Thinking of playing golf in the British Isles, or maybe a coastal gem like Bandon Dunes? You're about to experience the game in its most authentic, raw, and exhilarating form: true links golf. It’s a style of golf that demands creativity, strategic thinking, and a completely different set of shots than you might use at your home course. This guide will walk you through what defines a true links course, what to expect when you step onto the first tee, and most importantly, how to adjust your game to not just survive, but thrive.
First things first, let's clear up a common misconception. A course being next to the ocean doesn't automatically make it a links course. The term "links" actually refers to a specific type of land - the sandy, undulating ground that "links" the sea to the more fertile, arable farmland further inland. This unique coastal terrain is the true heart of links golf.
This land was historically considered useless for farming due to its sandy soil and exposure to the salty sea winds. But for a budding sport called golf? It was perfect. The sandy soil drains incredibly well, creating firm and fast-running conditions year-round. The grass that grows here is naturally hardy - think fine fescue and bentgrass - which can survive with little water and produce a tight, fast-playing surface.
The key characteristics of a true links course all stem from this foundation:
You may hear about inland "links-style" courses, which try to replicate these features. And while many are fantastic courses, a true links is born, not made. It’s a product of its natural environment.
Walking onto a links course for the first time is an experience. The air smells of salt, the wind is a constant playing partner, and the course looks both beautiful and intimidating. Here’s what you should be ready for.
This is the biggest adjustment for most golfers. At home, you might hit a 7-iron 150 yards in the air and expect it to stop within a few feet of its pitch mark. On a links course, that same shot might land, take a big first bounce, and then run out another 15 or 20 yards. The ground is your friend... and your foe. You need to account for this rollout on every single shot, from your driver to your shortest approach. The "air game" takes a backseat to the "ground game."
Forget the sprawling, fluffy-sanded bunkers you see on parkland courses. Links bunkers are different. They are typically small, round, and unforgivingly deep with steep, revetted sod faces. Often, you can't even see the putting surface from inside one. Their nickname says it all: "pot" bunkers. They are designed to be genuine hazards. Hitting into one almost guarantees at least one dropped shot. Your primary goal is to get out, even if it means hitting sideways or backward. Trying to be a hero from a pot bunker rarely ends well.
The wind is the soul of links golf. It’s what gives the course its teeth. A hole that was a simple drive and a wedge downwind can become a driver and a 5-iron battle when you turn back into the "breeze." Learning to play in the wind is non-negotiable. This isn’t just about adjusting your aim, it's about controlling your ball flight and "cheating" the wind by keeping the ball low.
The natural ground of a links course is a beautiful jumble of humps (hummocks), ridges, and dales. Your ball will settle into all sorts of awkward positions - sidehill, uphill, downhill lies are the norm. You must learn to adapt your setup for each one. Furthermore, those firm fairways produce unpredictable bounces. A perfectly struck drive down the middle can get a "kanga-roo bounce" and careen into the rough. Conversely, a poor shot might hit a slope and find its way back to safety. It’s all part of the game.
Okay, you understand the challenge. Now, how do you actually play this kind of golf? As a coach, I tell my students to forget about making a perfect-looking swing and focus on playing shots. Links golf favors strategy and imagination over pure power.
Your wedge game needs a rethink. Those high, floating sixty-degree-wedge shots that stop on a dime on a soft green are a high-risk play on a links course. The wind can grab it, and if you misjudge the firmness of the green, it could bounce over the back. Instead, learn to love the low-running chip shot.
"When it's breezy, swing easy." This is the mantra of links golf. Fighting the wind with power is a losing battle. The harder you swing, the more spin you put on the ball, and the more the wind will affect it. The winning play is the low, controlled "knockdown" or "punch" shot.
On a links course, a yardage book tells only part of the story. A 150-yard shot isn't just 150 yards. It's 150 yards, plus a 20 mph helping wind, plus 15 yards of expected roll-out. That might mean you only need to fly the ball 120 yards with a gentle wedge. The same 150 yards into that same wind might require a fully-struck 5-iron. You have to become an amateur meteorologist and a physics expert on the fly. Start thinking in terms of "playing" distance, not actual distance.
Links greens are often massive, with two or three distinct tiers and subtle undulations a tractor could get lost in. You will face 60, 80, even 100-foot putts. The primary goal is lag putting. Forget about making every long putt, focus on getting your first putt to within a three-foot "tap-in" circle. Study the contours. The ball will break more significantly at slower speeds, so a long, slow putt can snake its way across the green. Pace is everything.
More than any physical skill, success in links golf comes from your mental approach. You must be patient, creative, and accepting.
You will hit perfect drives that take a horrible bounce into a pot bunker. You will blade a chip that hits a slope and trickles down next to the hole. That’s links golf. If you let the bad breaks frustrate you, you've already lost. If you can shrug, laugh, and move on to the next creative challenge, you'll have a fantastic day no matter what your score is.
Appreciate where you are. You're walking on hallowed ground, playing the game aṣ it was originally invented hundreds of years ago. It's a test of skill, sure, but it's also a test of character, imagination, and your love for the game itself.
True links golf is an experience defined by its unique seaside terrain, firm ground, and the ever-present wind. Success depends on adapting your game by favoring lower, running shots and your mindset by embracing the creativity and unpredictability of the challenge.
Playing a links course for the first time can feel overwhelming with its blind shots and the need for new types of shots. Planning your way around the course becomes a much bigger part of the game. At Caddie AI, we’ve built our app to act as that expert caddie right in your pocket. You can describe the hole, wind, and where the pin is, and it can suggest a simple, smart strategy to help you avoid those hidden pot bunkers and find the right portion of the fairway. When you’re faced with one of those tricky run-up shots, you can even take a photo of your ball's lie to get an instant recommendation on the best way to play it, removing doubt so you can commit fully to your shot.
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