"True Links": Did they miss one?

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

I've had a copy of "True Links" on my book shelf for over a year and every now and again I browse through it. Sometimes I may think of a lesser known links course and wonder if they included it. The other day I thought of one, and guess what, it's not in the book. I haven't played the course, but I did see it many years ago, and can remember it quite vividly. I had a look at the club's website which contains some pictures, and it sure looks like a links to me. I'm pretty sure at least one person on this DG has played it.

Clue No. 1: It's in Europe.

[Sven Nilsen]

Domburgsche GC in Holland?

Or Royal Ostend in Belgium.

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Domburgsche GC in Holland?

Sven,

All that I've seen of Holland is Schipol Airport, so it's not the one I'm thinking of.

Just checked and Domburgsche is included in the book.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Did they include Fano? Is it even a links?.... Seem to remember they'd missed one or two in Ireland as well... Spanish Point probably...

[David Davis]

Noordwijkse, Kenemmer, Royal Hague, Royal le Zoute?, Hardelot, Le Touquet?

Off hand don't know anymore true links courses that pop into my head. Don't think Germany has anymore or France. Domburgsche doesn't count for me as it's not 18 holes. Never even bothered to go myself and it's only an hour plus away. Maybe someday.

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Did they include Fano? Is it even a links?.... Seem to remember they'd missed one or two in Ireland as well... Spanish Point probably...

Bingo!!! Spanish Point in Clare.

http://www.spanishpointgolfing.com/

Yes, Fano is included.

I know I should find out myself, but do you know what was the other Irish one?

[Ally Mcintosh]

What about Bundersland in Germany... Think that's there though... Plus there's Falsterbo and Llujbergen (?) in Sweden...  

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Noordwijkse, Kenemmer, Royal Hague, Royal le Zoute?, Hardelot, Le Touquet?

Off hand don't know anymore true links courses that pop into my head. Don't think Germany has anymore or France. Domburgsche doesn't count for me as it's not 18 holes. Never even bothered to go myself and it's only an hour plus away. Maybe someday.

Here are the 14 links courses listed in the book for Continental Europe:

Budersand (Ger.)
Domburgsche (Ned.)
Falsterbo (Swe.)
Fano (Den.)
Granville (Fra.)
Helsingborg (Swe.)
Kennemer (Ned.)
Ljunghusen (Swe.)
Lofoten (Nor.)
Nordwijke (Ned.)
Norderney (Ger)
North Sea (Ger.)
Royal Hague (Ned.)
Royal Ostend (Bel.)

[David Davis]

I was thinking way too much us and them...Europe vs UK and Ireland. I'm calling trick question on that one.

Didn't even know about the one in Germany and haven't played the two French ones I was told were links courses either. Guess they are not as they are not on the list.

I think I'm a little confused as to why they are not calling Le Zoute a links course. It fits the criteria, sand based ground and existing in the dunes between the sea and the fertile ground. Almost no trees although there are trees surrounding the course.

Could it be purely because there are houses between it and the sea? There are a lot of links courses much further from the sea.

[David Davis]

Was just excited to go play that little course in Germany thinking yeah it must be close up on the North Sea....8 hours driving from here. Guess that's not going to happen soon, it's almost in Denmark. Donal it might be closer to you....rhetorical, don't answer that. it's 11 hours for you but almost our halfway point. Shall we meet there for a game?

[Adam Lawrence]

Budersand is super. Really remarkable that it was Stephan Hansen's first course. Strongly recommended

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

I was thinking way too much us and them...Europe vs UK and Ireland. I'm calling trick question on that one.

Didn't even know about the one in Germany and haven't played the two French ones I was told were links courses either. Guess they are not as they are not on the list.

I think I'm a little confused as to why they are not calling Le Zoute a links course. It fits the criteria, sand based ground and existing in the dunes between the sea and the fertile ground. Almost no trees although there are trees surrounding the course.

Could it be purely because there are houses between it and the sea? There are a lot of links courses much further from the sea.

David,

The reasoning for excluding some courses from their list is a bit bizarre at times. Here's what they wrote about Le Zoute:

"Although the course began as a links, its first stretch is now surrounded by opulent houses with lush green lawns and towering trees. The look and feel of open linksland don't begin until the 8th hole and don't last long enough to merit a berth on our list."

Maybe the houses at Lytham & St. Anne's are not opulent enough.

I was thinking if we have BUDA XI in Holland, I could drive down and play Fano, Budersand and North Sea on the way (of course not missing out on the Swedish links also). An 11 hour drive across Sweden, Denmark and Germany; hmm what's that on Doak's scale? An 8 perhaps?

[David Davis]

I was thinking way too much us and them...Europe vs UK and Ireland. I'm calling trick question on that one.

Didn't even know about the one in Germany and haven't played the two French ones I was told were links courses either. Guess they are not as they are not on the list.

I think I'm a little confused as to why they are not calling Le Zoute a links course. It fits the criteria, sand based ground and existing in the dunes between the sea and the fertile ground. Almost no trees although there are trees surrounding the course.

Could it be purely because there are houses between it and the sea? There are a lot of links courses much further from the sea.

David,

The reasoning for excluding some courses from their list is a bit bizarre at times. Here's what they wrote about Le Zoute:

"Although the course began as a links, its first stretch is now surrounded by opulent houses with lush green lawns and towering trees. The look and feel of open linksland don't begin until the 8th hole and don't last long enough to merit a berth on our list."

Maybe the houses at Lytham & St. Anne's are not opulent enough.

I was thinking if we have BUDA XI in Holland, I could drive down and play Fano, Budersand and North Sea on the way (of course not missing out on the Swedish links also). An 11 hour drive across Sweden, Denmark and Germany; hmm what's that on Doak's scale? An 8 perhaps?

That's some good planning, there's some great courses in Southern Sweden I've not played yet. Well, I'm working on it, I will know the answers mid November. Fingers crossed.

[Ulrich Mayring]

What about Flommens GK in Sweden? It's on the very same ground as Falsterbo.

Urlich

[Scott Warren]

Royal Zoute is certainly not a links. Only a handful of holes feel at all linksy and the turf is lush and the holes framed by trees for about half the time. Great land though and a wonderful course.

[Paul_Turner]

I think Zoute is a links or it certainly was a links.

Cabourg has 8 links/linksy holes.

Chiberta is missing.

As usual, GCA is better than books like this in getting it right.

[Adam Clayman]

"They" missed more than one."Their" definition is too limiting to include many a great core principle golfing experience.

 

[Niall C]

I recently received this book as a present from a friend and one of our best travelled members of this discussion board. When I had previously perused on the shelf at the local bookshop I had dismissed it as a coffee book effort with all the usual suspects listed but having had the chance to start reading it properly, its clearly a lot more than that. A "definitive" list of links courses is always going to have grey areas and the authors make a fair and enjoyable attempt at justifying their inclusions and ommissions. The photography is also very good and as a reference guide its got to be an excellent starting point I would have thought.

So far I've only really started through the Scottish section and even then there are a few that are included that I suspect wouldn't get the nod from Robert Price and a few that aren't in there that probably should.

Niall

[Bill_McBride]

Did they include Fano? Is it even a links?.... Seem to remember they'd missed one or two in Ireland as well... Spanish Point probably...

Bingo!!! Spanish Point in Clare.

http://www.spanishpointgolfing.com/

Yes, Fano is included.

I know I should find out myself, but do you know what was the other Irish one?

Is Spanish Point where the Armada survivors swam ashore?

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Did they include Fano? Is it even a links?.... Seem to remember they'd missed one or two in Ireland as well... Spanish Point probably...

Bingo!!! Spanish Point in Clare.

http://www.spanishpointgolfing.com/

Yes, Fano is included.

I know I should find out myself, but do you know what was the other Irish one?

Is Spanish Point where the Armada survivors swam ashore?

Yes, that's correct. They were later executed.

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

I think that about 12 of Ballycastle's 18 holes are on links land.
I haven't played it, but I believe Buncrana GC in Donegal is also a links.
What about North Berwick East Links; when it has links in the title in the UK, isn't it a links? 

None of the above are listed in the book.

[Jon Wiggett]

Hi Donal,

don't know about the first two but The Glen (NB east links) is not really a links course though great fun to play and a nice contrast to the town's other course.

Jon

[Niall C]

If you are looking to decide what is or isn't a links in Scotland then you really can't go by Robert Price as the final word. His book, Scotland's Golf Courses, is a classic.

Niall

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

I was watching the cycling Tour of the Basque Country this evening and they showed a very short clip of a course just to the east of the town of Zarautz / Zarauz. The two fairways shown were very undulating an it looked rather nice. I've just checked online and the course is called Real Golf Club de Zarauz, which dates from 1916. Although short and only 9 holes, it looks like a nice little links course. The setting is gorgeous; the whole of the Basque country looks stunning!


http://www.golfzarauz.com/es/home


Click on Golf -> Hoyos -> Ver Hoyos


I did a search on the DG, but the course was only mentioned once previously by our Spanish golf historian Alfonso Erhardt.

[Garland Bayley]

Perhaps they should put Ballycastle in vol 2. and delete Portstewart Riverside. Riverside has perhaps the first 2 and last 2 holes that could be considered linksy.