Swinger
Journeyman Pro
I can see it now, Royal Salisbury and South Wilts - the home of the Downland Links.
User20205
Money List Winner
Hang on bud, don't get carried away. Links yes, royal..... Only special courses get 'royal' status.
Royal Iford bridge for one :thup:
richart
Major Champion
My favourite courses tend to be links, followed by heathland, followed by parkland.
Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie, Saunton, Sunningdale, St Georges Hill, Swinley, Bearwood Lakes, Coombe Hill, Tandridge. Fantastic links, heathland and parkland courses, which are always a pleasure to play.
Not all links courses are great though, and I would much prefer to play a good heathland or parkland course over a poor links course.
I am surprised that anyone that has not played a links course, would dismiss them though. There is a big difference between seeing one on the tv, and actually playing one. You need to be at ground level to often appreciate the holes. As a bonus you often get the most stunning views, rather than just a forest of trees.
Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie, Saunton, Sunningdale, St Georges Hill, Swinley, Bearwood Lakes, Coombe Hill, Tandridge. Fantastic links, heathland and parkland courses, which are always a pleasure to play.
Not all links courses are great though, and I would much prefer to play a good heathland or parkland course over a poor links course.
I am surprised that anyone that has not played a links course, would dismiss them though. There is a big difference between seeing one on the tv, and actually playing one. You need to be at ground level to often appreciate the holes. As a bonus you often get the most stunning views, rather than just a forest of trees.
richart
Major Champion
If your place is some sort of links course Steve, Salisbury must have been under the sea at some time.
I am afraid it is 'just' a downland course.
Perhaps a high plains course ?
Swinger
Journeyman Pro
I was just assuming that with our new special status we couldn't fail to attract a special visit or two, a little ahead of myself though I do concede.
Royal Iford is in a completely different league of special!
Swinger
Journeyman Pro
If your place is some sort of links course Steve, Salisbury must have been under the sea at some time.
Perhaps a high plains course ?
We are very flat and low down compared to a lot of other venues in the county Rich!
richart
Major Champion
I will remind you of that when you are wheezing your way up the 10th.
Swinger
Journeyman Pro
I will remind you of that when you are wheezing your way up the 10th.
It's a long walk when you only stop to play one shot on the way up!
richart
Major Champion
Along with the 18th at Stoneham, my least favourite walk on a golf course.
Swinger
Journeyman Pro
Along with the 18th at Stoneham, my least favourite walk on a golf course.
Not great walks but I can suggest plenty more to avoid around these parts!
Mountain goats would struggle on some of them.
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
I like both/all types but being a higher handicap I do like open fairways but don't mind if its tree lined (would just like more than the width of a dual carriageway to aim at) I hate the idea that too often the hole can be effectively over with a tee shot that's only yards off) So too tight on parkland or links and I enjoy it less
Really enjoy a good wind to play in, on any type of course, and don't mind the random kicks of a links fairway (its not an indoor sport after all)
In short its nice to have a preference but not to the point I'd exclude any course because it wasn't an xyz
Re the Op
A topic that's cropped up before but the way its phrased (my bold) is suggesting a criticism of parkland courses and to be honest if you attack the course that someone has chosen to spend hundreds/thousands of their hard earned on, then you're not going to get as open a debate as you might have liked
PNWokingham
Journeyman Pro
I am a member of a parkland/heathland course. It is on the side of a hill facing into the prevailing wind and doesn't have that many trees. Believe me, it is just as windy as any links courses I have played.
Jack_bfc
Challenge Tour Pro
Our parkland course is less than a couple of miles away from one of the best links course in the country.
We get the same wind, granted we have trees, but that can just mean you have to think about the wind above and beyond tree canopies that you cant feel on the sheltered tee etc.
It comes from all different directions varying the shot you have to play week on week.
Speaking to people who play Old Links and it can go from boring (no wind) to unplayable very quickly..
I have never played a true links course but my first one will be Royal Birkdale on the 18th August so I will let you know how I get on in a couple of weeks.
We get the same wind, granted we have trees, but that can just mean you have to think about the wind above and beyond tree canopies that you cant feel on the sheltered tee etc.
It comes from all different directions varying the shot you have to play week on week.
Speaking to people who play Old Links and it can go from boring (no wind) to unplayable very quickly..
I have never played a true links course but my first one will be Royal Birkdale on the 18th August so I will let you know how I get on in a couple of weeks.
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
Played it quite a few times and it does have a links 'feel' due to the chalk.
The Links Golf Club [Newmarket and 60 miles from the sea] is the same.
bobmac
Major Champion
I took TeeGirl to play Hunstanton a few years ago and when we finished, I asked her what she thought of her first links experience....
'It was alright' came the reply.
She was gobsmacked to learn the green fee was normally £80 and that it was one of the best links courses for miles around.
I dont think she'll be rushing back to play links golf again in a hurry.
Each to their own
'It was alright' came the reply.
She was gobsmacked to learn the green fee was normally £80 and that it was one of the best links courses for miles around.
I dont think she'll be rushing back to play links golf again in a hurry.
Each to their own
Canary_Yellow
Journeyman Pro
I am up to date.
I am well aware that Lindley Hall Farm is the centre of England but that is not the same thing as the furthest point from the sea. The centre of England is the point at which, if you cut the country out and put it on a pencil tip it would balance perfectly.
The furthest point from the sea though, is Coton in the Elms. Church Flatts Farm to be precise.
timchump
Q-School Graduate
People like golf when they play well, and generally its easier to play well on a parkland golf course.
With links golf the wind constantly swirling around can make it difficult to get into a swing rhythm. Then you have the tight fairways and fast greens it can be a bit of a battle.
This weekend i played a local parkland course, really enjoyed myself, played a good few shots under my handicap, would i say that course is better than my home links course, no, but did i enjoy myself more than my average links round yes.
Should i move my home course to a parkland hmmm?
With links golf the wind constantly swirling around can make it difficult to get into a swing rhythm. Then you have the tight fairways and fast greens it can be a bit of a battle.
This weekend i played a local parkland course, really enjoyed myself, played a good few shots under my handicap, would i say that course is better than my home links course, no, but did i enjoy myself more than my average links round yes.
Should i move my home course to a parkland hmmm?
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JCW
Journeyman Pro
My home course is a Heathland course which is in between the two . I played at Hankley Common yesterday a course i never played before , Lovely golf course as its common with a lot in the surrey belt , woking, woplesdon, westhill ,north hants . It played like a links with firm hard conditions and i was 4 over after 3 by playing parkland shots and finished with a 76 gross after playing it like a links thereafter , I have played lots this year at away courses and have yet to play on better greens then my home course Parkstone . Every course has its beauty and different ways you need to play them which is the challenge and if you are a shot maker and have the game you will enjoy the challenge but if you can only play one way then maybe not hence the dislike of the type of course , I always make a point of looking round and enjoying the vista where ever i play so even if the game is poor i still enjoy the day and the drink after ..........
North Mimms
Tour Winner
It's all pretty academic as trying to calculate the centre of an irregular shape is open to debate
