course, was a regular course (dont know what its technically caleld) but with treees and such.

Probably "parkland."

Any way, let me interrupt briefly to talk about "links type" courses in the U.S. I imagine it's the same up in Canada. A lot of "links type" courses in the U.S. bill themselves as such to prey on the unsuspecting golfer. If your golf course is flat and relatively treeless, you call it "links style" so golfers looking for something new get lured in. True links style courses have a firm, sandy soil and the ball runs all over the place. A lot of U.S. "links style" courses still water the course way too much, producing a golf course that offers little to no run. You still have to fly the ball to the pin and play "American style" golf. The only thing is, there's no trees... So I hope, for your sake, that your "links style" course is truly links style - with firm, fast fairways and a lot of run. It's a VERY FUN way to play golf, and I hope you get that opportunity. If not, and if it's just a relatively treeless course that's watered too much to be true linksy, good luck with the wind. That'll be your biggest concern.

[Dent]

The course where I am has tall grass, on the edges, if there are no stakes, would that count as OB? Or if you found your ball would you have to hit out of it?

Another thing i realized is alot more lost balls if you go left or right. Its very hard to find your ball in there.

Also, this course is very fast with firm fairways, The course was just built only 2-3 years ago.

[chingali]

I've been fortunate to play many true links courses and many links "style" courses and one piece of advice that is often overlooked for playing these type of course is where you need to drive the ball. A lot of people will see a wide open fairway and no trees and just bang away with driver as hard as they can, which may not be the ideal approach. Depending on how well the course was designed, there will probably be an ideal position to approach the green from and it may not be obvious when standing on the tee. When you have a tree lined fairway, the ideal driving line can be a lot more obvious, when you have no major point of reference it can be harder to find.

When you are out playing on your new course, take a moment on each hole to locate where you would prefer to be playing your approach shot from and find some sort of landmark you can use as a point of reference when driving.

[cashbassorass]

In my area we have a few good and a couple awesome link style courses....my first suggestion would be to leave your driver at home and bring a weed wacker! ....links golf is great for target golf, if you can manage your way around with more brains and less balls!....Take your time and try to think your way through....gee wonder why i dont do that!...gotta try that sometime....lol

[iacas]

The course where I am has tall grass, on the edges, if there are no stakes, would that count as OB? Or if you found your ball would you have to hit out of it?

No stakes means it can't be OB (unless OB is defined by a road or something else). But a lost ball is basically the same as OB as far as penalties go, so...

[raygrinberg]

I checked out your course website. I'd say it falls in the "US Style" links course.

Until I played here: http://www.chambersbaygolf.com/layou...=173&page;=3342 I didn't know what Links golf was.

Check out the website and read RTJ2's comments about the design of the course. I learned a lot about the links concept and design.

[KGC]

My understanding was that the links courses traditionally linked the sea with the land and due to the nature of the land it had no trees. As such the wind comes into play a great deal more as there is nothing to temper the speed of winds coming off the ocean making it a greater factor in the play of the course.
Also I thought there is is a lot more mounding and uneven lies, making the play of the course subtlely treacherous, a seemingly good drive may have you playing the ball below your feet on a downslope of a mound. Another aspect appears to be the way the greens are connected with the fairways without thick rough surrounding the greens allowing bunp and run shots with clubs like a six iron.
Obviously now the 'links' courses are constructed inland but have similar attributes to the original links courses link St Andrews Old Course.

There appear to be a few other theories regarding what a links course is however this is way it has been explained to me.

[tm22721]

I love links courses because the fairways are relatively flat. I cannot hit balls below or above my feet. As it is, I have started to tee up fairway shots to prevent 50% fat/thin mishits.

A true links course has sandy soil because it borders the sea otherwise it does not qualify IMO.

My favorite links course is in Barbados, the municipal course of all places.

[jamesbei]

A true links course has sandy soil because it borders the sea otherwise it does not qualify IMO.

Yes a links course is one that is built on sandy soil, most of the courses where i live are links courses, they are v.tight, and have large tiered greens, they should border the sea, but you also get inland links such as K club in ireland.

IMO v.hard to play as they are too tight for my aggressive driving, i do like to play them for a challenge, but i am a member at a parkland course aswell, or as it is described on the scorecard as a "american style". If you want to see some great examples of high quality links courses try the Littlestone GC, Royal st Georges, and Royal Cinque ports websites. (these are near where i live, and are v good courses) Good thing about links courses are that they are cheap to play as there is basically no upkeep, so you can play St georges and Cinque ports for about £15 or $30, and both of these courses havw staged the Brittish Open! Hope this helps, sorry i couldnt help earlier as i am new to this forum.