Missing Links

It may have only been February when I played Dunstanburgh Castle but I strongly suspect this will be the biggest surprise of 2015. What a gem of a links course.

Furness could well be deemed the forgotten links of Cumbria.

The Hillhouse loop, formerly part of the main course but now a standalone nine hole layout, is an absolute treat.

It’s a long time since I have walked off a golf course with as big of a smile on my face as I did at Rosehearty!

Abersoch Golf Club, or Clwb Golff Abersoch, is a links-parkland hybrid on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales.

I was very interested to see Alnmouth Village following a reader’s recommendation after the publication of our article about the best nine-hole golf courses in the United Kingdom.

HIDDEN GEM ALERT!! Oh my word, what a discovery Anglesey Golf Club was on a recent trip to North Wales.

It’s not until you are willing to venture a little bit off the beaten path that you are able to discover such golfing gems as Dunnerholme.

Every now and again you stumble across a golf course that takes your breath away.

The Monifieth Golf Links Trust manage two wonderful golf courses that are the home to a trio of golf clubs.

The Silverburn course, home of Aberdeen Ladies Golf Club, and offers a great deal but sadly doesn’t quite live up to its excellent early billing.

Not many people know but there is also a third course at Turnberry and this is the nine hole Arran course.

It’s a real shame that Warren Golf Club, located at the seaside town of Dawlish Warren in South Devon, was omitted from the “True Links” book showcasing the 246 true links golf courses of the world.

Tucked away on the Moray Firth between Lossiemouth and Hopeman the nine-hole layout at Covesea Golf Links remains a true hidden gem.

Playing at The Machrihanish Golf Club is perhaps not as romantic a prospect as it was several years ago. None-the-less it’s a fabulous golfing experience.

I visited Newport Links Golf Club at Newport Sands in the hope of discovering a true links course that had been omitted from the “True Links” book.

Ireland has its fair share of bonkers nine-hole golf courses and Spanish Point is a case in point.

In my quest to play all the true links golf courses in Great Britain & Ireland I thought I had just about seen everything but then along comes St. David’s City Golf Club!

Warkworth is a delightful Old Tom Morris nine-holer with a lovely ‘linksy’ feel to it.

Founded in 1870 Wick Golf Club is fast approaching its 150th birthday and is embracing its golden years by bringing new energy to the links.

Buncrana is a brilliantly bonkers nine-hole links golf course at the gateway to the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal with superb views overlooking Loch Swilly.

Girvan is very much a tale of two halves although mathematically speaking it is actually a story of 8/18's (or should that be four-ninths?) and 10/18's.

Silecroft is a springy, nine-hole clifftop links occupying a compact strip of coastal land high above the Irish Sea in the Western Lake District.

The Fullarton links is one of three courses emanating from the starters office at the Troon Municipal golf complex which is owned, managed and run by South Ayrshire Council.

The Strabathie course at Murcar is a little nine-hole relief course that has two sets of tees and plays to 5,364 yards if you are to go round twice, par is 70.

The second course at Trevose very rarely crops in conversation but during a family holiday to the Cornish Resort I made sure to play it.

I concluded a six-day, 14-course trip to Ireland with a round at Warren Municipal. Why?... you might ask. And rightly so.

The third course at Trevose, aptly named the "Short Course" is just 1,360 yards.

The Balgove is perhaps best described as a miniature version of the Strathtyrum.