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| North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland |
In the most basic sense, the land upon which it is built
defines a links golf course. Robert Price wrote in his book Scotland’s Golf Courses, “Scottish links
land occupies a relatively narrow zone (often less than one mile wide) along
the coast. Since the source of the sand is the adjoining beach and the mode of
transport is on-shore winds, the distance the sand extends inland is not great.
It tends to accumulate in dune ridges, which are usually ten to thirty feet
high, and, on average, rarely occur higher than seventy-five feet above the
present sea level... The fairways are found on the short grass of the
inter-dune system while the dune ridges and their tough marram grass form areas
of “rough.”
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| Askernish Golf Club, South Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland |
Simply put, a links course is built at sea level, in the
sandy dunes (or linksland) that run parallel to the beach at sea level. The
sandy soil conditions lend to very firm, fast conditions requiring a plethora
of shots not found anywhere else. After reading this definition, a number of
links course imposters will immediately come to mind. “Links style” is
completely different from a true links course.
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| Royal Aberdeen Balgownie Links, Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
Additionally, there are a number of other factors that
accompany a links golf experience. Lorne Rubenstein wrote in A Season in Dornoch, “Golf on a Scottish
links consists of enduring and even welcoming the conditions, allowing them to
influence the shots one plays. To play links golf is to acknowledge that
nature, not the golfer, dictates play.” Wind and rain are the true defenses of
a links golf course. As the Scots say, “Ney wind, ney rain, ney golf.”
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| Machrihanish Links, Mull of Kintyre, Scotland |
Playing a true old Scottish links encompasses so much more
than merely the style of the design and the proximity to the sea. It is the
respect for the game in its simplest form, the abandonment of scorecards,
walking with no carts, and the lack of commercialism, which among many factors, make it so special.
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| Cruden Bay Golf Club, Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
Many of Scotland’s great links are succumbing to decisions made in the
corporate boardroom. Such decisions may not affect the quality of the courses, but they can have significant impact on the aforementioned factors that make these links courses unique. On a golf trip to
Scotland, play the great resort courses, but do your best to play at least one hidden course. Get the true taste of Scottish links. Go find a course
with an honesty box – a box on the first tee in which you are to deposit your small green fee
due to the absence of staff or clubhouse.
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| "Honesty slot" at the trailer clubhouse of Askernish Golf Club, South Uist, Scotland |
Famous golf writer George Peper sums up this idea so well in
his quote spoken to the Fife Golf Association; “Someday I hope to bring my
grandchildren here to Scotland – not to show them what golf is but what golf
isn’t – that it isn’t $200 million resorts and $200,000 membership fees, that
it isn’t six hour rounds and three day member-guests, that it isn’t motorized
buggies, Cuban cigars, and cashmere headcovers. It’s a game you play simply and
honorably, without delay or complaint – where you respect your companions,
respect the rules, and respect the ground you walk on. Where on the 18th
green you remove your cap and shake hands, maybe just a little humbler and a
little wiser than when you began.”
