On the first tee is a plaque acknowledging Merion’s East course as a ‘National Monument’ and with its iconic wicker baskets, Merion is indeed a very special place.  The USGA have announced that their Open will return here in 2013, it is likely that Tiger will have breached the Nicklaus record by then..but if he hasn’t then this would be some place for him to do it.  Legendary golfing figures such as Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan have produced seminal moments in their careers and in the history of golf here at Merion.  The course is broadly three parts, a very solid opening, a middle where you must try and make your score and a close where you need to just hang on…the memorable closing holes around the quarry are particularly tough!  Merion is a little tight for space and length and spectator numbers will need to be restricted for the Open but the real defence is the greens which in mid-October were running at 12 on the stimp!  That allied to very narrow fairways and some excellent bunkering will make this a fantastic test..there will be no overpowering of Merion.

Host to four US Opens (so far), Shinnecock is rightly revered as a hugely challenging golf course and it more than lives up to its tough reputation.  After a good lunch and a cursory glance towards the outstanding practice facilities, we tried to unleash our best on this fabulous course.  Shinnecock Hills really does have some big undulations and the changes in elevation are stark (the golf course is a favourite tobogganing place for Long Islanders) with the clubhouse sitting proudly atop the hill where the course starts, returns after nine (with a great cocktail bar serving refreshing ‘southsides’) and finishes on a wickedly fast and subtle green.  Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els let an Open slip here, and it is easy to see how.  The opening holes are strong, but so are those around the middle and towards the end.  There isn’t a weak hole, the scenery is spectacular and the feeling of playing here is one of awe.  The Par 3s are superb, with the 11th described by some as the shortest Par 5 in the America.  The finish at both 9 and 18 is spectacular with the iconic clubhouse and fluttering club flag.  From start to finish, 1-18, clubhouse to cocktail bar, a day at Shinnecock is a very special experience.

If your driver is working well here you should score well. There is very little decision making required from the tee, it is driver pretty much all the way. With that in mind (and in spite of the fact that my driver was working and the scoring was good!) this course doesn't get into my top 50. I prefer to stand on a teebox and think about the best way to play the hole ahead. Simply, I prefer strategy and variety over pure 100% ‘Boom’ and other than an excellent set of Par 3s, from the tee the holes felt a bit samey with bulldozed earth banking down either side of the wide fairways. Credit is warranted as the layout is clever and manages to keep the paperpulp factory pretty much out of the line of vision.. No mean feat for which some praise is deserved! But the course is a modern one and with the exception of a couple of original bunkers from an older Dundonald incarnation, this course feels like it has been built for the corporate (and possibly in time, for a professional tournament) market rather than as a classic links. On this stretch of coast and within a few miles, I can think of at least 5 courses I would rather play, but then perhaps there was never an intention to create a traditional links challenge. Why try and build a classic links in an area where nature has already produced some of the worlds finest!? Dundonald is a bit different, but it feels unnatural and at least as far as I am concerned, and there are many wonderful examples in the UK, a links needs to look and feel natural to the landscape. As yet, Dundonald does not but perhaps it will mature. <A href="/golf-course/loch-lomond" target=_self>Loch Lomond</A> has thrown some serious money at this course and the transformation is staggering with special mention for the drainage which at times during development was a real problem. But the bulldozer’s work is apparent and the manufactured undulations of the greens could be classified as tricked-up. The lack of pace was possibly intentional as an acceleration of Stimp could cause serious problems here for anyone! That said, I really enjoyed a game at Dundonald and it was a treat to experience the Loch Lomond service and hospitality which is absolutely faultless. This was a fun round on a good golf course which was definitely worth playing, but if visiting the area, the rankings are probably about right. Good enough, but geography dictates that you will always compare Dundonald to its neighbours and right now this is not as good as <A href="/golf-course/western-gailes" target=_self>Western Gailes</A>, <A href="/golf-course/kilmarnock-barassie" target=_self>Barassie</A> or <A href="/golf-course/glasgow-gailes-links" target=_self>Glasgow Gailes</A> which are all within hitting distance.

Hilton Head Island is a haven for golfers and the jewel in the crown is the Harbour Town Links. Links could be a bit misleading if you are expecting a classic British set-up in the style of a <A href="/golf-course/royal-st-georges" target=_self name=RSG>Royal St Georges</A> or a <A href="/golf-course/prestwick" target=_self name=Prestwick>Prestwick</A>, this course is tree lined and the first sight of the ocean (the Calibogue Sound) is on the famous 18th with its iconic red and white candy striped lighthouse. The course is not long (6603 yds off the Blue), but precision will beat power here. The 1st is played down a narrow alley between trees and this rather sets the tone for the rest of your round. Ordinarily, one might opt to play short but straight, but one of the other characteristics of Harbour Town are the very small firm greens. So firstly, you do need to be straight and accurate, but secondly you want to be long enough to be hitting short and mid irons into the tiny targets. Once there, some comfort can be taken from the relatively gentle pace and beautifully true roll. I suspect this is why so many of the Pros love heading here for the PGA tour event (The Heritage), the week after Augusta’s notoriously quick putting examination! The Par 3s are classic mid to long iron shots invariably over water and railway sleepers (ties) to small targets surrounded by trees and overhanging branches and these along with the run of holes from 14th to the photogenic 18th are probably what is most memorable about a fantastic day at a fun and immaculately presented golf course. The stands (bleachers) were going up and the greenstaff busy and on a bright sunny day, the course looked great and played better. One look at the list of former winners of The Heritage event played annually at Harbour Town since 1969 tells you something about the quality of this Pete Dye designed classic. Palmer, Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Hale Irwin, Faldo, Langer, Norman, Payne Stewart and Davis Love. 29 times the event has been won by a major winner. Harbour Town is a classy course that produces classy champions. Try it out!

Built specifically for the 1991 Ryder Cup , this course has acquired a somewhat fearsome reputation which was recently supported by a #1 rating in Golf Digest’s review of ‘America’s 50 Toughest Golf Courses’.   The opening hole is a straightforward simple looking par 4 but even here there is mental pressure.  This might just be your best chance of making a par!  Off the Blue tees measuring 6,744 yards, the 2nd has a carry over swamp and marsh of over 200 yards on a double dog leg par 5.  Playing singles in 1991, Seve won the hole with a 7.. I was delighted to match his score!  The course then winds in a large figure of 8 with very clever use of the marsh and Dye’s ‘waste areas’ ensuring that no two holes play in exactly the same direction.  This is important as Kiawah is very exposed, with the sea visible from every tee (thanks to Mrs Dye’s insistence that the landward holes be raised), and audible from the whole course!  There are no bunkers at Kiawah, though there is plenty of sand.  You play the ball as it lies and these ‘waste areas’ are a great feature with some steep banks requiring a lob wedge to get back on the fairway.  Fortunately, you can have a practice swing in the sand to at least give yourself a chance of recovery.  Once back in play, the fairways are immaculate and the greens firm and fast.Despite its youth, Kiawah does look fairly natural and from an environmental perspective, the Ocean Course is pioneering and award winning.  The entire course is built on reclaimed land and set within it’s own lining which enables the irrigation supply, pesticides, fertilisers and all to be recycled and kept out of the natural ecosystem.  The 7ft alligators though are not kept out of the Kiawah eco-system and you’ll probably see a few as you line up your tee shot on the par3 17th, a 200 yard carry over water (where both Montgomerie and Calcavecchia dumped theirs in the water)!A hugely enjoyable challenge, this is a wonderful golf course that despite its short history has developed a great pedigree. Ryder Cup, UBS Cup, 1997 World Cup (won by Harrington and McGinley for Ireland) and this year host to the Seniors USPGA, the Ocean Course at Kiawah will deservedly host a first major with the USPGA Championship scheduled for 2012.  If the wind blows, I’d bet on level par being good enough!  Not cheap (at over $300), this is an exhilarating place to play golf and definitely is a ‘must-play’ if you happen to be in the area!

Falsterbo is an excellent course in a great setting.  The course begins by heading away from the sea and there are a number of ponds and marshy features on a tough front 9.  The true links nature of the course is revealed later on the back 9.  After the memorable 160 yard 11th and its narrow wooden bridge from tee to green, the holes around the historic lighthouse and back to the welcoming clubhouse are those of a classic links.  Approaching the 16th green we were met by a very large crowd, armed with binoculars, cameras and telescopic lenses.  Sadly this wasn’t the world’s golf media.  At certain times of year the golfers of Falsterbo share the peninsula with hundreds of ornothologists. No birdies for them to spot here!  The 17th and 18th are two lovely finishing holes with sea and dunes all down the right.  Finish off your round with a cold beer and a dip in the Baltic from the lovely beach by the clubhouse..what a treat!

Elie in a wind is a wonderfully natural test of links golf. Up periscope and 'Play Away', this is fun golf, testing to the single figure player but not overly penal to an occassional player.  Bump and run is an essential skill and the firm greens offer some subtle borrows and deceptively good putting surfaces.  Many of them are on down slopes which makes them difficult to hold..make sure your short game is in order. My favourite stretch of holes is 10-13 which brings you right down to the shoreline.  A shortish blind par 4, a very short but testing par 3 and then 2 superb par 4s which sweep around the bay finishing on the plateaued 13th green.  The view back from the 14th tee is truly marvellous and on a windy day you can even smell the breweries in Edinburgh..bliss!  A wonderful links experience that should be on every list of Fife's finest.

Wow...played in a strong wind (tail-end of Hurricane that threatened the Ryder Cup!) last week and left with no doubt that this is the best course I have ever been fortunate to play!The views are stunning and the course is testing but very fair.  The newly extended clubhouse is very impressive and the welcome very friendly.

This is a very very good and enjoyable golf course but probably not quite a classic seaside Championship links. Like its neighbour at <A href="/golf-course/royal-aberdeen-balgownie" target=_self>Royal Aberdeen</A>, the best holes are through the dunes on the front 9. Disappointingly the return holes (particularly the loop around 10-12) don't quite measure up. A warm welcome and a good round is assured and Murcar is a top 25 course but go to Royal Aberdeen or <A href="/golf-course/cruden-bay" target=_self>Cruden Bay</A> for the ultimate North East links experience.

This is a truly first class links and should certainly be ranked higher on any list.  The course has a tremendous history of Open Championships and Amateur Championships and its fearsome reputation is well deserved.  The front 9 isn't excessively long and it is here that you must try and make your score.  My favourites were the 3rd and the 6th which at 325 yards is a hole that proves that length isn't everything! From the 12th the stakes are raised and the homeward stretch is absolutely brutal though great too!! 7 holes measuring almost 3000 yards and with a par 28, generally played straight into the wind.  Let's hope your first 11 were good, cause now you have to try and hold a score together as you plot your way over some wonderfully undulating linksland and across some absolutely superb rolling greens with some terrific borrows.  This is links golf of the highest calibre and the 15th, 16th and 17th wouldn't look out of place on any of the courses of the current Open Championship rota.Top class championship links golf at a reasonable price.  Wonderful!

I ventured to Balgownie links' keen to see if Royal Aberdeen would live up to the rave reviews it has received in recent years. I need not have worried. Tom Watson was full of praise following the 2005 Seniors Open Championship and as a 5-time Open Champion, I think it is fair to say that he is a good judge of a good links! In this case he is a great judge of a great links and his views are totally justified with further confirmation of Royal Aberdeen's pedigree being the recent award of the 2010 Walker Cup matches. Simply, this course is worth every penny of the greenfee, which at £95 (on a weekend) is almost as steep as the vertical rivetted face of the bunker front-left of the 9th green! A wonderful opening hole plays away towards the North Sea from the elevated clubhouse before the course sweeps northwards and weaves its way out through a narrow pass in the dunes. The perfect links turf and superb putting surfaces cannot be faulted and with a little wiggle around the 8th (a par 3 with a heavily bunkered long narrow green - not dissimilar to the Postage Stamp at <A href="/golf-course/royal-troon-old" target=_self>Royal Troon</A>) and 9th, the course then turns to return along a plateau heading back south towards home. A few blind shots, some truly superb par-3s and plenty of holes where strategy is more important than brute strength or length, this course is absolutely world-class. You surely would never tire of playing at Balgownie and I write this despite being absolutely soaked to the skin in a torrential downpour around the turn. This course deserves every accolade it has received and more and is better than plenty of the Open Championship rota courses I have been lucky enough to have played. But don't take my word for it... go there... play it... enjoy it. It is worth it!

Perhaps not a real classic, but nonetheless a very enjoyable golf course with some great holes and plenty of variety to keep most people happy and keen to come back for more. Despite the course being right on the shore at times, the turf is not necessarily that linksy and some of the best holes are more <A href="/golf-course/sunningdale-old" target=_self>Sunningdale</A> than <A href="/golf-course/st-andrews-old" target=_self>St Andrews</A>! The best run of holes is in the middle of your round 5-12 with a few fun links holes, followed by the aforementioned Surrey heathland before opening out again with some shortish par 4s. 16 and 17 are very good par 3s before a slightly disappointing finishing hole which has links characteristics but more parkland-like turf. Like <A href="/golf-course/brora" target=_self>Brora</A>, the clubhouse isn't pretty but the welcome is another warm one and Golspie should definitely be included in your itinerary.

It is always a real treat to play here.  The course is wonderful and don't be deceived by the length.  Accuracy is the key and the heather can be punishing to anyone thinking of trying to overpower this classic Surrey heathland gem.  You will have to look hard for the 150 yard markers so neatly are they hidden amongst the beautiful rhoddies and trees but don't rely on the yardage too much.  New Zealand requires a full array of shots and target golf this isn't.  Once on the greens you will have much fun trying to read the subtle borrows and enjoy the very true roll. You WILL enjoy your game here and you WILL enjoy your lunch just as much!  Traditional and hugely enjoyable, New Zealand should be a top 100 course.

This is about as natural a links as you will find anywhere and don't be deceived by the length on the card. So many holes spring to mind but the 6th, 16th and 17th are some of my favourites.  A great par 3, a quirky par 4 and a superb classic par 4 requiring an accurate drive and a well struck iron.  One could surely never tire of playing at Brora.  Add in the friendly clubhouse atmosphere, the wonderful setting and the sheep and cows and you have an unforgettable golfing experience!!  If you travel all the way to Dornoch, don't be a fool.  Travel a few extra miles and enjoy a great day on the links at Brora..simply magic!

A fantastic course with a great lay-out and a wonderful setting. Mafeking (though not long) is a very good hole and The Alps is a classic blind links hole. If you are here to take on <A href="/golf-course/royal-dornoch-championship" target=_self>Dornoch</A>, the ignore the delights of Tain, <A href="/golf-course/brora" target=_self>Brora</A> and <A href="/golf-course/golspie" target=_self>Golspie</A> at your peril. These on their own are worth a visit. Friendly staff, a good lunch and a few pints made a day at Tain's fine links into a real pleasure!

'Birthplace of The Open', need I say more? (!)

A fantastic links experience and a spectacular setting.  The wind is an ever present but the course weaves its way around the pensinula and it is rare that the wind is in your face for more than two consecutive holes. 'Tough but fair' is a cliche but at Castletown it is apt.  The 5th is a very memorable hole from an elevated tee to a narrow landing area, but even then the danger isn't over with Out of Bounds just off the right side of the green, use of the contours is essential.  Keep it on the fairways and you can score very well round here but equally natural hazards such as the beach, the gorse and the ocean come into play and there is more than one simple enough looking hole that can wreck your card!All in all, a fantastic place to play golf and well worth the trip.

This should surely be in the top ranked courses but possibly suffers from being on the edge of such a great stretch of heathland with some more illustrious near neighbours.  Not long but certainly demanding and requiring a tactical approach this is a course that tests and in mid-summer is more akin to a fast-running classic links.  There are a number of risk-reward options to consider including the excellent par5 3rd and short par4 4th and whilst not long, North Hants is certainly no pushover.  The new clubhouse is a bit of a brute but the course is a gem!