What a tremendous 150th Open championship we witnessed at St. Andrews this July. A stunning final round of 64 from Australian Cameron Smith saw him leapfrog the 54 hole leaders and take home the Claret Jug.
St. Andrews showed off links golf at its best. Hard, bouncy surfaces on the fairways and greens, whispy lies in the rough, devilish pin positions and deep pothole bunkers provided a challenging test. The wind didn’t really blow, so, the ultimate defence for a links course wasn’t really a factor in the 150th Open.
So, why is links golf so special? Here are some of the reasons:
Rarity – Of the approximately 250 true links courses in the world, more than 200 of them are in Ireland and the UK. It’s believed there are around 40,000 golf courses in the world so less than 1% are true links!
Lay of the land – links courses follow natural contours through sand dunes and dramatic coastal landscapes. It’s not target golf, you have to get creative in the shots you play and stay patient when you get an occasional unlucky bounce!
Wind – probably the biggest variable with links golf. It is not unusual to have to play anything from a pitching wedge to a 5 wood (or more) when faced with the same shot in different wind directions.
History – It all started at the home of golf at St. Andrews and early pioneers established dozens of now famous names along the coastline of Ireland and the UK. From Ballybunion to Royal Portrush to Royal Dornoch and many more.
So, how do you play links golf shots? Check out a series of videos below from G Golf co-Founders Mark & Frank Gannon showing you exactly how.
But, better still, get yourself over here and experience the real deal for yourself!
DON’T DELAY – 2023 time sheets are open. Please contact us to book your golf trip of a lifetime.
Yours in Golf,
