Does the US have a true links course?

[Anthony Gray]

  Do you consider the Bandon courses links courses?

  I must admit that Rustic Canyon played as "scotish" as eny I have played in the states with the shifting winds, firm conditions, tight lies and ground game options.

  If this has been discussed before...my apologies....just consider me the pizza man.

  Anthony

[Ben Sims]

Sand, wind, ocean, fescue, gorse, rain, putting 50 yards off green.

Where am I?

[Dan Boerger]

The best California wine is made in California ... the best French wine is made in France ...

You get the idea ...

[Kalen Braley]

I think its better to take the opposite approach here...well sort of.

Explain and/or give reasons as to why a course like Pac Dunes is NOT a links course.  If this can't be done, then it must be one!

[Anthony Gray]

  In the Northeast?

  Anthony

[John Foley]

Based upon the title of the thread:

I would think Maidstone, Seminole, Kiawah Ocean would meet the requirement.

Not sure anything else would be correctly considered.

[Ben Sims]

Anthony,

In the northeast? Surely you jest.

But do you see my point? Or am I being obnoxious again?

[Anthony Gray]

Anthony,

In the northeast? Surely you jest.

But do you see my point? Or am I being obnoxious again?

  Ben,

  You are catching on to this site way to soon......If you keep posting at this rate everybody will want photos of your mom at the bar. See you at next years KP.

  Anthony

[Ben Sims]

Anthony,

If you haven't figured it out, this site is "kid in a candy store" stuff for me.  Where is KP 2010?

[Dan Herrmann]

Ben - KP is Kings Putter, an event for our Western US friends.

Could Astoria GC (Oregon) be a links course?  How about Gearhart in Oregon?

Or Sand Hills in Nebraska? 

[Anthony Gray]

Anthony,

If you haven't figured it out, this site is "kid in a candy store" stuff for me.  Where is KP 2010?

  Does this sound familiar to anybody? There is a deleted thread "I NEED HELP!" somewhere.

  Anthony

[PCCraig]

Sankaty Head on Nantucket Island is just as much if not more of a "Links" course than anything at Bandon or the United States as a whole.

[Michael Dugger]

It depends upon how strict of a definition of links you are basing this on?

Technically--though it was eons ago--the sand hills of Nebraska were coastal dunes since reclaimed as main land.

The land upon which Bandon and Pacific sit, 100 or so feet above the ocean, seems an awful lot like Ballybunion to me.  Is Ballybunion a genuine links???

While you don't see many links courses with holes IN the ocean a la Cypress Point, it sure seems to me a lot of Cypress is built in "linksland"

As far as the Ocean Course goes, it seems more "marshland" golf to me.  All relatively flat.....

As opposed to Ballyneal with huge rolling hills and firm turf....wind.....I mean does it have to be "hard by the sea" to be considered a links?  

[Tom_Doak]

The lady who was the head of the Ladies' Golf Union [UK] said in her speech at the Curtis Cup that Pacific Dunes was "the finest links golf course" she had ever seen.  I think that's probably the best compliment I ever got.

[Cliff Hamm]

The truest links I have played is Highland Links in Truro, Ma on Cape Cod.  Whether it is a true links I will leave to those with more expertise than I.  From their website:

Heralded as Cape Cod's oldest golf course, perhaps its most scenic, the Highland Links in North Truro is one of America s golf treasures, perched high along windswept bluffs overlooking the Atlantic next to the vintage Cape Cod Light. Founded in 1892, Highland recently celebrated a hundred years of golf. More than significant than its age is Highland's heritage; circumstances keep it a genuine links, as close to the Scottish tradition found anywhere in the eastern United States, with deep natural rough, Scotch broom, heath, non irrigated open fairways, and spectacular ocean views.

[Bob_Huntley]

Sankaty Head on Nantucket Island is just as much if not more of a "Links" course than anything at Bandon or the United States as a whole.

The truest links I have played is Highland Links in Truro, Ma on Cape Cod.  Whether it is a true links I will leave to those with more expertise than I.  From their website:

Heralded as Cape Cod's oldest golf course, perhaps its most scenic, the Highland Links in North Truro is one of America s golf treasures, perched high along windswept bluffs overlooking the Atlantic next to the vintage Cape Cod Light. Founded in 1892, Highland recently celebrated a hundred years of golf. More than significant than its age is Highland's heritage; circumstances keep it a genuine links, as close to the Scottish tradition found anywhere in the eastern United States, with deep natural rough, Scotch broom, heath, non irrigated open fairways, and spectacular ocean views.

I have played both of these courses. At no time did I think I was playing on ground that was once at sea level. Don't get me wrong, I loved them both but Sankaty by the Lighthouse has to a hundred feet or more above the beach. Age does dim the memory and I could be wrong but are either of them 'Links?'

Bob

[Roger Wolfe]

Royal New Kent comes close

[David Stamm]

Linksland- A coastal zone of topsoil-covered sand between the beach sand and mainland soil.



Of what I've played, Maidstone is the closest here in the US, but I've never played across the pond, so what do I know.

[Michael Dugger]

Linksland- A coastal zone of topsoil-covered sand between the beach sand and mainland soil.

David,

I know you are an emminently intelligent and "learned" individual insofar as this golf course design stuff goes.

But that definition is a little rudimentry. 

Anyone interested in this subject needs to read this book....

[David Stamm]

Linksland- A coastal zone of topsoil-covered sand between the beach sand and mainland soil.

David,

I know you are an emminently intelligent and "learned" individual insofar as this golf course design stuff goes.

But that definition is a little rudimentry. 

Anyone interested in this subject needs to read this book....

Yes, it is rather rudimentary. I pulled it right off of Wiki.


As for your description of me, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!


And you are correct, that book is an excellent source for learning about what makes a links. It's a book I refer to quite a bit in my own library.

[Michael Dugger]

Linksland- A coastal zone of topsoil-covered sand between the beach sand and mainland soil.

David,

I know you are an emminently intelligent and "learned" individual insofar as this golf course design stuff goes.

But that definition is a little rudimentry. 

Anyone interested in this subject needs to read this book....

Yes, it is rather rudimentary. I pulled it right off of Wiki.


As for your description of me, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!


And you are correct, that book is an excellent source for learning about what makes a links. It's a book I refer to quite a bit in my own library.

David,

While ripping that image I was reminded that Vol. 4 of Daley's Golf Course Architecture series is available. 

Have you seen it yet?  I just LOVE those books, great stuff.  I've got two of them and keep meaning to get the others.....

[Cliff Hamm]

Sankaty Head on Nantucket Island is just as much if not more of a "Links" course than anything at Bandon or the United States as a whole.

The truest links I have played is Highland Links in Truro, Ma on Cape Cod.  Whether it is a true links I will leave to those with more expertise than I.  From their website:

Heralded as Cape Cod's oldest golf course, perhaps its most scenic, the Highland Links in North Truro is one of America s golf treasures, perched high along windswept bluffs overlooking the Atlantic next to the vintage Cape Cod Light. Founded in 1892, Highland recently celebrated a hundred years of golf. More than significant than its age is Highland's heritage; circumstances keep it a genuine links, as close to the Scottish tradition found anywhere in the eastern United States, with deep natural rough, Scotch broom, heath, non irrigated open fairways, and spectacular ocean views.

I have played both of these courses. At no time did I think I was playing on ground that was once at sea level. Don't get me wrong, I loved them both but Sankaty by the Lighthouse has to a hundred feet or more above the beach. Age does dim the memory and I could be wrong but are either of them 'Links?'

Bob

Bob..Highland sits well above the ocean...clearly not a genuine Links...but as close to the 'feel' of links and Scotland that I have experienced...

[Kyle Henderson]

I have played both of these courses. At no time did I think I was playing on ground that was once at sea level. Don't get me wrong, I loved them both but Sankaty by the Lighthouse has to a hundred feet or more above the beach. Age does dim the memory and I could be wrong but are either of them 'Links?'

Bob

Isn't Pacific Dunes 100 feet above the beach??? It's still links land up there.

[Bill Gayne]

Royal Links in Vegas.

Not your traditional links golf caddy program.

http://www.waltersgolf.com/par-mates-caddy-program.asp

[Tom_Doak]

The strictest definitions of "links" seem to be written by people who want to exclude everybody but themselves, while the more liberal definitions are all offered by people who want to be included.

I am not sure the "sea level" definition which some use is really appropriate.  By that measure you would have to exclude Ballybunion, Portrush, Gullane, and Muirfield, among others ... and nearly everyone would consider those to be links, wouldn't they?