You really have to question Doak's cred including Bandon Dunes on the list.  I can agree with his own courses because I am sure they are worthy but really...Bandon Dunes as one of the great links courses in the world?  Maybe I'm just a cynic but...

I actually saved the issue after reading it. I thought it was a great read and enjoyed the observations including a few I disagree with. I totally agree with the content and context of the Bandon courses discussion. Spring is almost here in Indiana and John K aka Barny Frank will be in a better mood when he can go out and play golf.

I don't know if the list is in any particular order of Tom's preference, more likely it's geographical, but I do love the high placement of North Berwick's West Links.  One thing I love there is that the beach is in play, versus Crail where it's out of bounds.  There isn't anything much more fun than playing a full iron shot off the hard sand over the berm to the second green after a major push off the tee!  

I am excited about playing both North Berwick and the Old Course next week....and also a first ever visit to Lundin Links.

Tom, was Muirfield not included because it's not a links course, or because you don't favor it as highly as the others?  A week from today will my first experience there and I will have a chance to see for myself!

I have never played Bandon Dunes, I would like to make the point of saying that from the photos i've seen it looks like some less well known Irish or Welsh courses.

I would say that explains why they remain less well known.

Now you've made me curious.

If you allow the courses at Bandon to be used as examples of American links courses then couldn't you cite Sand Hills in that catagorie?

I guess what I'm really asking is: Strictly speaking is there a definitive difference between inland dunes and dunes by the sea?

...
I guess what I'm really asking is: Strictly speaking is there a definitive difference between inland dunes and dunes by the sea?

Yes, it's called "the sea".  

Links are land between the sea and the farmland beyond the dunes. The sea is integral to the definition of links.

Links are land between the sea and the farmland beyond the dunes. The sea is integral to the definition of links.

Here is another quote in a similar vein:

Donald Steele, a well-known modern English architect and author of Classic Golf Links of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, defined "links" this way"

"My definition of links is the strip of land which links the sea with more fertile land, often set amongst dunes. The best terrain for golf is sand and that kind of land has minimal agricultural value -- which makes such places ideal."

In the case of Bandon, we have the presence of the sea, albeit from clifftops rather than the traditional low-lying linksland. However, as Doak says: "...alluvial deposits from the Coquille River are blown back ashore to create a sandy paradise for American golfers."

It's fine to split hairs, but the nature of the turf and the shots you can play around the greens at Pacific Dunes make it worthy of inclusion in my book. With certain factors (f&f, wind, a rugged natural setting) in place, "links" becomes a state of mind in my opinion....I definitely think the Bandon courses have an intensity of links feeling that I haven't always had at a few technically "true links".

Tom Dunne - I'd agree with you.  But of course Paul is asking a relevant question also.  By the technical definition, neither Bandon Dunes nor Pacific Dunes is a links.  And if you are going to go beyond that definition, then why does Pacific Dunes qualify and others not?

Because if you want to base it on "the nature of the turf and the shots you can play around the greens", then Sand Hills most definitely qualifies.. as does Wild Horse near it....

TH

TH:

Oh, it's a great question, I agree. I've never been to Nebraska, but my understanding is that the sand hills were the sea floor before the beginning of our very-happy Cretaceous period raised the Rockies some 70 million years ago.



So...land reclaimed from the sea!

Anyway, I don't think I'd be shaking an indignant fist if Mr. Doak had offered up Sand Hills. It would be a stretch, sure, but I'm confident that a round there would trigger more positive links endorphins for me than a "true" links like, say, Harlech.

Well, according to that map Rock Creek is a links, too.