Links Golf Problems

[SugarPenguin]

Recently got back from playing some links golf in the Cornwall area. I did St Enodoc, Trevose and PerranPorth


I must admit, the courses had unbelievable views. Picture postcard. Really does have some special sites. The conditions of Trevose and especially St Enodoc were very good. I mean obviously you cannot get them like a parkland but the greens rolled very true which is the main thing.


However, I just didn’t really enjoy the golf weirdly enough. PerranPorth was just so unfun to play. No exaggeration here are all but all the Par 4s and Par 5s were blind tee shots apart from the 1st and 3rd. The Par 3s weren’t much better. Hitting into the greens there was also a lot of blind shots where you couldn’t see anything. After every shot I felt anxious that I would lose my ball !
How is that golf? I don’t enjoy hitting drives over posts when I don’t know the lines. Its just blind luck. I lost a fair amount of balls from good shots and this includes all 3 courses.
Don’t get me wrong Im sure if I played the course 5 or 6 times then I could get an idea of it but I just didn’t find it fun. I actually played pretty well at PerranPorth (38 points off 11) but it felt more like a battle to find balls rather than to play some proper golf.


I loved the natural undulations, bunkers, quirky greens and tight lies – however, 2 feet long rough 2 yards off the fairway on blind tee shots is just impossible and a real mood killer. Most Frustrating 3 rounds of my life.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Recently got back from playing some links golf in the Cornwall area. I did St Enodoc, Trevose and PerranPorth


I must admit, the courses had unbelievable views. Picture postcard. Really does have some special sites. The conditions of Trevose and especially St Enodoc were very good. I mean obviously you cannot get them like a parkland but the greens rolled very true which is the main thing.


However, I just didn’t really enjoy the golf weirdly enough. PerranPorth was just so unfun to play. No exaggeration here are all but all the Par 4s and Par 5s were blind tee shots apart from the 1st and 3rd. The Par 3s weren’t much better. Hitting into the greens there was also a lot of blind shots where you couldn’t see anything. After every shot I felt anxious that I would lose my ball !
How is that golf? I don’t enjoy hitting drives over posts when I don’t know the lines. Its just blind luck. I lost a fair amount of balls from good shots and this includes all 3 courses.
Don’t get me wrong Im sure if I played the course 5 or 6 times then I could get an idea of it but I just didn’t find it fun. I actually played pretty well at PerranPorth (38 points off 11) but it felt more like a battle to find balls rather than to play some proper golf.


I loved the natural undulations, bunkers, quirky greens and tight lies – however, 2 feet long rough 2 yards off the fairway on blind tee shots is just impossible and a real mood killer. Most Frustrating 3 rounds of my life.

Can feel the pain but it is what it is. I am not a fan of blind shots but you have to accept that is the nature of links golf. I've played St Enedoc and and Perranporth and enjoyed both. I agree though that silly high rough just off a fairway isn't good course planning or fair on the visiting golfer.

 

[Val]

Welcome to golf at it's purist most natural form, it's how it all began. Bad shots are badly punished, good shots are rewarded, golf on the links can be unpredictable and thats the beauty of it. Whats not to like?

The more you play links the more you tend to embrace it, if Parkland has been your thing then it's understable why you felt as you did.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I guess you are just not cut out for links golf. As Val says, it is the purest form of golf and something that I absolutely love.

Confused about your comment re the greens at St Enodoc. I play their open every year and they are always some of the best greens I play on all year. Last year they were stunning. Different type of grass to parkland but again it is something you have to learn.

If you would rather play courses where you are hitting the same clubs on every hole every time then enjoy :ears:

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Don't feel ashamed, I don't like links golf either. I played on a links course for a number of years and then realised I didn't enjoy it half as much as a parkland course so I moved. People waffle on about purity of the game etc but you play for fun and if it is not fun then don't do it. Golf and golf courses have moved on and there is nothing wrong with deciding the old way is not for you.

 

[Liverbirdie]

To be fair, I dont think he is saying he doesnt like links, per se, but more the blind shots aspect of it (if there are loads of them).

I dont mind it on a few holes, but if more than 9 were, I can understand the frustration for a first-timer at the course, and as a one-off with no immediate plans to go back soon.

Weirdly enough I tend to play my best golf shots, when its blind.

 

[Qwerty]

Trevose is quite different to St Enodoc & Perranporth. Theres nothing really tricked up about it, what you see is what you get. I can only recall 2 blind shots.. 2nd uphill on 9
and the tee shot on the par 3 16th.
It gets a rough deal about being overrated etc but it's a very enjoyable course IMO

What did you find frustrating about it ?

 

[Doh]

I can understand what you are saying about Links Golf but I feel you would think differently once you have played the course(s) a few times. Getting to know new courses is part of the enjoyment for me.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I love all golf courses - can see the beauty in them all , I love playing links but couldn't play a links course every day , parklands are very spectacular if done well but for me my favourite is heathland - everyone I have played has been lovely

I also love the challenge of adjusting your game - I always seem to score well when playing links courses

 

[ADB]

If you played all those courses again, would you feel the same?

Links is a different challenge where course knowledge is helpful, some might say essential - rather than everything being set out in front of you.

I think it is what makes this type of course intriguing and rewarding.

 

[Qwerty]

To be fair, I dont think he is saying he doesnt like links, per se, but more the blind shots aspect of it (if there are loads of them).

I dont mind it on a few holes, but if more than 9 were, I can understand the frustration for a first-timer at the course, and as a one-off with no immediate plans to go back soon.

Weirdly enough I tend to play my best golf shots, when its blind.

I know what your saying mate. I've played a hell of a lot of golf over the years on Moorland courses with lots of blind shots between them, & tbh over time Ive felt it takes a little something out of the game.
I found I get far more enjoyment from hitting a well struck shot and seeing the ball roll out.
For me Just hitting it blindly or over a marker post gets a bit boring after a while.
Theres quite a few at Chorley but its hard to find a course without them around here.

 

[freddielong]

????

Don't understand the op, how isn't that golf?

That's how golf should be played.

 

[Foxholer]

I'm a decided links fan - fell in love with the whole environment the first time I encountered it (at Princes) - but there are some times where it can be too severe! The last month or so has been pretty punishing on parkland courses, which can graded rough - that can get too tough in late spring. Links doesn't really have this grading - it gets to 'jungle' pretty quickly!

As a visitor, I'm not a great fan of blind shots either, so perhaps Perranporth has some issues! St Enedoc, however, is right up there in my favourites - even the supposedly 'silly' 10th, which I actually like a lot!

Best thing, for me, about links golf is the fact that it is never the same - even on the same day! - as the breeze/wind/gale changes with the tide. Another fabulous feature is the fact that it 'self-regulates' during the year. While you probably got caught at a 'difficult' time, links grass flops beautifully over Winter, so with free draining sand as a base, Winter golf is actually a pleasure - as opposed to Winter parkland golf that can be a real struggle through mud and soggy rough! And with the occasional unpredictable bounce and hard, often raised greens, links golf exercises your brain and shot-making skills a lot more than Parkland golf does.

Oh and the views are fabulous too! The rugged, isolated nature of Princes (especially realising its location) was fantastic. The smell of sea and samphire at St Enedoc is great and my course in Scotland (Craigielaw) was right next to a Nature reserve and Scottish Ornithological Club! Watching squadrons of geese land on Aberlady Bay at sunset, with Arthur's Seat in view in the other direction, the Fife coastline in another and knowing there' another half dozen great courses on and over Gullane Hill is a great memory! Not many memories from Parkland courses can compare!

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Going back to the OP, Perranporth is notorious for its blind shots so I do see where he is coming from. I would consider it a 'fun' course as opposed to a 'serious' course unless you know the layout and lines really well. I've only played it once and it was frustrating at times but hugely enjoyable as well.

 

[Hobbit]

I don't mind links or parkland, nor do I have a problem with blind shots. Its golf, which is way better than the office. A bad weather day on a links course can be tough going, especially if its the 10th week on the trot its blew a hoolie. But at least they are rarely squelchie. After a solid week's rain I know which course I'd prefer.

Are links players better than parkland players? No. Take a good links player to a parkland course and they struggle to get the ball up to the hole, expecting that bump and run will work. Take a parkland player to a links course and watch them firing the ball up to the flag, and it bouncing on through the back.

If you're playing well, and controlling the ball you will score well whatever course you're playing.

 

[duncan mackie]

Putting aside the links element ( because it's coincidental to the issue) I am afraid I hate blind tee shots with a passion. They are fundamentally unsafe, and frequently unfair (if you are playing with forecaddies then fine)..but let's not confuse such things as anything to do with 'how the game should be played'.

Blind tee shots on courses in public areas are about as bad as it gets - I won't play the Bournemouth ones ever again!

 

[MendieGK]

Interesting Post,

Ive always said 'do i prefer parkland golf over links? 100%', would i want to play a links course every single week? absolutely not. Largely because i don't enjoy being battered by the wind all the time.

However, a number of my favourite courses are links (Saunton, St enodoc, Royal St Georges) and i am also now a member at Burnham & Berrow (but i do not play there every week).

Personally, i love heathland the most.

 

[Qwerty]

I don't mind blind shots where the ball is just disappearing out of sight to maybe an elevated green etc, it's banging a tee shot into oblivion over a marker post where the enjoyment starts to fade.
1 or 2 a round no worries, any more though and it gets a bit tedious.

 

[MendieGK]

Also, wont have anyone say a bad word about Perranporth. Great fun course. if you count how many holes are actually blind, there really isnt many

 

[Robobum]

Also, wont have anyone say a bad word about Perranporth. Great fun course. if you count how many holes are actually blind, there really isnt many

It's horrible. 😋