Open Competitions: Bargain Golf in the UK
Open Competitions are the key to bargain golf in the UK Many American golfers would like to play golf in Scotland but think it’s too darned expensive. Tour operators want thousands of dollars for package tours featuring a half-dozen “trophy” courses and expensive lodging. But what if you could book top-drawer golf courses in Scotland, […]
10 Great Risk/Reward Holes
The label “risk/reward” is applied liberally to golf holes these days. Probably too liberally. Look at any course’s hole descriptions and you’re likely to see it appear at least a handful of times. In reality, there’s risk involved in every swing, and reward to be earned anytime a shot is successfully executed. Strategy comes into […]
Four of the Northernmost Places to Play Golf
Just as migratory birds fly south every winter, adventurous golf travelers in search of unique rounds in unexpected places head north during the summer. In some cases, the courses that await those intrepid golfers deliver pristine playing surfaces amidst a rugged backdrop. Other times, the course itself is as rugged as the landscape that surrounds […]
9 Unique Par-Three Opening Holes
The back nine at Pacific Grove Golf Links has gotten a lot of recognition over the years as a municipal course located along the same dramatic Monterey Peninsula coastline as Pebble Beach. But the front nine is special in its own right, particularly the start. One of the game’s great munis, Pacific Grove opens with […]
Smooth Sailing: Golf Cruises
A few years ago, my non-golfing wife and I took a golf cruise that started in Lisbon and ended in Barcelona, along the way sailing in the Mediterranean and playing a handful of great courses. While I went around Valderrama, she went on a guided tour of Gibraltar; as the golfers enjoyed El Saler, the […]
A Golf Writer’s Year in Review – Tell us About Yours!
By Tony Dear Did you play enough golf in 2018? I didn’t. I probably got in half the number of rounds I’d like to have. The silver lining though was the golf I did play was really, really good. (How was your golf year? Tell us about your best courses and experiences in the […]
Three New Golf Courses Coming to Scotland
By Tony Dear Some Scottish golf is royal. Much of it is ancient. It’s the home of the game to which nearly a quarter of a million devotees travel each year in order to play the most sanctified courses in the world. To many disciples, this ground is holy. The country couldn’t be accused […]
LINKS Golf Podcast Episode 5: How to Plan a Golf Trip to Scotland
In this episode, we break down the seemingly daunting task of planning a Scottish golf trip. Ian, who has never played golf in Scotland, assumes the role of interviewer for Graylyn, who is an expert on all things Scottish golf. We discuss how to choose the courses to play, the best time of year […]
Great Courses of Britain and Ireland: Panmure Golf Club
There are few British or Irish golf clubs that can claim a direct link with the great Ben Hogan. One that certainly can is Panmure Golf Club, situated on a rugged piece of rolling linksland just over a mile west of Carnoustie. By Colin Callander It was there that Hogan, together with caddie Cecil Timms, […]
LINKS Golf Podcast Ep. 1 – A Golf Trip to Southern England
In the first episode of the LINKS Magazine Golf Podcast, we dive into a recent trip that Graylyn took to a golf-rich part of the UK after a strong recommendation from Tom Doak. That area was the southern coast of England where Graylyn played St. Enodoc, Saunton (West), Royal North Devon, Prince’s Golf Club, Royal […]