Is links golf obsolete?

[USER1999]

Following on from a previous post regarding the 'lack of skills' of modern professionals not brought up on the links, I propose a question:

Is links golf obsolete?

Considering that there are only about 300 genuine links courses globally, most of which are in GB and Ireland, then the opportunities to play on these courses are comparatively few and far between for most golfers.

There are comparatively few professional tournaments played on them, where the pro would need links experience, where as for the rest of the year, he would be making a living out of a different style of course, hence time spent learning 'all the shot making skills' would be time better spent on practicing something useful.

It is a bit of an anachronism that the open is played on links only, much as Wimbledon is the only important tennis tournament played on grass. (Yes, nottingham and the Stella are on grass, but how long would they survive if Wimbledon changed to hard court?). Hence the grass court skills are dying out, much as the links golf skills.

As an aside, if these skills are so important to golfers, when was the last time a true links player won a major?

 

[OldWindy]

It's a good question and deserves a poll, I reckon.

(In the same vein, some might say that most sports will become a contrived and wholly commercial event with the most boring of playing conditions. Quite who gains from this I don't know but it will be a sad day when the Open is no longer played on a links simply because it doesn't fit the mould.)

 

[Nico]

Murph I can see this provoking much debate.

I must ask you tho,are you sure?

Links Golf is where it started and is the purest form of the game. It is one of the main reasons that The Open is the greatest championship in the World.

Links golf like all forms of the game demands that you control the ball. Which to me means the ability to hit it on differing flights and with differing shapes,but you should do this on all courses as conditions demand.

Playing a fair bit of Links last year has added shots to my game that I just didnt posess before.

I would put Tiger Woods down as a pretty good Links player wouldnt you?

Commercially it would be suicide to move away from Links for The Open as it is a key differentiator and would allow the Players or one of the WGC to bid for Major status.

 

[birdieman]

Good post.

It'll never be obsolete because golfers as a breed are obsessed with the history and traditions of the game. Nowhere is this history stronger than on links courses.

There are hordes of Americans over here every year trying to play as many of the classic links as two weeks will allow, their faces up at Dornoch and Brora last weekend were smiles from ear to ear - it's the seaside air, the wind, the running fairways, the deeeep bunkers, the concrete greens, it's so unique that it's just too much fun to die out. For a player like me who plays inland parkland/heath golf nearly all the time a trip to a seaside links is like playing a different sport.

The Open will never change from being played on Links as long as the R&A are running it, the public wouldn't allow it anyway, there would be an outcry.

Don't know if there is such a thing as a true links player. One who springs to mind for me is Justin Leonard. He is a good links player because he's patient, doesn't try to overpower the course, putts well on fast greens and being a Texan is used to playing in windy conditions. Those are the qualities you need. The Drive it 330 and wedge it out brigade wont get far on a windy links course.

Tiger's display at Hoylake in 2006 and St Andrews 2000 was links golf course management at it's finest.

 

[Dave3498]

I don't think it's obsolete now, nor is it likely to be in the future. It's sad that many of us don't get to play links golf very often, but we all love it's challenges compared to parkland courses, and I know that it attracts many overseas visitors who come here specifically for the experiences that their home courses can't provide.

 

[USER1999]

Aside from the rock hard greens, I can't really see why it should be that different to be honest. The rough is deep, and the bunkers by necessity are deep or the sand would be blown away, but then so are they on a lot of heathland courses too (both greens and bunkers). There are rarely trees to play around or out of on the links, and so there is less need to move the ball around, more high / low rather than left / right.

If you are wild enough on most links you are either on another fairway, with no barrier between you and the green, or ob, reload. Most inland courses have trees, which perform the same function as the deep rough on links, except the links grass isn't 60ft tall.

I except that as golfers we like to play on different types of courses, and that links is where it all began, but for the touring pro, this is not where they make their money. Heck, some of the yanks on the top of the money list don't even come over for the open.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I would say that whilst being a links master is admittedly no longer essential in order to reach the peak of the game it would be justified arguing that anybody who does have all the capabilities to shape shots and deal with whatever conditions/ situations a links course can throw up would have an equal if not better chance of also taming an inland course, they would not miss out due to 'time wasted' on punch shots etc. Look at Tigers use of the stinger for one type of shot, he has put it to equal use on Links tracks and parkland layouts, learning this instead of further practicing his fairway approach shots has not been at all detremental to his game and certainly not a waste of time.

In my opinion links golf will never be obsolete, there will always be skills devloped by links players that are useful on all types of layout, and I think that whilst the open is still played on a links course due to being one of only four majors the top professionals will always pay some sort of attention to preparing/ practicing for this unique version of the game.

 

[USER1999]

Surely if Tigers stinger is a useful shot to have in the bag, it is not a 'links shot' per se, but one every one should have?

 

[theeaglehunter]

Agreed Murph but I read somewhere that he devloped it specifically for the open and therfore it is a skill designed for a links course that is useful on others. That is why I classified it as a links shot. As it is one more likely to be attempted by someone who plays links golf. However I accept that this may be wrong as I can't remember where I read this/ heard it so I could be arguing an invalid point plus I don't even remember seeing him use it at the open. But something has made me think he designed it for use on the links- I just wish I could remember what! Come to think of it it could be commentary from the masters. I'm really not sure though.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can't see links golf becoming obsolete but the general mystique will gradually become more eroded over time as only the Open (and maybe the Dunhill Masters) remain the only notewirthy events on a links course.

I seem to recall that the Dutch open is played on a links style track and what it really needs is a sponsor on the European tour to be brave enough to host a full blown European event on a links course.

I would go as far as suggesting that until our main young guns (Poulter, Casey, Donald, Rose, Kaymer, etc) get a taste and learn the skills required for links golf then we will always play catch up in terms of an Open winner. It is no surprise that many of the Europeans who have made strong showings have historically come from links style courses as juniors (or playing on a beach if you want to go as far back as Ballesteros)

It will never die as the demand from normal golfers to play St Andrews, Troon (in fact any of the famous courses in the UK and Ireland) seems unquenchable and set to remain so unless these places ever price themselves out of the market.

Has technology really made a difference. Maybe so now that original bunkering has become obsolete due to the extra length pros get these days but not so for the average joe. It is always interesting to see pros taking irons for four days a year. Why do they do it? The simple answer is the penal rough at certain courses (Carnoustie) and the fact that links golf takes a different mind set. It is about leaving it in the flat part of the fairway and aiming for the correct portion of the green. In that respect, the landing of the ball on the greens becomes as paramount as it does at Augusta.

There will always be a place for links golf. Lets embrace it for its unique quikiness and enjoy it

 

[USER1999]

Thing is, links golf just seems to be about low shots. Punched irons, low bump and runs, little checked wedges fizzed in low, etc. Any thing to keep it out of the wind.

There is no need for the draw or fade around a tree, or keeping it low under the branches, or the high shot over the tree tops, the trying to hit 200 yards out of the tree when the gap is 10 yards in front, and only 3 yards wide, etc. It seems to me there is actaully less working the ball in links than there is in inland golf.

Note: I am not talking wide open fairways and no rough here, but still proper challenging golf courses, with tight drives and deep rough. I don't want to favour the bomb it and hack it merchants.

 

[USER1999]

Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy links golf, it just seems for so many players it is the holy grail of golf, where as to me, it is 'just another' golf course to be enjoyed. I don't in general find them that attractive to look at (normally because it is raining or foggy). There seems to be some sort of snobbishness that links courses are in some way better, rather than just different.

 

[John_Findlay]

Murph,

I'd say that links golf isn't just about keeping it low, though. Fades and draws, particularly running ones are essential either to hold it against a side wind or to get near a pin where a high/low straight spinner just can't cut the mustard. Following the natural contours can often work better than your bog standard shot. The thing is with the running shots you need a lot more feel to get the distance correct than with a high flying full shot that you've practiced a million times on the range.

It's not snobbery for thinking they're better. It's simply preference, partly through tradition, that you're playing golf the way it was meant to be, often with more input from nature than on a more hand-crafted course. For many of us it just can't be beat, although I do enjoy parkland golf for a change.

 

[andiritchie]

i always found links golf more of a test of the mind, every shot i have numerous thoughts on how i need to do it,where to land to get a flat lie if there ever is one,i could not play it every week ill crack up haha good fun though opposed to 165 to the centre of green ill hit a 7 type golf i so used to

 

[rgs]

Links golf will never die-the main reason there are very few Pro tournaments held on links courses is the lack of infrastructure and the loss of revenue whilst the course is being prepared.

We have lost the Irish Open from links courses to "resort courses" such as Adare Manor and Carton House in the past few years.
Interestingly last year a week before the Open the Irish PGA Championship was played at The European Club a superb links, Harrington won the tournament and credited the practise on a links course as ideal prepareation for the Open.

 

[madandra]

I sometimes get the feeling that the Americans would love to bury Links golf cos they can't replicate it in an area with no wind. I love links golf but it has to be layed out fairly. I have played 2 links courses recently (St Andrews Devlin and Drumoig) and the clover and thick rough have been brutal to any wayward shots which I didn't experience at St Andrews Jubillee so I still love Loinks golf but it has to a playable.

 

[Marko77]

You been reading the QA with George O'Grady murph?

He was faced with the question of why links courses were not used more often in Pro tournaments.

Essentially the answer was that sponsors were not willing to commit to tournaments on these types of courses. Don't know why. The Dunhill Links seems so successful each year? and the Open doesn't even require justification.

 

[OldWindy]

Essentially the answer was that sponsors were not willing to commit to tournaments on these types of courses. Don't know why.

One possible reason is glamour - some links courses are fairly barren-looking compared to leafy verdant inland tracks. Also, I could be wrong but the older links courses are not always geared up for guest traffic. Another is that they might worry some players would give them a bad name by playing like donkeys.

 

[DCB]

Madandra,

I wouldn't class either of these two courses as being a true links course. Devlin is very American in its looks and feel and Drumoig .....well....

Played both Devlin and Torrance and liked the Torrance better but again not a true links course in my mind, too manufactured for my liking.

Nice hotel though!

 

[madandra]

DCB,

I wasn't too happy with the condition of the Devlin but in what way does it resemble an American course as it had brick hard greens that were in dire need of water and feed. When I have played in America the courses are well watered and presented in superb colour.

P.S.

The doorman told us the Arab owner was coming over for a visit (last week, which coinsided with rumours of Loch Lomond and Gleneagles being bought over) and I thought 'I hope he doesn't play the course as he will call for the heads of a few folks.