32 Of The Best Links Courses In The World

At its very beginning in Scotland, or the Netherlands, or wherever you most like to believe it began, golf was played over links courses – the rumpled, sandy, and otherwise less valuable land that was said effectively to link more arable and fertile farmland with the sea. As the sport took time to take over the world, many of its most famous and indeed greatest links are where the game began, in the UK & Ireland.

Now, though, there are also plenty of fine examples all over the world, from way up in northern Europe as far as the base of the southern hemisphere. Not only that, but we have modern variations on the traditional theme – courses which take the values and design principles of our earliest links courses but add a modern twist and flair.

Royal Aberdeen – Scotland

This brilliant and wholly traditional links was the venue for the 2014 Scottish Open won by Justin Rose. The Society of Golfers at Aberdeen was founded in 1780 and granted royal status in 1903. It is the sixth oldest club in the world and it relocated to play over the glorious Balgownie links in 1888. Although it was modified a little in its formative years by a succession of the leading architects of the day, it remains a true, old-fashioned and timeless out-and-back links. The back nine is on more elevated ground with blind shots, hidden troughs and tricky greens. In the wind, it is exceptionally tough, but it is always an absolute treat to play.

Te Arai – New Zealand

At Te Arai on the north-eastern shores of New Zealand’s North Island, you get not one but two brand new and very exciting links from which to choose. Opening in 2022, the South Course is a Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw creation with the closing four holes on each nine bordering the beach. Newer still, the North Course is a Tom Doak design that is perhaps a little tighter, and combines holes by the oceanside with a couple of forays into the forest. Each is spectacular, and each is a very welcome addition to the nation’s ever-expanding arena of top-quality golf.

Le Touquet (La Mer) – France

Le Touquet was already popular with holidaymakers before it was decided to create the first course here, La Forêt. Edward VIII was a frequent golfer, and as demand grew, the great Harry Colt was engaged to design the beautiful La Mer course. This is very different from La Forêt with the trees rarely coming into play but instead serving to…