The 18 Greatest Links Greens

[Ally Mcintosh]

I'm not sure if I mean full green complexes or just great for natural (or even manufactured) undulations.... Either way, interpret as you see fit and let's get some nominations. Once 18 are reached, any can be struck out by majority agreement...

I'll start with:

1. Prestwick - 13 (Sea Hedrig)

[Sean_A]

1. Prestwick - 13 (Sea Hedrig) - Si!


North Berwick 16 - Gate

Pennard 7

Deal 16

B&B 15

Hunstanton 17

Ballybunion 8

TOC 11 (and could probably include a few others)

Dornoch Foxy - dead flat, but what a great green

Ciao

[Mark Bourgeois]

Rye 7

[Pete_Pittock]

Macrihannish 2

Old Macdonald 5 and 7

[Thomas Dai]

5 from left field -

3rd hole, par-3, at The Bann course at Castlerock
8th hole, par-3, at Burnham & Berrow, Channel Course
3rd hole, par-4, at Tenby
9th hole, par-4, at Saunton (East)
The Himalayas at St A

atb

[David_Tepper]

"Dornoch Foxy - dead flat, but what a great green"

Sean A. -

The green on Foxy is definitely not dead flat. I have seen putts break by several feet or more on that green.

The 4th Green at Royal Dornoch is certainly the most dramatic green on the course.

I think the green complex on #15 at RD is the most interesting/challenging. Even though you are rarely more than 100 yards from the green, getting your ball on the green, let alone anywhere near the hole, is still a challenge.

DT

[Stan Dodd]

Echo David and add that the 5th green is one of the great ones at RD.

[Phil McDade]

Pete Pittock mentioned the first the came to mind -- the 2nd at Machrihanish.

How about the first green at the Eden?

[Jonathan Mallard]

1 and 4 at Portrush Dunluce
What was the 5th at the Old Tom course at Rosapenna
1 at Ardglass
7 at Western Gailes
6 at Cruden Bay

[Tom_Doak]

Machrihanish 2nd, 3rd and 12th
Dornoch 4th and 14th
St. Andrews Old Course 2nd, 4th, 12th, 16th
St. Andrews Eden Course 1st, 5th, 8th, 10th
Prestwick 3rd, 13th
Muirfield 5th, 15th
North Berwick 16th
Royal St. George's 9th
Lahinch 9th, 11th
Dooks 13th (although I heard a rumor they might be changing it)
Renaissance Club 7th, 8th (new routing - formerly 10th & 11th)

[Mark McKeever]

1 North Berwick 16
2 North Berwick 16
3 North Berwick 16
4 North Berwick 16
5 North Berwick 16

[Jim Sherma]

A few that jump out for me based on what I've played:

Ballybunion #6 did it for me as did the whole high-hole complex (7 and 11) on TOC.

I would also include some of the Colt greens on the Eden: 1, 5 and 8 (current routing) stick in my mind.

[Alex Miller]

Has North Berwick #16 been mentioned?

The 14th and 17th (poor redan... ) are worth consideration as well.
9, 10, and 13 at Elie are all very very good.
Is TOC 17th too controversial?
Muirfield's 5th is fantastic (already mentioned).
Although not an original hole, the 10th at Leven is pretty brilliant/

[Mark Bourgeois]

I think it's a very long and complex debate to decide which has the better set of greens - Deal or the Old course - but I think it would be close.

Fascinating.

[Michael Felton]

Royal St Georges has a few contenders too. 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 18.

[Ally Mcintosh]

OK,

Seeing as I started the thread, I'll have the first crack at picking 18 from those above...

Couple of things - Old Rosapenna mentioned 5th is the short par-4 which is currently 13... I think TD likes that one as well... But I always thought the previous green was the marvel so I'm going to put that one in and let someone argue it out for the other one...

I too think 2, 3 & 12 are the great greens at Machrihanish. Think I might actually plump for 12 here and let someone argue it out...

Happy to put in Renaissance 7 (previously 10) ahead of the more talked about green after... Love the run-in to that hole...

Eden 1 can go in... Old Course 2 / 16 will be the starter and get a pass as a double...

Dornoch - I don't know so will go with David's 4th until argued out...

Feel there's got to be one at Machrie?

Anyway - here's the first list... Start swapping:

1. Prestwick 13
2. Rosapenna Old 12th
3. St.Andrews Eden 1st
4. St.Andrews Old 2nd / 16th
5. Dornoch 4th
6. Renaissance 7th (old 10th)
7. Machrihanish 12th
8. North Berwick 16th
9. Ballybunion 6th
10. Muirfield 5th
11. Deal 16th
12. Dooks 13th
13. Pennard 7th
14. Western Gailes 7th
15. Tenby 3rd
16. Burnham & Berrow 15th
17. Rye 7th
18. Royal St Georges 9th

OK - so you need to argue to replace any of the above.... There must be plenty we have forgotten

Ally

[Jason Topp]

I think you can exchange the Old Course 14, 17 and 18 for most on this list.  Unfortunately I do not recall them well enough to make a nomination.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Ally I thnk it should read like this



1. St.Andrews Eden 1st
2. St.Andrews Old 2nd / 16th
3  Tenby
4. Dornoch
5  Muirfield
6 Ballybunion
7. Renaissance 7th (old 10th)/Pennard/Rye/Western Gailes

7.   
8.
9.   Royal St Georges
10.
11.
12.   Machrihanish
13.  Dooks
14.
15. Burnham & Berrow
16  Deal/ North Berwick
17.
18.


to be cont....

[Pete_Pittock]

Ally,
In answer about The Machrie, best greens are 7,8,17

Is this just Europe, Old Macdonald didn't make the cut? I know it's your contest

[Mark Pearce]

9, 10, and 13 at Elie are all very very good.

Have to agree with these suggestions, all really good greens.

Truth is, there are an awful lot of really good links greens out there.

[Peter Pallotta]

an honest question, from one who doesn't know to those who do:

would I be safe in saying that any list of the 18 greatest links greens would include a wide variety of greens, with no one quality (e.g. heavily contoured, or very large, or well bunkered/protected) dominating the list or being characteristic of all/most of the greens?

Thanks
Peter

[Shane Wright]

Royal County Down #7 is the best green I've ever seen for a short par 3.  Instead of having a false front, it has a false left side.  I have never seen another green like it.  It is the first green that came to mind when I was thinking thru Ally's list and what may have been left off.

I am kicking myself for not getting a proper picture of it the first time I visited. 



 

[David_Tepper]

The green & green complex on the par-3 sixth hole at Brora is very, very good:

http://www.broragolf.co.uk/CourseSection/virtualtour.aspx?EnterHole=6

[John Crowley]

I'm not sure if I mean full green complexes or just great for natural (or even manufactured) undulations.... Either way, interpret as you see fit and let's get some nominations. Once 18 are reached, any can be struck out by majority agreement...

I'll start with:

1. Prestwick - 13 (Sea Hedrig)

For full green complexes (my bias will show here) all the par threes at RDGC.

[Sean_A]

The 3rd and 12th at Deal are all time greats. 17 and 13 are really underrated as are 7 and 5.

3rd green, not so much.  Its a punchbowl type which yields the same sort of results an awful when apporaching.  The more I play 3 the less enamoured I am with the hole.  That said, it adds an element of variety to the set of greens which is important.  Same for 12 - its actually an easy green to approach even though its unusual.  17 is a good green, but I wouldn't have thougt its special  13 is a good green as well.  7 though is an outstanding green.  This is the one hole that I think much more highly of these days.  

All in all, I think you are correct.  I am not sure there is a links in GB&I with a better set of greens than Deal.  

What do folks think about Pennard's 16th - or is it too severe?  

I agree, Prestwick's 3rd is excellent - it just out of the humpty bumpty fairway. Same for the 9th at Sandwich, don't think #11 is very special though.  Lahinch's 9th too is very good and suits a short 4 very well.  Not sure about the 11th as Mac's version is sidelined - I think a huge mistake by the club.

Tenby's 3rd - maybe.  I like the 12th more.  In general, like Pennard, Tenby has one of the better sets of links greens out there.  

Rye's 7th puzzles me as well.  I think there are better plateau examples such as Tenby's 12th and 3rd.  

Ciao