I like LINKS GOLF---do you?

[PEZGolf]

Three of my favorite courses are: 1. McGregor Links in Saratoga Springs, NY
2. Links at Hiawatha Landing-Binghamton
3. Heather Glen--Myrtle Beach

None of them are TRUE links courses, since a links course has to be near the sea or ocean, and the land is where the water has receded, but nonetheless, inland courses can have the "look of the links". High grass in the rough, deep bunkers, high scrubby grass just off the fringes of greens, etc. They have a wild look, unlike the carefully manicured look of many American courses.
McGregor Links is built on very sandy soil, and if you miss a green, and are not on the fringe, God help ya. The scrubby vegetation in the sandy soil means that you CANNOT hit a normal chip and you CANNOT blast it. I have found moving the ball well back in my stance (open stance, of course), and clipping the ball in a chip and run action is the only way to play the shot.

And if the wind blows, and your ball is nigh on the fairway, be prepared to look and look and look just find the little devil. IF you find it, may the LUCK OF THE IRISH help you to extract it without hurting yourself in the process. 'Tis not the NORMAL American golf experience. But the beer in the pub is cold, and the 19th hole is a lengthy one.

[Eore]

i love the concept of links golf. its the way the game was invented

but i hit the ball too dang high. the wind would kill me

[GaijinGolfer]

My favorite course is a links course, Bonnie Meade Links in Milton, WI. Its not a true links course either, but it has tall rough and blind tee shots, plus its a fun course to play.

[bIGwIRE]

My favorite course is a links course, Bonnie Meade Links in Milton, WI. Its not a true links course either, but it has tall rough and blind tee shots, plus its a fun course to play.

I've played there

fun course I would like to play it again after figuring out where some of the fairways are, lol I think it owes me a gallon and a half of balls.

[Scratch-Hopeful]

I got to play Whistling Straits a few years ago and it was an amazing experience. So yeah, I like links courses.

[GaijinGolfer]

I've played there

That course is waaaaay easier now than it used to be. It used to have 6" deep rough, now the rough is more like 2". Its still a fun course and I play there all the time. Until last Sunday, I hadnt played that course since '00 and they did quite a lot to improve that course. They built a little clubhouse and they have teebox markers that are little rocks with a picture of a bagpipe piper on them. Also, the yardage markers are big rocks with the yardage painted on them. I just wish they had a map of the hole by the teebox because a lot of the holes are doglegs, but because its a blind tee shot, you cant really tell until you walk onto the fairway. All in all though, its a great course that is challenging, but no so challenge that the average weekend player cant have fun on it. When I played there on Sunday, I shot a 50, which considering I just started playing again after taking an 8-year break, Im pretty happy with that score.

I alternate between Oak Ridge and Bonnie Meade. Im there every Sunday morning at 7:00am. The course is only about 10 miles from my house and the greens fees are really reasonable, plus it has a pretty laid-back atmosphere; so I play there most of the time.

[b-squared]

Links golf is my favorite. Nothing better to me than playing at a links course , I find it beautiful. My course is a links style course and I prefer no other.

[shortgrass lover]

My home is links style. I like, but I also like traditional. It just kinda depends. But yes I think links courses let you be more creative with your shot-making. And thats fun to me

[RichF]

Change in wind direction, rain, uneven fairways, thicker rough, pot-bunkers: tough but challenging - links golf is golf.

[PEZGolf]

I got to play Whistling Straits a few years ago and it was an amazing experience. So yeah, I like links courses.

I envy you. Two courses in this country that I would like to play are Whistling Straits and Bandon Dunes. How did you score at WS compared to your normal round? If your score was higher than you would like to talk about, then do not give a number, just an idea. Many people cannot adjust to "Links Golf" and get murdered.

[Jack_2251]

My favourite style is links, although I have only played at one real links in my short golf career. There aren't many of them where I live.
Magenta Shores, NSW, Aus.
What an amazing course, it has only just been made and is up with the top courses of my country.
www.magentagolf.com.au

[mstuk]

this year have played Muirfield , North Berwick , St Andrews Old , Doonbeg , Royal County Down ,The European Club and Portmarnock Old and they were all fantastic . Also played The K CluB , Gleneagles Kings and Queens ,and they were all pretty good too even though they are park;land courses but for me if i am going on a trip its has to be links. So come on guys get over here and play some real links but try not to bellow across the fairway to one and other " HEY BILL DID YOU SEE THAT " you aren't the only people out there you know.

[chingali]

There aren't many of them where I live.

Have a look at these,

Long reef - http://www.lrgc.com.au/welcome/index.mhtml NSW - http://www.nswgolfclub.com.au/guests/index.mhtml St Michaels - http://www.stmichaelsgolf.com.au/welcome/index.mhtml Belmont - http://www.golfinpictures.com.au/belmont/index.htm

[Mr Eagle]

Ive played links at Royal St Georges and Princes.

Who in there right mind wants to play in high winds trying to hit fairways you can hardly see and when you do managed to hit them the ball runs off into the rough,which is five feet tall . The greens are like rock ,you cant make anything stick,the only approach is bump and runs.The Bunkers are 40 ft high some you need a ladder to get out of.You finnish your round shooting 30 above normal completly drained both physically and mentally ,your bag is 15 balls lighter and you have just handed over £200 for the privalage.

Great fun!

[JaY_B]

Links golf is great, its the truest and most enjoyable form of golf.

[PEZGolf]

Links golf is great, its the truest and most enjoyable form of golf.

I agree, and it has two requirements: 1. You must be creative, and play different kinds of shots, just from the fairway, but around the greens as well. 2. You have to be willing to accept bad breaks and "rub of the green". A shot hit down the middle of the fairway may get a bad bounce and end up in a deep, deep fairway bunker that the sheep dug out to protect themselves from the wind and sand. That's golf.

[bIGwIRE]

That course is waaaaay easier now than it used to be. It used to have 6" deep rough, now the rough is more like 2". Its still a fun course and I play there all the time. Until last Sunday, I hadnt played that course since '00 and they did quite a lot to improve that course. They built a little clubhouse and they have teebox markers that are little rocks with a picture of a bagpipe piper on them. Also, the yardage markers are big rocks with the yardage painted on them. I just wish they had a map of the hole by the teebox because a lot of the holes are doglegs, but because its a blind tee shot, you cant really tell until you walk onto the fairway. All in all though, its a great course that is challenging, but no so challenge that the average weekend player cant have fun on it. When I played there on Sunday, I shot a 50, which considering I just started playing again after taking an 8-year break, Im pretty happy with that score.

I played there about 7 years or so ago, when I was like (guessing) 25-30 handicap

I would like to try whistling straits sometime. I have played quite a few rounds at HorseShoe Bay http://www.horseshoebayfarms.net/ Troon golf is amazing.

[CG031]

I don't HATE links golf, but I'm more of a 'woodlands' course type of guy, you know, Augusta type of layout and stuff...just my personal choice. I can play golf pretty much anywhere with nice conditions.