T
thecraw
Guest
Canny beat a good links course and I'm off to Machrihanish (again) a week on Saturday, 0930hr tee time, 0515hr rise and 0600 set off time.
Its a great day!
Its a great day!
never played a links course
- Thread starter drawboy
- Start date
stevek1969
Money List Winner
JAMMY GET 
its my favourite course even tho its a 4 hour drive from Dundee .
V2 on way mate
its my favourite course even tho its a 4 hour drive from Dundee .V2 on way mate
backwoodsman
Tour Winner
RGDave
Money List Winner
I find the two styles quite different (in a good way).
On a links, depending on the course, you might have very generously wide fairways but simply impossible rough.
On a parkland (like mine) you might have no shot at all if you miss the fairway by even a few yards.
If I find my ball in deep grass but have a shot to hack it 100 yards closer to the green I'm happy, happier than going sideways
Links greens are mostly big and mostly free from bushes and trees around the edges. If you are way off line, then gorse and other stuff can destroy your shot game, of course.
If you are fairly accurate, then there is little to fear around a links green apart from bunkers. Around a tight parkland, sometimes even a yard or two can mean a penalty drop.
I'd fancy my chances of hitting more greens on links, but probably having more putts overall. If I'm driving fairly straight, I'll take links every time....longer drives and wider fairways. If I'm in a bad-driving mood, I'll take parkland.....and the sideways chips.....loosing a ball in deep rough on a links is SO, SO tiresome.
Just before anyone points out silliness in my argument, my home club fairways are super-narrow....some UNDER 20 yards.
I found the fairways at Royal Lytham in 2001 (yes, THE year) quite generous....but then again, I don't drive the ball 300 yards. I find the fairways at Royal St. David's MUCH wider than at my club too.
These things seem to even themselves out over a whole game.
On a links, depending on the course, you might have very generously wide fairways but simply impossible rough.
On a parkland (like mine) you might have no shot at all if you miss the fairway by even a few yards.
If I find my ball in deep grass but have a shot to hack it 100 yards closer to the green I'm happy, happier than going sideways
Links greens are mostly big and mostly free from bushes and trees around the edges. If you are way off line, then gorse and other stuff can destroy your shot game, of course.
If you are fairly accurate, then there is little to fear around a links green apart from bunkers. Around a tight parkland, sometimes even a yard or two can mean a penalty drop.
I'd fancy my chances of hitting more greens on links, but probably having more putts overall. If I'm driving fairly straight, I'll take links every time....longer drives and wider fairways. If I'm in a bad-driving mood, I'll take parkland.....and the sideways chips.....loosing a ball in deep rough on a links is SO, SO tiresome.
Just before anyone points out silliness in my argument, my home club fairways are super-narrow....some UNDER 20 yards.
I found the fairways at Royal Lytham in 2001 (yes, THE year) quite generous....but then again, I don't drive the ball 300 yards. I find the fairways at Royal St. David's MUCH wider than at my club too.
These things seem to even themselves out over a whole game.
Herbie
Tour Winner
I agree with a lot of what you say RGDave and would not call them silly points, but there are many Links courses, and some offer little margin for error, both on fairways and some greens.
stevie2722
Medal Winner
only links courses iv played are southerndown adn pyle & kenfig. both local to me in south wales.
I enjoy both but you can get some god awful bounces at southerndown as it on the side/top of a hill.
I enjoy both but you can get some god awful bounces at southerndown as it on the side/top of a hill.
RGDave
Money List Winner
Yes, the comment about greens is also very true. Chipping on links greens (especially the low runner, which I prefer) can be frightening. "Roll-offs" are such a worry on undulating greens.
