Links golf - Have You Really Played It?
The Open championship is underway in Turnberry, Scotland, and the difference in true links golf to what we typically play in the US is on display. The Alisa course has no trees, severe bunkers, and will completely change depending on the direction of the wind. Wind is the main defense most links courses have, being seaside with no trees to block the ocean breeze. Typically as well, tall fescue grasses await errant tee shots, so driving it well is usually a premium.
Have you ever played a true links golf course? Some might answer yes, but just because the course has "links" in the name does not mean it's truly a links golf course. (The most obvious example is Harbor Town Golf Links in South Carolina: There couldn't be a less links-style course, yet there it is, right in the name) Obviously, only some can be ocean-adjacent, but removing that element does not mean a course's design isn't a true links. The closest you will come in the Northwest, and probably the entire US, is Bandon Dunes in Oregon... on the ocean, no trees, pot bunkers, the whole deal. Just amazing, and true to the purest of links golf. The people at Chambers Bay in Tacoma claim to be a links course, and it comes somewhat close, but has some features that don't hold up to the test... mainly the lack of ability to play low shots, running ghots into the greens.
Locally, the closest you'll come is aptly named, The Links in Post Falls. I've always been a big fan of the Links, I think it's a great course, and typically has some of the best greens in the region. Is it a true links course? Yes and no. It is treeless, mostly. It does change dramatically in the wind. The greens are large and have the kind of undulations that you would want in a links. In the past, they also grew the rough up tall, which was great and very linksy, but normally they do cut it, and I can't say I disagree with that, since guys continue to drive it into the fescue and then look for their 50 cent top-flite for 15 minutes. (Note to those guys: the tall rough is to encourage you to hit the fairway... and if that means clubbing down to a 3 wood or hybrid, just do it, okay?)
What hinders the Links as a real links design are a few quirks... no real pot bunkers or real links-style hazards, and several holes again do no let you run the ball up to the green low, as windy links golf is normally played. (#10 is the worst culprit, with a somewhat hidden bunker right in front of the green 10 yards short). Yet, is you want to feel like you're in Scotland, head to Post Falls on a windy day, do NOT take a cart (The Scots look at golf carts like I look at Tofurkey... kind of the same, but just plain wrong), and get used to playing low, running shots, having fun with it rather than fighting it. I was out there with a buddy of mine who refused to adjust his game to the wind... just getting yardage, picking the club, and hitting a hard, high shot, and then getting mad when the wind knocked it down 20 yards short of the green. Maybe you will hit a 5 iron from 135. Maybe you will putt from 150 feet. Links golf requires different shots, and if you try it out you might just like it.
