Links (Golf)

The term links or links course a special type of golf course is called, which is modeled on the original places in the UK, where the sport of golf has also started.

Links country

This type of golf courses is characterized by the fact that they are on what is known as links land. This is earlier than useless viewed dunes, the sea with the fertile farmland connects (possible etymology: English to link the "Connect "). As one might there not growing something even graze animals productive (possible Etymology: Old English hlinc " barren, arid " ), they gave these whipped by wind and sea strip of land free for general use. Among other things, golf was played there then.

Links country consists of often saline sandy soil, which is covered with sparse grass and in the summer is very hard. Trees are found almost never, the growth is limited to some vegetation such as gorse, heather and other shrubs. Other common elements of the country's links are natural sand -pits, small streams flowing into the sea or a river Direction and sometimes very high dunes. Irregularities in the terrain are left in the rule so that links courses are particularly rough and natural.

Playability

Links courses are useful playable in almost any weather. When wet the barren sandy soils drain so well that, in contrast to the usual domestic courts loam soils forming no sludge or mud. Frost is due to its coastal location very rare and extreme drought in the summer when clay soils should be watered generously already, the Linksland easily survive. The fairways are then indeed very hard and fast, but still retain their elasticity, so that there are ideal locations for the golf ball.

Seaside Links and domestic links

Whether a links course must necessarily be due to a seashore or whether there is such a thing as " inland links" is controversial. Representative of a geological point of view argue that links country can only form there, where the sea retreated, leaving behind a dune landscape, which was then covered with fertile soil from the mouth area of a river. Thus, the sport of golf and then developed in Scotland at the mouths of the rivers Eden, Tay and Forth.

Other experts also accept links -like country, as you can find it inland in heathland or on the shores of large lakes, and justify this with visual and game technical comparability.

But also undisputed links to at least a certain distance are far inland. So there is the famous open- space of Royal Lytham & St.Annes several hundred meters from the coast and is completely enclosed by buildings. The historical links of Leith has no view of the sea. Also, not everyone is a seaside course links. For example, include golf courses close to cliffs often to this type, since they have both geologically and visually and technically quite different characteristics. A famous example of this is - despite the name - the Pebble Beach Golf Links on the Monterrey Peninsula in California.

Marketing

The term is now often left staged advertising appeal to suggest a special quality and exclusivity of a golf course. In fact there are only about 160 true links courses around the world. Occasionally one will fallback to terms such as " Classic Links " or " True Links " to make this distinction clear. Additions are not expected to significantly speed also because the terrain needed for this has now been almost everywhere provided under protection. Only in remote or inhospitable areas left- projects could be realized in recent years, such as in Oregon and Tasmania. An exception is the links course BUDERSAND on Sylt, which was opened in 2008. The natural dune landscape was due to the previous use as a military base and airport already largely destroyed, so that the usual environmental regulations did not come into play here.

Golfing aspects

The game of golf is more difficult to links courses primarily by strong and surprisingly changing winds, but also due to the hard sand bottom very fast and often undulating fairways allow the ball verspringen uncontrollably.

The sand bunker on links courses are also dreaded obstacles, as they often occur as pot bunkers are so deep that their interior walls must be supported with railway sleepers and they can be accessed only by stairs or ladder.

The Rough in general and the broom in particular are especially punitive elements, and it requires considerable skill, out there to play the ball again.

The hard and fast greens on links courses can often not allude directly, because then the ball rolling again on the other side of the green. Instead of playing the normally conventional, high impact, coming up on the green, the golfer is often forced to jump up the ball on the fairway and to roll on the green. Since this " Bump and Run" beat is outside of links courses rarely needed, many golfers dominate him insufficiently.

Due to the embedding of the fairways in the natural landscape of dunes also often called blind shots come before, so beats, where you can not see the target area. For this purpose, the fairways are often hard and very fast, so that the ball can verspringen even with good beats in unfavorable situations. On the other hand, those conditions are a prerequisite for the traditional "Ground Game" in which the ball is played flat and taking advantage of the waves in the area.

Another characteristic of links courses is the traditional routing of the holes. This means that the first 9 holes along the coast there ( "out" ) and the second 9 then parallel again lead inland back to the club house (" in "). However, departing on some links courses of this tradition, because not everywhere is the available terrain correspondingly. Since on links courses the wind plays a big role, routing is a more important factor in planning than on other golf courses.

Links courses (selection)

Scotland

• St Andrews Old Course, Carnoustie, Cruden Bay, Kingsbarns, Machrihanish, Muirfield, North Berwick, Prestwick, Royal Dornoch, Royal Troon, Turnberry Ailsa

Ireland

• Ballybunion Old, Carne, County Sligo ( Rosses Point ), Lahinch, Portmarnock, The European Club, Tralee, Waterville

England

• Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal North Devon, Royal St George's, Saunton, St Enodoc

France

• Alsace Golf Club, Rouffach

Northern Ireland

• Royal County Down, Royal Portrush

Wales

• Royal Porthcawl, Royal St David's

USA

• National Golf Links of America, Whistling Straits, Pacific Dunes

Sweden

• Falsterbo

Spain

• El Saler

Denmark

• Fano Golf Links

Germany

• Norderney
• BUDERSAND - Sylt
• WINSTONlinks - Vorbeck / Meck -Vorp..

Australia

• New South Wales

United Arab Emirates

• Yas Links, Abu Dhabi