[G Jones]

I've heard Panmure talked about a bit on here, but there are very few photos online and a majority still don't know much about the place. This year it is again a final Open qualifiying venue. I found some really good photos here:

http://golfarchitecturepictures.com/Web%20Galleries/Scotland/Panmure/index.htm

...and it got me thinking... you'll see that the first and last three holes are almost parkland - most of the year they are lush and green (although these photos must have been taken on an unusually dry summer). Then the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, on the way out and the 14th, 15th on the way back are heathland and play through pine trees and heather. Then the 7 holes at the far end are some of the best classic links holes anywhere.

What other courses have such distinct style differences within 18 holes?

The reason for this at Panmure was that they were going to build the clubhouse by the 14th tee, but the railway company said they were about to remove the station that used to be there, and so they had to build the clubhouse in Barry, near Carnoustie. Hence the first 4 and the last 4 holes are built on farmland that allowed the rest of the course to reach the linksland! The result is an out and back routing near the clubhouse, which fans out once it reaches the linksland... very odd!

[john_stiles]

Two English courses that are links land, with yet some parkland/heathland touches are Hillside and  Formby.

Hillside has a spectacular links feel to the back nine. The front side feels somewhat like a parkland course with some holes set among and near the low pines.

Formby meanders seemingly through all three. The start seems a little like a heathland, then you get closer to the pines, and then you go through some dunes with pines still about the holes, and then you come out again and wander around through the low dunes.

[Darren_Kilfara]

Golspie, near Dornoch, is the first course that came to mind for me upon seeing this description.

[Bill_McBride]

The "new" holes at Lundin and Leven Links are parkland holes where the original out and back string is definitely linksland.

[G Jones]

Acutally I just sort of thought of another couple... Spyglass Hill -the 2nd, 3rd, 4th are links-like and definately very seperate from the lush parkland of the rest of the course. Also one of the courses at MPCC in Monterey has two distinct parts if I remember... one treelined and inland, the other exposed and near the sea.

Even although it can sometimes make a course feel a little odd, I quite like courses that change within a round.

[Geoffrey Childs]

James Finegan has some very interesting comments about Panmure in his book on Scottish links. He describes the opening and finishing holes and how they get you to and away from the linksland. He has some Ben Hogan stories as well because apparently Mr Hogan practiced at Panmure before his Open championship win at Carnoustie. I believe he thought the 6th hole among the best par 4's in golf.

I very much enjoyed my round there although it was probably played in the hardest conditions I have ever faced while staying dry.  We played in the afternoon in 1996 following our watching the Scottish Open at Carnoustie in the morning. Ian Wosnam won that tournament in 55 mph winds.  I marveled at watching the pros hit bullets under such control in those conditions.  We went to Panmure and the winds killed us.  

[Tom Jefferson]

Bandon Trails comes to mind.....three holes in the dunes, 8 holes in the 'meadow', and 7 in the deep northwest forest.

Beautiful sunny and calm conditions today at Bandon Dunes Resort!

Regards,
Tom

[SPDB]

The Creek.

[KBanks]

Panmure is a fine course that deserves to be better known. The links holes in the interior have a unique look to them.

Cypress Point meanders through an astonishing variety of golfing terrain: from dunesland to interior holes lined with pines, into dunesland again, and then to the seaside finish.

Ken

[David_Tepper]

As Darren K. has noted, Goslpie (9 miles north of Dornoch) combines all 3 terrains. It is interesting that the heathland holes at the far end of the course (#8 thru #12) have their own microclimate that is often noticeably warmer than the seaside holes.

Some pictures:

www.hiddenlinksgolf.com/golf-scotland.html

[Phil McDade]

Peterhead, north of Cruden Bay, has an opening three-hole stretch set in something like a meadow on one side of the river that runs alongside part of the course. They are the blandest holes on the course, and not really links turf. You then make an abrupt left turn, and head into the land above the dunes before plunging into them for a very good stretch of links golf on the back nine.

[Robbie Roberts]

Tenby in Wales -- No. 1 hard by the dining room, beneath a couple of pine trees could as easily be the Sandhills of North Carolina, but by the 2nd you are into a dizzying variety of links holes, some of which on the far end of the course are in play at various times of the year and out of play at others.  Then 15, 16 and 17, after an inordinately long walk, are parkland holes, then the 18th -- after another long walk -- is back to the Sandhills, finishing on a green that is framed by a couple of pines.

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