Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture Discussion Group => Topic started by: Sean_A on March 05, 2006, 01:16:40 PM
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It doesn't matter why your favourite links is top dog, but it can be only one. Also, which are the only three links that give your favourite a run for its title?
Ciao
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#1 is difficult but North Berwick West Links gets the call. The quirk, ah the quirk!
The next three are easy, TOC, Royal Porthcawl, and the Balcomie Links at Crail. Why easy? Those are the only other true links I've played!
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Royal Cinque Ports is my tops
Contenders
Royal Liverpool
Ballybunion
Pennard
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Larry, I was going to somehow try to squeeze in Sean's favorite, Pennard ("The links in the sky"), but I just don't see how a course a hundred feet or more above the sea can be on true linksland.
True, it was wildly quirky and the turf was firm, but come on now, can it really be linksland if the sea didn't recede from it several eons ago?
So I'm "stuck" with the four I listed. I'd like to be playing any one of them tomorrow morning. ;D
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My favorite is the one I am playing and the three chasers are the next three on the list? :D
I wish I had played at least 30 or 50 so that I could refine it more, and come from a better defensible position, but TOC, Royal Do, Royal Ab and NBWL are all pretty high on my incomplete list.
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Bill, I always forget that technicality about Pennard. But, for me, no links is more "linksy" than Pennard ;-)
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In terms of playing conditions -- don't forget the wind up there! -- that is certainly true!
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Forgive my lack of international experience...
Lahinch
Contenders:
Enniscrone
Royal County Down
Carne
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Western Gailes
Contenders: TOC, Royal Troon (forgive me, but I really loved the course), and The New Course (probably as much fun as the Old Course, but without the aura that comes with starting and finishing in the town).
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Another vote for North Berwick,
Followed by TOC, Elie & Barnbougle Dunes.
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Royal Dornoch,
then
Macrihanish,
Royal Porthcawl
Silloth on Solway
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TOC
Royal Dornoch
Royal St. Georges
Prestwick
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Dornoch
Sand Hills
TOC
North Berwick
I suspect this could change by next year, as my links experience is still quite limited.
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This is easy:
Pebble Beach Golf Links
Harbortown Golf Links
Old Head Golf Links
Royal New Kent ;D
I love links golf!!
(Just for the record my actual response is that Royal Portrush is being chased by every other links course.)
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Does anyone consider either Pacific Dunes or Bandon Dunes to be a links?
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Its a tough call between TOC and Ballybunion but I have to give my nod to TOC, then:
Ballybunion
Prestwick
Lahinch
I love North Berwick too but damn I love Prestwick so, even though it kicks my ass every time I play it!
I just noticed that my chasers are all courses I have played in some monster winds, winds easily strong enough that Patrick Mucci would have a hard time believing the architecture could shine through. Maybe I need to play North Berwick in a gale sometime and see if it moves up in my rankings. I guess despite being an American I must subscribe to the "if there's nae wind, its nae golf" links ideal ;)
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The last time I played North Berwick West Links, there was a very strong west wind, 3 or 4 clubs, so the outward half was l-o-n-g and the inward nine was tricky as hell. That's a great set up and wind direction, because the inward holes are where the quirk is, and the outward holes need that beefing up with the wind. It was very difficult to hold approach shots to holes like #10 (short par 3 over the front bunker), #12, #14 Perfection!, blind over the hill, the ball ran like crazy, #15 was made a bit easier as a 6-iron carried onto the very front, #16 was very slippery, #17 similar to Perfection in that the ball ran and ran. #18 didn't make much difference as I hooked the tee shot into the underground chain link fence behind the golf shop!
"No wind no golf" really applies at the links courses.
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Ballybunion would top my list, with a close 2nd, 3rd, and 4th going to: Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, and Lahinch.
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Dornoch (no surprise.... :))
Lytham-St. Annes
Rye
Western Gailes
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Dornoch.
Just pips Portrush because if you could only play one more links for the rest of your life then you might get beaten up too often by Portrush.
If you only had one more round then it would be reversed.
Saunton East - My awakening to the pleasures of Links golf
Royal Cinque Ports though it could be a number of others.
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Port Fairy
Brora
Crail
Barnbougle
The third chaser was tough. The first three are all great raw links and places I could actually afford to play for the rest of my life. And there could be worse things than a holiday house in each of the villages.
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Royal Dornoch
Chased by:
Turnberry
Lahinch
North Berwick
...and many others, I don't count Sand Hills, otherwise would have won over North Berwick.
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Dornoch
Followed by Royal Porthcawl, Dunluce at Portrush and Rye.
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Port Fairy
OK, Sean
Where is this and what is this? Royal Brokeback? :)
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Dornoch (no surprise.... :))
Lytham-St. Annes
Rye
Western Gailes
Rich,
Before I really started playing a lot of golf I lived a stones throw from Lytham-St. Annes and I still have not played it to this day...one of my many goals in life...
Thanks for Dornoch. It would never have happened without you. Ronan and I even skipped Uni to get up there that weekend!!
Brian
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Sean,
this is such a hard question as I been lucky enough to have played nearly 40 links courses. However, unlike it seems a lot of people on here, I don't have the ability to really appreciate a course properly until I have played it at least 3 times and therefore I limited my choices to those courses.
The exception to this rule is Dornoch which I have only played twice and the second time the front nine was in foggy conditions. However I was blown away with the beauty of the place and how good the course was.
Rich Goodale is one lucky man.
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Does anyone consider either Pacific Dunes or Bandon Dunes to be a links?
I would think not. Closest US links to date would be that part of Maidstone tha meets the criteria.
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Rich,
South West coast of Victoria (Aust) $25AUD. 10-12 true links holes and a few on the farmland in from the very large dunes. I would doubt there is better golf for the price than anywhere in the world.
Yearly membership would be about 150-200GBP.
Port Fairy is an old fishing village and is at the end of the Great Ocean Road. A very quaint village except at the height of summer when the tourists and new years revellers invade. Many Irish settled and farmed in the immediate area they have a very well patronised Folk Festival around Easter time. Jack would be right at home I'm sure.
Has at least 4-5 very good holes and some great coastal views.
Mike Clayton has done a little bit of work there.
P.S. I am neither a member or employed in promoting the club. ;D
PPS It's late and I just got the Brokeback reference. tres drol.
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Muirfield
Followed very closely by:
Royal Dornoch
TOC
North Berwick West
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As much as it plays like one, can one really call Sand Hills a "links"? Yeah, I guest that land receded from the sea at one point, several millenia ago... but as much as I do firmly believe that is the greatest course on the planet, well I can't list it here. One must have some strength in definitions.
The same would go for Pacific Dunes, Pebble Beach, NGLA, Shinnecock - none are links. Do we really have any links in the USA?
So I'm going to be very boring with my #1 and go with Dornoch also. Kinda tough to go wrong there.
As for my other three....
Castlerock GC (hey, you said favorite - hard to argue with the course at which my cousin is a member)
Ballybunion Old
Royal County Down
TH
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I'll go with:
Ballybunion Old, chased by
Dornoch
Royal St. George
Royal Portrush
If we were talking sheer fun, North Berwick, Crail and Cruden Bay would probably make the list.
TOC is just not list-able for me; it's sort of in a category by itself.
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Ballybunion
Chased by Royal County Down , Lahinch , Portmarnock
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"The same would go for Pacific Dunes, Pebble Beach, NGLA, Shinnecock - none are links. Do we really have any links in the USA?"
I was thinking the same thing, Tom. Is Seminole a links course? It sits among the dunes on land that I presume is links like. Were Boca Raton North and South? Maybe so.
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The Old Course (for me, very hard to remove all the intangibles above and beyond the course itself)
Distantly chasing:
Dornoch
Turnberry
Prestwick
I wish I had a greater sampling to choose from :(
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Ballybunion Old
followed by:
Cruden Bay
Prestwick
Carne
I've played about 15 links, including the Old Course. While TOC is beyond great, it doesn't have the visual fun of these 4.
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1. Royal County Down - it's just such a marvellous meeting of links golf, superb mountain background and (on the one day in the year it isn't raining) the sun sparkling on Dundrum Bay, and I've been lucky enough to have played it a lot as a teenager, when it greatly influenced my golfing tastes.
My chasers are:
Royal West Norfolk for its old-fashioned course, salt marshes, wading birds and bearded reedlings.
St Enodoc for its tumbling dunes, its circumnavigation of the little church, its stone walls and holiday-makers pushing prams through the middle of the course.
Conwy - it's not the greatest links course in the world, but it's home to me and when I stand on the 7th tee I never fail to be uplifted by the mountains to my right, Conwy Estuary in front, Deganwy beyond, looking like a Breton fishing village, the hideous pile of the Great Orme at about 11 o'clock, the Irish Sea to the left, and Puffin Island and Anglesey completing the 360-degree vista.
I also have very fond memories of a game at Co Sligo when I was in my teens and my father and I were the only people on the course during an evening round, with the sun setting into the Atlantic in the West....
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Royal Dornoch for me
The three chasers are more difficult, partly because I've played probably 30 or more links courses over the last 20 years or so. As I've got older (and a better golfer) I've appreciated the courses more than I did years ago. I therefore find it difficult to judge say Ballybunion (which I played in 1988 or 1989) against Royal Aberdeen (which I played last September). I'd probably go for:
Royal Aberdeen
Nairn
North Berwick West
having said that I'd probably change my mind if I replayed some of the courses I've played before but not in the last 5 or 10 years!
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Sand Hills isn't a links per geology, and doesn't have dunes or rippled fairways. But it has all the attributes that make me happy to be a golfer. Inspiring land, firm and fast conditions with ground game in play, and a hint of a zephyr now and again, thus I included SH to my list.
If I have to drop SH, :'(then I go with Cruden Bay. 8)
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Rare instance of me as the sourpuss. ;D
But as much as Sand Hills is all of the things Ed says - and it definitely is such - well if we expand the definition that much, then we'd necessarily have to bring in NGLA, Shinnecock, Pebble Beach, likely MANY others.
And I don't want to have to change my answer.
But if we do so, well then it goes like this:
Sand Hills
Cypress Point, NGLA, Dornoch as the chasers.
;D
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Tom,
Even with my loosened definition, Pebble Beach does NOT make the cut. Firm and fast? Ground game? I don't think soooo... :)
Oh, I forgot to mention sand base in my earlier parameters.
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Rich,
South West coast of Victoria (Aust) $25AUD. 10-12 true links holes and a few on the farmland in from the very large dunes. I would doubt there is better golf for the price than anywhere in the world.
Yearly membership would be about 150-200GBP.
Port Fairy is an old fishing village and is at the end of the Great Ocean Road. A very quaint village except at the height of summer when the tourists and new years revellers invade. Many Irish settled and farmed in the immediate area they have a very well patronised Folk Festival around Easter time. Jack would be right at home I'm sure.
Has at least 4-5 very good holes and some great coastal views.
Mike Clayton has done a little bit of work there.
P.S. I am neither a member or employed in promoting the club. ;D
PPS It's late and I just got the Brokeback reference. tres drol.
Sean
THANKS for the info. I looked Port Fairy up on the web and it absolutely screams "Hidden Gem!" and "Fun!" If and when I get to Victoria, Royal Melbourne will just have to wait!
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1. Lahinch
3 chasers: Dunluce at Portrush (very close call)
Royal St Georges
Royal County Down
Can't wait to play more to make the choice tougher, have taken on Richard Muldoon and Sean's recommendations and promoted Royal Cinque Ports and Burnham & Berrow in this year's huge list of must plays.
A friend confirmed the itinerary for his stag do last night and I was very pleased to see Gullane 2 and 3 listed. Bonus!
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Tom,
Even with my loosened definition, Pebble Beach does NOT make the cut. Firm and fast? Ground game? I don't think soooo... :)
Oh, I forgot to mention sand base in my earlier parameters.
Ed - I'd say it does. I've played it firm an fast several times - and its certainly that way for US Opens there. One also most definitely can - and should - play the ground game there - approaches on 3,6,9,10, maybe 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, maybe 18. And if you want to base it on golf joy and what makes one happy to be a golfer, then Pebble qualifies in spades.
Seriously, if you call Sand Hills a links, then Pebble gets it also.
Cypress too. NGLA and Shinnecock FOR SURE.
That's why I wanted to tighten up the definition!
;D
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Sean - see that's just it, I don't WANT to have exceptions, for me or for anyone!
So if Ed wants that, then more power to him.
I am just crystal clear in my love and admiration for Sand Hills GC as a golf course. It is my favorite on this planet, and it is the best on this planet.
It's just not a links, not how that is normally defined. Change the word in your topic to "golf courses" and my answer would include it. But if you ask for links, it's Dornoch.
Why does this matter? I have absolutely no idea.
;D ;D ;D
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When Sand Hills was a links, I suspect that the main hazards were the velociraptors skulking in the tumbleweed......
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When Sand Hills was a links, I suspect that the main hazards were the velociraptors skulking in the tumbleweed......
That was rather my point as well!
;D ;D
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Fave Rave:
Machrihanish (for combination of routing, dunes, isolation).
Three little maids from school:
Kingsbarns (for 'design' interest),
Turnberry (for history and #s 16, 17, esp),
North Berwick (for being the most fun you can have whilst wearing spikes and a leather glove...outdoors, at least! ;))
FBD.
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I think what's noteworthy is that Muirfield has only got one mention thus far (given it's commonly rated the top links course anywhere).
Deal
Hoylake
L'Ancresse
Wallasey
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Keith, that makes me drool even more capaciously, thinking about the October GCA Buda Cup which will be contested over the links at Hoylake and Wallasey! Thanks.
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If I had to chose only one links course to play the rest of my life, it be be Royal Dornoch. I think I could play it every day and find it playble through my 80's.
If I had to chose only one links course to play tomorrow, it would be Royal County Down. I can't think of a better test of golf anywhere.
If I had to choose one links to play for the entire experience of commeraderie, course, and welcome, it would be Royal North Devon.
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RE: links course in the US
Been a decade since I played it so I'm certainly no authority, but the back nine at Pacific Grove surely seemed like an honest to goodness links to me. Is there some list of criteria that officially defines a "links" that PG is missing?
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I don't know if PG is a true links or not, (I think Peter Allen thought it was) it certainly has some holes on the back nine that look like links. Unfortunately more often than not the last few times I've played there it was far from F&F.
Are the links that have been listed throughout this thread ever NOT F&F? Is there such a thing as an aerial game links, where the ground game cannot be counted on?
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Sean,
You asked for favourite links rather than best links. This is obviously an entirely different question. This values enjoyment and location above test of golf. Memories can also play a great part in this decision. For example, one of my favourite links is Mullion on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall - the southernmost course in the UK. We used to go down to Helford every Easter and it brings back great memories. The course isn't great although the location is stunning. This is more of a favourite of mine than Carnoustie although it is not in the same league as a test of golf.
My favourite links are St. Enodoc, Perranporth, Enniscrone and Machrihanish. The 'best' links IMO are Royal County Down, Dornoch, Turnberry, and Ballybunion.
Did you get on at Pennard on Saturday?
Ed
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Sean
I remember well a long discussion 4 1/2 years ago in a pub in Southampton after playing NGLA in the morning and Shinnecock in the afternoon. Asked for my take by mein host I ventured that Shinnecock was clearly the "better" course but NGLA was much more fun to play. I further added that the reason I thought Dornoch was so "great" is that it provides for both ends of that spectrum--fun and challenge. More fun than Carnoustie or Muirfield or Turnberry or even the Old Course, but also more of a challenge than Machrihanish or North Berwick or Prestwick or even the Old Course, again.
Maybe that's why it did so well in this particular poll.
PS--when I chose my favorites, I tried to go for courses that had a good mix of fun and challenge, too..
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Sean
I remember well a long discussion 4 1/2 years ago in a pub in Southampton after playing NGLA in the morning and Shinnecock in the afternoon. Asked for my take by mein host I ventured that Shinnecock was clearly the "better" course but NGLA was much more fun to play. I further added that the reason I thought Dornoch was so "great" is that it provides for both ends of that spectrum--fun and challenge. More fun than Carnoustie or Muirfield or Turnberry or even the Old Course, but also more of a challenge than Machrihanish or North Berwick or Prestwick or even the Old Course, again.
Maybe that's why it did so well in this particular poll.
PS--when I chose my favorites, I tried to go for courses that had a good mix of fun and challenge, too..
Wow... as the third party in that conversation, all I can say is I sure remember it differently.
But no matter - let's just say I continue to concur with the idea posited that day (which I sincerely believe was my own): that the greatest of all courses are both a great test and great fun. Shinnecock and NGLA crystallize the differences. I've used this as a basis many many times in here.
And yes, the example you gave that day of a course having both - Dornoch - most definitely qualifies.
You remain a piece of work, Rich. ;D
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Huck
I was sober that night. As for you....... :)
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Rich:
Correct. But I'm sticking with my guns.
;D
What the hell - it's a great way to look at golf courses whoever's idea it was.
So can we name any others, links or non-links, that meet this criterion (ie having both test and fun qualities)?
Sand Hills jumps to mind - that's why it's my #1 on earth - even though I do tend to prefer the fun to the test if I have to choose, it does have both in spades.
The Old Course?
There really aren't many....
TH
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Lahinch
The European Club
Waterville
Haven't played enough to have 3 chasers :'(
AD
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I am bit surprised by Lahinch though. I don't see nearly as much hype about this course as the other three.
I have very limited links experience, but Lahinch is one of them and I enjoyed this course very much. I agree this course doesn't seem to have much hype or get that much press. I was surprised so many mentioned it in this thread.
What is it that people like about Lahinch - why was it mentioned so frequently as a favorite links course (or one of the chasers)?
Andy
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Dornoch
St Enodoc
Hoylake
Brora
- a very sentimental list. :)
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I think what's noteworthy is that Muirfield has only got one mention thus far (given it's commonly rated the top links course anywhere).
Deal
Hoylake
L'Ancresse
Wallasey
Since I was the lone proponent of Muirfield, I was also surprised that it got no other mentions as well, although I can fully understand why it might not be the favorite of many. "Favorite" is a very subjective thing, and I think guys tend to enjoy the fun factor that a lot of the other great links courses possess.
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Jamie:
I loved Muirfield, everything about it. If you asked me for a list of "greatest" links courses, it would be up there for sure - because it's such a great test of golf, that makes up for any perceptions of lack of "fun" factor.
I just do err on the "fun" side - so ask me my favorite and it's not going to be up there. These others just have more meaning to me, or are more pure fun.
I bet if you asked 100 PGA tour pros their favorite links course, Murfield would get at least 60 votes. Don't mean to lump you in with them! But it is the fairest test of any links I can think of, and that's what those guys tend to value, no?
TH
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Tom,
I would tend to agree regarding Muirfield. While I love the quirk and charm of North Berwick and The Old Course, and the beauty and design of Dornoch, for me, Muirfield just presents the complete test of golf. It's hard to list a favorite because there is something great about each course that can't be found at any of the others. Maybe, it's my mindset because I'm used to playing competitive rounds, but Muifield just stood out to me. On another note, to me, there is nothing comparable to standing on the first tee of The Old Course and hitting that first shot and then returning down 18 for the finish. It's a magical place...probably my favorite "experience".
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Interesting the lack of Open venues.
I would rank them somewhat differently:
Royal Portrush
Royal St. Georges
Turnberry
TOC
Carnoustie
Prestwick
Hoylake
Deal
Royal Birkdale
Lytham and St. Annes
Musselburgh
Muirfield
Troon
Princes (NLE)
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TOC, Royal Dornoch, and Machrihanish chased closely by N. Berwick, Turnberry, Muirfield, Cruden Bay, Rye and St. Enodoc. My race has many great horses. Then Royal County, Portrush and Ballybunion come around and say play me as well. There are many more but this is the class of my stable
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Sean,
I don't know why you are surprised that Machrihanish and St. Endoc didn't do very well. Not because I think they aren't worthy, but because not as many people have played them. I don't know where St. Endoc is, but I do know where Machrihanish is and while I really wanted to play it last time I was in country, it is just too damn inconvenient (though the info about the daily flights posted here last year has been filed away for me to look into on my next visit!)
We can only list links courses we've played, and I can only play so many on each visit, and each time I play a new one I may add another course to my list of 'really want to see again'. That's my biggest problem with return visits, I'm torn between the urge to visit courses I played before and loved versus courses I haven't seen yet at all. Next time I'm back in Scotland, do I take the time to visit Machrihanish and perhaps skip a third visit to Prestwick? Maybe I toss out Turnberry since it isn't as good as Prestwick or as I expect Machrihanish may be. Maybe I go back to Western Gailes or Troon. Maybe you or Rich Goodale has posted some incredible pics from another course around there I hadn't ever heard of that I just gotta check out.
Its a real problem, I can see why Rich took the easy way out and moved over there ;D
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Doug,
St. Enodoc is little visited by Americans due to it's location. It is situated on the stunningly beautiful North Cornwall coast in the far South West of England. That part of the world is very remote and peaceful (except in the main July and August holiday season!). Padstow, just across the estuary from St. Enodoc is a renowned culinary destination (with fish being the obvious speciality). I would strongly recommend a visit to this part of the world - it's a lot warmer than Scotland!
It's probably a 4-5 hour drive from Heathrow, but you can break up the journey by playing Burnham and Berrow on the way (approx halfway). Other superb courses in the area include Saunton (2 excellent links), Royal North Devon, and Perranporth.
Attached is a link to some photos on the St. Enodoc website. Check out the Himalaya bunker!
http://www.st-enodoc.co.uk/gallery.shtm
Ed
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Sean
I'm visiting Padstow for a week in June.
I'll be a singleton golfer as I'm on holiday there with my (non golfing) wife. However she's having a day at the seafood cookery school so I've a free day in the agenda. Do you know if you can book tee times at StEnodoc as a single golfer or will they fix me up with a two/three ball if I ask them to?
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Andrew - take your handicap certificate to St Enodoc, they are one of the few courses that actually ask for one.
Jamie/Tom - did you read in the interview with Ran how the Morrisett family collectively did not enjoy Muirfield and were happy to leave after one round? He did not, as I recall, explain why they were underwhelmed.
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Sean/Philip
Thanks for that - made me a little more determined to take my clubs (& handicap certificate!)
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I've booked a tee time at St Enodoc on Wednesday 21 June. If anyone's in the area and would like to join me please let me know.
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I'll go with Dornoch
Chased by:
North Berwick
The Old Course
Royal Cinque
I was thinking of including Royal County Down but I was 12 when iI played there so I can't trust my judgement.
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St. Andrews (Old)
Followed closely by:
Royal Dornoch
North Berwick
Royal County Down
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Dornoch, for the reasons Rich espoused above, and also because it is such a special place, followed by
Macrihanish,
Royal Porthcawl,
Silloth on Solway
Burnham and Berrow a near miss for number three. A bit more rugged than Silloth, but a few plain holes in the middle.
Thommo,
How did your short game fare at Dornoch?
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There was one Open venue that inspired something like joy in me, rather than just respect, and that was Turnberry. There's "real" history: Robert the Bruce's castle. There's a sense that you're walking on special ground: use as airstrip, monument to war dead. There's the atmosphere: lighthouse and ghostly Ailsa Craig. There's a larger "Brigadoon" sense of improbability: the "return" of the course after WWII. And lastly there's the recounting during one's round of the best Open of the last 50+ years: Duel in the Sun.
Mark
Each to therir own - but I thought the course at Turnberry is one of the most over-rated links that I've played. #4 + #9 + #16 are good holes but the rest ?
Most people that I talk to about it always mention the scenery or atmosphere but when I ask what did you think of the course ? I don't tend to get much of a response.
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Thommo,
How did your short game fare at Dornoch?
It was fine, but if I played there again with the short game I currently boast - I feel it may be a different story.
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As much as I love playing the championship courses they are too expensive, busy and well kept for my « peasant » tastes – thus my favourite Links Courses based on quirky originality.
Machrahanish for it’s remoteness and surprise at every turn,
chased by my favourite quirks
Prestwick
North Berwick
Brora
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For me and my opinions are biased primarily on performances during tournaments..
Royal Birkdale
followed by
Western Gailes
Lahinch
Turnberry
For shear fun however...Western Gailes again
Brancaster
Mullion
Burnham and Berrow
Hillside
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I have only played a few.
Shot- Muirfield
Chasers- North Berwick, Old Course and Carnoustie.
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Favorite - Royal Dornoch
Best - Royal Portrush
Other Two - (Favorite now not necessarily best)
Turnberry
Carne
I'm obvously going for the beauty and "experience" with those two rather then the architecture (It's where I would choose to spend a day)
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Portrush.
Old course
Sandwich
Baltray
Honorable mention: carnoustie
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TOC
Royal Dornoch
HCEG (Muirfield)
North Berwick West Links
Potentially revisable soon.
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This thread made a bit of a comeback recently. I realized that I never named my choice links. There are only eight links I would have considered for a shorter list. It becomes very difficult when I consider that Dornoch and North Berwick are shoe ins. It is a toss of the coin which I prefer, but North Berwick gets the nod. My three chasers are Dornoch, Sandwich and Lahinch.
I think I stated before that I started this thread to see what people thought of Open venues when push comes to shove. I am really surprised that they did quite poorly. Some 45 courses in all were mentioned and there are fourteen Open courses, more than a third of those mentioned. Yet, the Open courses received 50ish mentions out of 150ish total. About dead on proportionally. What is going on here? I thought the Open venues were meant to be some of the cream of the crop in the world yet plenty of second tier links gives theses big guns a run for their money. Carnoustie didn't even get a mention!
Obviously TOC swept the tables for Open courses. I think Portrush finished a distant 2nd. However, North Berwick fared much better than any other Open course other than TOC and it was mentioned nearly as much as TOC. I find this remarkable. I reckon it is no surprise that Dornoch cleared the tables. The course speaks for itself.
It is gratifying to know that Machrihanish held its own against the big boys such as Co. Down, Ballybunion and Lahinch. Speaking of Lahinch. I am surprised that it received 9 mentions. I don't hear that much about Lahinch on this site.
One last note. It is very interesting that Porthcawl had 4 mentions. That is the equal of Lytham, Troon, Portmarnock and Birkdale combined. Astonishing.
Ciao
Sean
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For the majesty and tradition: The Old Course
Lots of pretenders, my favorites are: Muirfield, Western Gailes, and North Berwick West. If we can count a course where the land characteristics are very "links" but you can't see the water I really like Royal Melbourne.
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...I think I stated before that I started this thread to see what people thought of Open venues when push comes to shove. I am really surprised that they did quite poorly ....
I think to get a more accurate picture, you would have to eliminate responses like mine, since I haven't played any of the Open courses. It was easy for me to pick my favorites - I've only played 3, all in Ireland.
Of those who have played Open venues, how many did not select them as their favorite links?
Andy