Top courses UK

[BiMGuy]

Are you having a laugh??

Not at all.

 

[KenL]

Not at all.

Perhaps you are too skilled for a links course like Carnoustie or Southerness.
What's your hcp?

 

[BiMGuy]

Perhaps you are too skilled for a links course like Carnoustie or Southerness.
What's your hcp?

What has that got to do with anything. Where did I say links golf was easy ??‍

This can’t be the moment you learn people like different things?

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Again not always so true is it - lots of the elements to both types of golf course and also including Heathland as well

You can play a links course on a calm day and see it being destroyed , or you could play a round at a parkland and spend all day losing balls

And certainly had to use imagination playing both links and parkland courses

Of course that could could happen as could the opposite, I just think parkland is more one dimensional, at least in my experience and I was a member of a parkland course for over 30 years.

Would love to play some Heathland tracks although in fairness heather is our major defense off the fairway, if you are finding gorse you are having a bad day...

 

[KenL]

What has that got to do with anything. Where did I say links golf was easy ??‍

This can’t be the moment you learn people like different things?

1000 apologies. I mistook your reply for someone else's. ?

 

[Backache]

Be boring if we all liked the same thing. I’ve enjoyed plenty of links and parkland courses, the relatively few courses I have not enjoyed have usually been parkland and more of the courses I’ve really loved have been Links ones.
Enjoy moorland and heathland courses as well.

 

[Zig]

What a great dilemma to work through with your mates!

A group of us have tried something similar. Our approach has been a bit more ad hoc, and we're guilty of revisiting a few rather than heading to some of the more obscure ones. We're north-east England based, so not much locally. We've done things like...

1. Picked a flagship course, and then put a few local ones around it. Like Carnoustie (and it's other two courses) and then played Blairgowrie on the way. Played Muirfield, and then played the three Gullane courses at the same time (couldn't get on NB). Turnberry, with Silloth each way. Its a good way of keeping the costs sensible, and getting plenty of golf in. And we've been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the other courses in comparison to any 'main' one.
2. Get on via a few Opens. We've used this particularly on the west coast of Ireland. I agree with many of the posters above; the Donegal coast takes a lot of beating, and is still relatively cheap/low on the rankings only because of the location. I'd die happy playing Enniscrone, Carne, Rosses Point, Murvagh, Rosapenna and Ballylifffin (which happened to be what we did for my stag 'do'.
3. Value can be found: Easter in Northern Ireland has been kind to us, and we've played both Portrush and RCD for £200ish combined.
4. The Old Course, in their bundle with another one/two of the links courses is great too. Who'd have thought the New course is almost as good as the Old? (Granted, it doesn't have the feel of 1, 17/18 on the Old).
5. Haven't managed to get on Royal Birkdale yet, but we did Lytham with West Lancs and Hillside. All of us put Hillside at the top of that pile, and recent improvements suggest it's getting better and better!
6. Order... we're trying to do a different country each trip just for the variety. And don't put things off; you never know what life throws up/gets in the way. Playing some out of season gets you through the list faster and a bit cheaper. And will keep it a priority for you and your pals.

And last.... if you can, get on a course just before it hosts the Open. Carnoustie and RCD both offer tee times while the stands are up/infastructure going in. We had to play off mats, but it was worth it for the walk down the 18th with empty grandstands all around.

Have fun on your travels!

 

[Backache]

And last.... if you can, get on a course just before it hosts the Open. Carnoustie and RCD both offer tee times while the stands are up/infastructure going in.

Have fun on your travels!

Portrush surely?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

My course describes itself thus; "The front nine offers a traditional links challenge, whilst the back nine, with its numerous lakes, adds water to the equation" so I think you can safely say that it's better than any of the Scottish and Irish courses.

(And I think we had an American visitor two years ago )

Sounds a bit like Longniddry in reverse.

Perhaps they should re- define traditional links by saying that no green should be more than 500 yards from the sea.
So that is North Berwick, Dunbar, Just about Royal Troon, St Andrews Old, the place oop North with the dolphins Isle of Bute and perhaps a few more.

 

[Deleted member 23270]

Did I say it was?

I've actually lost track of where this discussion is going, I originally responded to DfT but it's since gone off the rails.

 

[sunshine]

Links golf is sooooo overrated. Much of it is crazy golf without the windmills.

You only need to play 2 or 3 links courses and you’ve played them all.

Post of the year. This has caused two aneurysms, three strokes and a heart attack.
????

 

[Val]

Post of the year. This has caused two aneurysms, three strokes and a heart attack.
????

As always ??

 

[williamalex1]

Kent , Norfolk , Devon , Cornwall , Somerset , South Wales , West Wales all have quality top links courses as well

In certain parts of the UK, that is them counting on one hand , only joking

 

[Foxholer]

Sounds a bit like Longniddry in reverse.

Perhaps they should re- define traditional links by saying that no green should be more than 500 yards from the sea.
So that is North Berwick, Dunbar, Just about Royal Troon, St Andrews Old, the place oop North with the dolphins Isle of Bute and perhaps a few more.

I'd hardly described any holes on Lonngniddry as being links ones - maybe a couple. Doesn't stop it from being a nice/interesting course though - and tough if there's a bit of breeze about. It might squeek into DfT's definition/restriction though (just), a couple of the later ones possibly being the 'culprits' if not. Plenty of traditional dunes nearby - across the road - though.

 

[Ethan]

A few do but most just want to play the best courses.
They know what they are doing and a growing number now want to play the secondary courses like Cruden Bay, Dunbar, North Berwick, Barassie, Western Gailes, Gullane, Dornoch. etc.etc,etc,etc.
Some of these courses are already full up to visitors for this season.

Some of them don't want to play in snooty places where you need to wear a cravat after 6 and have knee length white socks. They prefer somewhere where you are welcome in the bar.

 

[Dandyer1995]

you can have a great trip to Cornwall with relatively 'cheap' golf. few great courses down here with Enodoc being the standout for me! Trevose also very good. If you stop north Cornwall too then you can also play some in Devon too.

 

[KenL]

Some of them don't want to play in snooty places where you need to wear a cravat after 6 and have knee length white socks. They prefer somewhere where you are welcome in the bar.

Which of those clubs are as you describe?

 

[AliMc]

Some of them don't want to play in snooty places where you need to wear a cravat after 6 and have knee length white socks. They prefer somewhere where you are welcome in the bar.

What complete nonsense

 

[Depreston]

(And I bet that the OP is really appreciating all this petty squabbling)

love it me

 

[Depreston]

What a great dilemma to work through with your mates!

A group of us have tried something similar. Our approach has been a bit more ad hoc, and we're guilty of revisiting a few rather than heading to some of the more obscure ones. We're north-east England based, so not much locally. We've done things like...

1. Picked a flagship course, and then put a few local ones around it. Like Carnoustie (and it's other two courses) and then played Blairgowrie on the way. Played Muirfield, and then played the three Gullane courses at the same time (couldn't get on NB). Turnberry, with Silloth each way. Its a good way of keeping the costs sensible, and getting plenty of golf in. And we've been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the other courses in comparison to any 'main' one.
2. Get on via a few Opens. We've used this particularly on the west coast of Ireland. I agree with many of the posters above; the Donegal coast takes a lot of beating, and is still relatively cheap/low on the rankings only because of the location. I'd die happy playing Enniscrone, Carne, Rosses Point, Murvagh, Rosapenna and Ballylifffin (which happened to be what we did for my stag 'do'.
3. Value can be found: Easter in Northern Ireland has been kind to us, and we've played both Portrush and RCD for £200ish combined.
4. The Old Course, in their bundle with another one/two of the links courses is great too. Who'd have thought the New course is almost as good as the Old? (Granted, it doesn't have the feel of 1, 17/18 on the Old).
5. Haven't managed to get on Royal Birkdale yet, but we did Lytham with West Lancs and Hillside. All of us put Hillside at the top of that pile, and recent improvements suggest it's getting better and better!
6. Order... we're trying to do a different country each trip just for the variety. And don't put things off; you never know what life throws up/gets in the way. Playing some out of season gets you through the list faster and a bit cheaper. And will keep it a priority for you and your pals.

And last.... if you can, get on a course just before it hosts the Open. Carnoustie and RCD both offer tee times while the stands are up/infastructure going in. We had to play off mats, but it was worth it for the walk down the 18th with empty grandstands all around.

Have fun on your travels!

How much was the old course bundle do you do your own bookings or use the likes of YGT?