Links golf is just soooooo dull

[Smiffy]

I have played a few links courses in the past. Have visited Scotland many times and played some crackers. But I much prefer heathland/parkland courses.
It always amuses me when links golf is declared the "purist" form of golf. And then, only if it's played in a 40mph wind!
You are not considered a "true" golfer until you have passed this test.
There is nothing remotely enjoyable about smacking a drive straight down the middle (yes, I do that occasionally, that's how I have been down to 10 handicap before) and watching it take a massive unfair bounce and trundle into a bunker that you were aiming miles away from. Where is the fun in that???

 

[Foxholer]

I do see your point. Some trees and a bit of water here and there makes it more interesting for me.

You can make a links 'interesting' without water - bunkers do that. I think you mean 'pretty'!

 

[upsidedown]

Is the dislike of viewing "this" Open enforced by the ball being difficult to be picked up by the camera and hence the viewer ?

I've struggled at times to see it and we know the cameras miss it at times.

However it is what it is and is not distracting from the immense enjoyment I'm getting from the play, come on Westie :thup:

 

[Smiffy]

However it is what it is and is not distracting from the immense enjoyment I'm getting from the play, come on Westie :thup:

Is most of your enjoyment coming from the fact that Westwood is leading though???
Would you be getting the same immense enjoyment if Cink were leading, followed by Mahan and then Jason Day???

 

[bignev]

Well Im enjoying it.
Watching top pro's get 8s and 9s makes me feel much better.
As to poor attendance could be down to the obscene entry fee of £75 that's £15 up on previous years disgraceful

 

[upsidedown]

Is most of your enjoyment coming from the fact that Westwood is leading though???
Would you be getting the same immense enjoyment if Cink were leading, followed by Mahan and then Jason Day???

I'd like to think it wouldn't be any less but sure with a Brit leading it ramps it up.
I've planned from a long time now to be able to watch all four days on the Beeb and it's their coverage which I prefer and will applaud the winner who will has mastered the conditions the best. Would love Garcia to com through as that would be a nice little earner.

 

[Foxholer]

... and we know the cameras miss it at times.

Well, Bjorn had a way to help that! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/go...smashes-ball-TV-camera.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

 

[Smiffy]

Would love Garcia to com through as that would be a nice little earner.

What, rat face????
Now Jimenez and you're talking

 

[MashieNiblick]

Would you be getting the same immense enjoyment if Cink were leading, followed by Mahan and then Jason Day???

But the thing is, at the Open that rarely happens. Not saying it doesn't, but just look at the list of past Miurfield Champions.

Currently 5 of the top 10 on the leaderboard are Major Champions.

 

[bladeplayer]

Well Im enjoying it.
Watching top pro's get 8s and 9s makes me feel much better.

I've heard a few say things like this , I watch golf to see how it should be played , to dream of how I could play , watching them make cricket scores is not entertainment for me , didnt enjoy the US Open and not really enjoying this either , so is not just anti links

 

[Snelly]

I have played a few links courses in the past. Have visited Scotland many times and played some crackers. But I much prefer heathland/parkland courses.
It always amuses me when links golf is declared the "purist" form of golf. And then, only if it's played in a 40mph wind!
You are not considered a "true" golfer until you have passed this test.
There is nothing remotely enjoyable about smacking a drive straight down the middle (yes, I do that occasionally, that's how I have been down to 10 handicap before) and watching it take a massive unfair bounce and trundle into a bunker that you were aiming miles away from. Where is the fun in that???

Is fine for you, Just One, Region 3 etc to say you don't like links golf. No problem, we all have our own preferences.

My problem is when you state as a fact that links golf is dull or boring as this insinuates that those that love it are somehow missing the point.

I don't mind if people think that the Open is boring or the Ashes cricket is even more dull. You're all entitled to your opinions. Mine is the opposite though and I think you're entirely wrong. More than that, I think you are missing out on two sporting occasions that are life enriching so its a bit of a shame for you.

 

[Smiffy]

I didn't say I didn't like Links golf, or find it boring. I travelled all the way to Scotland a few years ago with the forum to play Castle Stuart and thoroughly enjoyed it. As I did playing Nairn. It's just that I find it unfair sometimes. You can be penalised after playing a decent shot...which happens slightly less on a heathland or parkland course.
You hit a nice approach shot into a green on a parkland course and the chances are, if you made good contact, your ball will hold and give you a chance for a birdie putt.
Try the same thing on a links course and 9 times out of 10 you will clatter right out through the back into a pot bunker that you can't even see out of, let alone play a recovery shot.

 

[CheltenhamHacker]

Try the same thing on a links course and 9 times out of 10 you will clatter right out through the back into a pot bunker that you can't even see out of, let alone play a recovery shot.

Sounds like 9 times out of 10 you've just played the wrong shot!

 

[Garesfield ACE]

I didn't say I didn't like Links golf, or find it boring. I travelled all the way to Scotland a few years ago with the forum to play Castle Stuart and thoroughly enjoyed it. As I did playing Nairn. It's just that I find it unfair sometimes. You can be penalised after playing a decent shot...which happens slightly less on a heathland or parkland course.
You hit a nice approach shot into a green on a parkland course and the chances are, if you made good contact, your ball will hold and give you a chance for a birdie putt.
Try the same thing on a links course and 9 times out of 10 you will clatter right out through the back into a pot bunker that you can't even see out of, let alone play a recovery shot.

Ditto.....

 

[tyke]

I don't find it dull or boring at all, much the opposite. Being someone who has played very little Links golf I would love to be able to pit my wits against a course as tough as Muirfield.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

True story about links golf..............

Hayling starts Par3 then a Par5. When I joined last year my first 2 rounds had completely opposite winds. First round I hit a 7 iron over the back of the first then 3W, 6i into the 2nd green. The following week I hit 2i into the middle of the first then driver, 3W, 5i into the 2nd green.

It's this variation that makes links golf so enjoyable :thup:

 

[Riverdale]

Responding to the opening posts saying links golf relies on lucky bounces.

I can't disagree more. It makes you think about your shots and plot your way round and involves having the complete golf game.

Funny that as I sit watching it now, the top 10 leaderboard is a list of household golf names - Stenson, Scott, Westwood, Cabrera, Woods, Johnson, Mickleson, Mahan, closely followed by Garcia, Snedeker & Molinari. Either the links course has brought out the best of the world's best golfers or the worlds best golfers have all just been lucky!

The fact is that Muirfield is a top course which offers one of the fairest and purest tests of golf in the world. Bad shots are punished and good shots rewarded. That's why the worlds best players are currently occupying the top spots on the leaderboard.

 

[Mungoscorner]

Responding to the opening posts saying links golf relies on lucky bounces.

I can't disagree more. It makes you think about your shots and plot your way round and involves having the complete golf game.

Funny that as I sit watching it now, the top 10 leaderboard is a list of household golf names - Stenson, Scott, Westwood, Cabrera, Woods, Johnson, Mickleson, Mahan, closely followed by Garcia, Snedeker & Molinari. Either the links course has brought out the best of the world's best golfers or the worlds best golfers have all just been lucky!

The fact is that Muirfield is a top course which offers one of the fairest and purest tests of golf in the world. Bad shots are punished and good shots rewarded. That's why the worlds best players are currently occupying the top spots on the leaderboard.

Took the words out of my mouth.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Of course if I was to be provocative I'd say that the reason many golfers - especially those who have taken up the game in the last 20yrs - may not like links golf is that it doesn't fit with their mechanical view of playing golf and the way they have been taught. So for example this is what you do to hit a 7i and if you do it like this the ball will go 150yds is fine for parkland golf but not so much use on a links.

And yes I'll say it - for most a DMD or GPS device is not a lot of use when playing a links course as working out an exact distance to the flag is the least of your concerns. And if your DMD thing can't help you play a course then you won't like the course so much.

But maybe it's just me that thinks this way

 

[Foxholer]

Bad shots are punished and good shots rewarded. That's why the worlds best players are currently occupying the top spots on the leaderboard.

That's a bit of a generalisation.

There are some otherwise good shots that get punished by the vagaries of the bounces and some not so good ones that get lucky bounces and turn into good results.

The wider range of results tends to make for a wider range of tests for the golfer - and a wider variety of possible ways to play those shots.