Links Course

[Oakwoodgolf]

What is the best link course you have played not including the well known courses. Any gems out here without the high green fees?

[dennyjones]

Where are you located?   

[Oakwoodgolf]

I am located in Nottinghamshire, England.

[dennyjones]

quite a ways from Michigan, USA...

[mcanadiens]

You get into some pretty tight definitions when you talk about links courses. I don't think the good old Midwest of the USA, where @dennyjones and I live have any such thing. 

Here they'll call a course "links-style" if it has no trees. 

[b101]

Played a fair few, but hard to think of that many little known links courses... However, the fact that they're playable all year round and have discounted green fees means that I'll recommend a load of well-known ones anyway; you can usually get a good deal.

Best I've played is Royal Lytham and St Annes - totally worth the money for the day there and just the most challenging and entertaining round I've ever played. In terms of less well-known, I'm a member of Burnham and Berrow, which I'd recommend to anyone. Probably the best set of par 3s you'll play anywhere. Both Saunton courses are great, as is Royal North Devon. Finally, in the South East, I've played Rye and would love to go back there. I've got Princes and Royal St George's coming up in a few months, so massively looking forward to those!

I've only played a few in Scotland, but Western Gailes is incredible and would highly recommend that. Also played Machrihanish Dunes, which was mental in terms of the 'Chambers Bay' style greens and fairways. Really enjoyable for a day or two, but I'm not sure I could play it all year round. 

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In terms of 'lesser-known', I think other sites such as top100 may serve you better. I've heard lots of good things about Silloth on Solway, but I don't really think you can go far wrong with links courses. If you're looking for a golf break, though, the South West is fantastic in terms of value and quality and I'd highly recommend it.

[hilmar2k]

Ballyowen is my favorite "links style" course. It's in NJ.

[iacas]

The Old Course in some college town named St. Andrews.

[HJJ003]

Murcar Links in Scotland. Right on the North Sea. 

[Eric C]

Not in England, but I played The New Course at Grand Cypress in Orlando this past week and really enjoyed it. I've not had the pleasure of playing St. Andrews, but The New Course purports to resemble it at least in some ways.  I think I dropped about 120 bones, but it's a high-end property with great service and practice area.  Here's the course description:

The New Course adds another dimension of play to the Orlando golf scene with steeper and more challenging bunkers and slopes. Set in the midst of an open meadow, the New Course is Jack Nicklaus' tribute and homage to the famed Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. This Scottish links masterpiece is complete with double greens, stone bridges and walls, gorse mounds, burns, and pot bunkers as deep as 12 feet... all in the spirit of true Scottish original.

Very little water comes into play on the New Course, but when it does it just may surprise you. Very few trees are located within the interior of the course, creating plenty of room to drive the ball. However, even the best of drives will be challenged, as even the slightest slice or fade can cause the best of golfers to find themselves looking in the wrong fairway for their ball.

[dogburger]

I would recommend Killspindie  ,one of my fav links course 

http://www.kilspindiegolfclub.co.uk/

 

On ‎18‎/‎01‎/‎2018 at 6:42 AM, b101 said:

Played a fair few, but hard to think of that many little known links courses... However, the fact that they're playable all year round and have discounted green fees means that I'll recommend a load of well-known ones anyway; you can usually get a good deal.

Best I've played is Royal Lytham and St Annes - totally worth the money for the day there and just the most challenging and entertaining round I've ever played. In terms of less well-known, I'm a member of Burnham and Berrow, which I'd recommend to anyone. Probably the best set of par 3s you'll play anywhere. Both Saunton courses are great, as is Royal North Devon. Finally, in the South East, I've played Rye and would love to go back there. I've got Princes and Royal St George's coming up in a few months, so massively looking forward to those!

I've only played a few in Scotland, but Western Gailes is incredible and would highly recommend that. Also played Machrihanish Dunes, which was mental in terms of the 'Chambers Bay' style greens and fairways. Really enjoyable for a day or two, but I'm not sure I could play it all year round. 

---

In terms of 'lesser-known', I think other sites such as top100 may serve you better. I've heard lots of good things about Silloth on Solway, but I don't really think you can go far wrong with links courses. If you're looking for a golf break, though, the South West is fantastic in terms of value and quality and I'd highly recommend it.

Hi , I was thinking about a trip to North Devon /Cornwall in the summer playing Burnham and Berrow ,St  Endoc and Trevose .  Any recommendations on any others or indeed the ones I'm thinking about would be great 

[b101]

23 hours ago, dogburger said:

I would recommend Killspindie  ,one of my fav links course 

http://www.kilspindiegolfclub.co.uk/

 

Hi , I was thinking about a trip to North Devon /Cornwall in the summer playing Burnham and Berrow ,St  Endoc and Trevose .  Any recommendations on any others or indeed the ones I'm thinking about would be great 

For Burnham, I'd definitely do the Channel 9 in the morning then the Championship after lunch. The 9 hole course is a brilliant warm-up and the greens are just outstanding (if small). I've not played St Enodoc or Trevose before, as they're a bit further South. Both are on the to-do list though and I've heard great things about both. The other ones to consider are firstly Saunton (can do East and West in a day) - I'd put it a little below Burnham, as each 18 has a couple of weaker holes and the greens aren't quite as good, but as a day's golf, it's fantastic. Second one is Royal North Devon, which is just an awesome experience - very different. We were tempted to cancel and play Saunton again the second day but so glad we didn't. Properly challenging and long in the wind, but a great round of golf!

Let me know what you decide and any other thoughts. Worth looking at the South West golf website as well as they have some great packages on there!

[Chanceman]

Burnham and Berrow is very good. And I had a great time at Felixstowe Ferry in Suffolk I think, or Essex, but it was ultra windy. Over here Warrnambool is cool.

[FLOG4]

Three  areas scream great bang for your buck. Mid West coast Ireland. Carne being the best in area in my mind. Enniscrone near by and County Sligo. A run up further to a great diamond in rough Narin Portnoo. Second area is Wales...Who'd of thunk....But Wales has great value.  Go to Swansea area and play Royal Porthcawl...fabulous. Pennard is wonderful. Run up a little and play Aberdovey then Royal St David and all the way is what I call Mini Old Head...Nefyn District. Just play that on weekday as on weekend walkers crowd the holes out on penninsula.  The last area with tremendous group of links courses is SW England. Royal North Devon, Burnham Berrow, The two at Saunton, Trevose and the best in the area St Enodoc.......of all mentioned Carne is special.  As is Royal Porthcawl. As is St Enoduc.  

[dogburger]

On ‎09‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 9:28 PM, b101 said:

For Burnham, I'd definitely do the Channel 9 in the morning then the Championship after lunch. The 9 hole course is a brilliant warm-up and the greens are just outstanding (if small). I've not played St Enodoc or Trevose before, as they're a bit further South. Both are on the to-do list though and I've heard great things about both. The other ones to consider are firstly Saunton (can do East and West in a day) - I'd put it a little below Burnham, as each 18 has a couple of weaker holes and the greens aren't quite as good, but as a day's golf, it's fantastic. Second one is Royal North Devon, which is just an awesome experience - very different. We were tempted to cancel and play Saunton again the second day but so glad we didn't. Properly challenging and long in the wind, but a great round of golf!

Let me know what you decide and any other thoughts. Worth looking at the South West golf website as well as they have some great packages on there!

Well were all booked , playing Perrenporth , Trevose , St Endoc  and Burnnham on the way home . Staying at  a pub in  Newquay  . Hope the wet stuff keeps away and the beers cold .

[b101]

On 3/19/2018 at 6:07 PM, dogburger said:

Well were all booked , playing Perrenporth , Trevose , St Endoc  and Burnnham on the way home . Staying at  a pub in  Newquay  . Hope the wet stuff keeps away and the beers cold .

Keep us posted with how you get on!

I've just had a weekend at Prince's down in Kent and can't recommend that highly enough. Three class loops of 9 and really reasonable price.

[lastings]

On 1/16/2018 at 8:40 AM, mcanadiens said:

You get into some pretty tight definitions when you talk about links courses. I don't think the good old Midwest of the USA, where @dennyjones and I live have any such thing. 

Here they'll call a course "links-style" if it has no trees. 

Whistling Straights is pretty close to you guys....  

Edited April 27, 2018 by lastings

[mcanadiens]

37 minutes ago, lastings said:

Whistling Straights is pretty close to you guys....  

Relative to other things I suppose. It would be a seven-hour car ride and a whole bunch of money.

That place was definitely set up to be a links-type course. I guess the traditionalists would point out that it was all done by man and not Ma Nature.