A list of links golf courses

This list of links golf courses in Great Britain & Ireland should be considered in conjunction with our Living on the Links Spectrum article explaining the reasoning behind it.

The Purest of Pure

These are the courses we think are the embodiment of links golf. As pure, genuine and true as they come.

England
• Berwick upon Tweed (Goswick)
• Burnham & Berrow (Championship)
• Hayling
• Hunstanton
• Prince's (Shore, Dunes & Himalayas)
• Royal Birkdale
• Royal Cinque Ports
• Royal Liverpool
• Royal North Devon
• Royal St. George's
• Royal West Norfolk (Brancaster)
• Rye (Old)
• Saunton (East)
• Seaton Carew (22)
• Silloth on Solway
• Wallasey
• West Lancashire

Northern Ireland
• Castlerock (Mussenden)
• Portstewart (Strand)
• Royal County Down (Championship)
• Royal Portrush (Dunluce)

Republic of Ireland
• Ballybunion (Old)
• Ballyliffin (Old)
• County Louth (Baltray)
• Enniscrone (Championship)
• The Island
• Lahinch (Old)
• Portmarnock (Championship)
• County Sligo (Rosses Point)
• Royal Dublin
• Waterville

Scotland
• Brora
• Cruden Bay (Championship)
• Elie
• Gullane (No 1)
• Leven Links
• Luffness New
• Machrihanish
• Muirfield
• Murcar Links
• North Berwick (West Links)
• Prestwick
• Royal Aberdeen (Balgownie)
• Royal Dornoch (Championship)
• Royal Troon (Old)
• Southerness
• St. Andrews (Jubilee)
• St. Andrews (New)
• St. Andrews (Old)
• Turnberry (Ailsa)
• Western Gailes

Wales
• Aberdovey
• Pennard
• Royal Porthcawl
• Royal St. David's


As close as you'll get to the Real Deal

There's no doubting the links credentials of these courses. Die hard purists could perhaps start to get picky but they get the true links stamp of approval from us.

England
• Cleveland
• Dunstanburgh Castle
• Fleetwood
• Formby
• Furness
• Great Yarmouth & Caister
• Hillside
• Littlestone
• Newquay
• Perranporth
• Royal Lytham & St. Annes
• Rye (Jubilee) (12)
• Saunton (West)
• Seacroft
• Seascale
• Sheringham
• Southport & Ainsdale
• St. Annes Old Links
• St. Enodoc (Church)
• Trevose (Championship)
• West Cornwall
• Warren Dawlish

Isle of Man
• Castletown

Northern Ireland
• Castlerock (Bann) (9)
• Kirkistown Castle
• Royal County Down (Annesley)
• Royal Portrush (Valley)

Republic of Ireland
• Castlegregory (9)
• Connemara (27)
• Corballis
• Dingle
• Donegal (Murvagh)
• Dooks
• Dunfanaghy
• Laytown & Bettystown
• Mulranny (9)
• Narin & Portnoo
• North West
• Portmarnock (Yellow) (9)
• Portsalon
• Rosapenna (Old Tom Morris)
• Rosslare (Old)
• Strandhill

Scotland
• Arbroath
• Askernish
• Carnoustie (Championship)
• Crail (Balcomie)
• Cruden Bay (St Olaf) (9)
• Dunaverty
• Dunbar
• Fortrose & Rosemarkie
• Fraserburgh (Corbiehill)
• Glasgow (Gailes Links)
• Gullane (No.2)
• Gullane (No.3)
• Isle of Harris (9)
• Kilmarnock Barassie
• Kilmarnock (Hillhouse) (9)
• Kilspindie
• Kings Links
• Lundin
• Monifieth (Medal)
• Montrose
• Moray (Old)
• Musselburgh Old (9)
• Nairn
• Panmure
• Prestwick St. Nicholas
• Rosehearty (9)
• Royal Troon (Portland)
• Shiskine (12)
• Spey Bay
• Turnberry (Arran) (9)
• West Kilbride
• Wigtownshire County

Wales
• Ashburnham
• Borth & Ynyslas
• Conwy
• Tenby


The Moderns (Faux Links)

These are links courses built (or significantly redesigned) in more recent years. You can decide where they go on the links spectrum.

Republic of Ireland
• Ballybunion (Cashen)
• Ballyliffin (Glashedy)
• Carne (27)
• Doonbeg
• The European Club
• Portmarnock Hotel & Links
• Rosapenna (Sandyhills)
• St. Patrick's
• Tralee

Scotland
• Castle Stuart
• Craigielaw
• Dumbarnie Links
• Dundonald
• Kingsbarns
• The Machrie
• Machrihanish Dunes
• The Renaissance Club
• Skibo Castle
• St. Andrews (Strathtyrum)
• Trump International
• Turnberry (King Robert The Bruce)


The Right Side of the Fence

For the most part these courses display all the characteristics of true links golf but they may have moments which just nudge them down the spectrum.

England
• Alnmouth Village (9)
• Bude & North Cornwall
• Burnham & Berrow (Channel) (9)
• Dunnerholme
• Felixstowe Ferry
• Hartlepool
• Minehead & West Somerset
• Newbiggin
• Trevose (Headland)
• Trevose (Short)
• Warkworth (9)
• Warren Municipal (9)
• Weston Super Mare

Republic of Ireland
• Achill Island
• Arklow
• Buncrana
• County Sligo (Bomore) (9)
• Cruit Island (9)
• Enniscrone (Scurmore) (9)
• Gweedore (14)
• Lahinch Castle
• Rush (9)
• St. Annes
• Seapoint
• Spanish Point (9)

Scotland
• Carnoustie (Burnside)
• Colonsay
• Covesea (9)
• Durness (9)
• Inverallochy
• Irvine
• Kinghorn
• Machrihanish (Pans) (9)
• Monifieth (Ashludie)
• Montrose (Broomfield)
• Moray (New)
• Murcar (Strabathie)
• Nairn Dunbar
• Peterhead
• Portmahomack (9)
• Reay
• Royal Dornoch (Struie)
• St. Andrews (Balgove)
• St. Andrews (Eden)
• Strathlene Buckie
• Tain
• Troon Darley
• Troon Fullarton
• Troon Lochgreen

Wales
• Angelsey
• North Wales
• Prestatyn
• Pyle & Kenfig
• Rhyl
• St. Davids City


Part Links

These courses have some great links holes but are mixed with some non-links holes.

England
• Hesketh
• North Shore (?)
• Seahouses

Northern Ireland
• Portstewart (Old)

Republic of Ireland
• Sutton (9)

Scotland
• Girvan
• Golspie (?)
• Newburgh on Ythan
• Royal Aberdeen (Silverburn)

Wales
• Abersoch
• Cardigan (?)
• Newport Links/Sands (?)
• Porthmadog
• Pwllheli
• Swansea Bay


The Wrong Side of the Fence

In our book these courses are just not 'linksy' enough to make the grade so whilst they are certainly on the links spectrum they are towards the bottom end.

England
• Fairhaven
• Formby Ladies
• Leasowe
• Littlehampton
• Sandilands (closed)
• Silecroft (9)

Northern Ireland
• Bushfoot (9)
• Portstewart (Riverside)

Republic of Ireland
• Bundoran
• Rosslare (Burrow) (12)

Scotland
• Archerfield Links (Direlton)
• Balnagask
• Carnoustie (Buddon)
• Crail (Craighead)
• Cullen
• Hopeman
• Isle of Skye (9)
• Longniddry
• Powfoot
• Scotscraig
• Traigh (9)
• Wick
• Winterfield


More Links? (According to Top 100) - The Jury is Out!

We have our doubts about these but the Top 100 website claim they are links.

England
• Littlestone Warren

Northern Ireland
• Ardglass


Even More Links? (According to Robert Price) - The Jury is Out!

We also have our doubts about these but in his book, Scotland's Golf Courses, Robert Price claims they are links.

Scotland
• Benbecula
• Elie Sports
• Fraserburgh (Rosehill) (?!)
• Gairloch (!!?)
• Isle of Barra (!?)
• Nairn (Cameron) (?!)
• Peterhead (New) (?!)
• Scoonie (!!?)
• Solway Links
• Vaul


NOT LINKS: Considered, Researched & Dismissed as Links - Prove Me Wrong!

We can either rule these out from personal experience or there is simply not enough evidence to suggest they can be placed on the links spectrum. Do let us know if you think to the contrary.

England
• Aldeburgh
• Axe Cliff
• Bamburgh Castle
• Blackpool North Shore
• Bridport & West Dorset
• Caldy
• Carlyon Bay
• Clacton on Sea
• Cooden Beach
• East Devon
• Eyemouth
• Falmouth
• Felixstowe Ferry (Kingsfleet)
• Freshwater Bay
• Frinton (Havers & Kirby)
• Ganton
• Gorleston
• Gosport & Stokes Bay
• Ilfracombe
• Lydd
• Magdalene Fields
• Maryport (! - strong case for being a links)
• Mullion
• Mundesley
• North Foreland
• Royal Cromer
• Southport Municipal
• Southport Old Links
• St. Bees
• St. Enodoc (Holywell)
• Thorpeness
• Thurlestone
• Westgate & Birchington
• Whitstable & Seasalter
• Whitby

Northern Ireland
• Ballycastle (Part?)
• Cairndhu
• Larne

Republic of Ireland
• Connemara Isles
• Cork
• Greencastle
• Kilkee
• Old Head
• Otway
• Wicklow
‍
Scotland
• Anstruther
• Archerfield Links (Fidra)
• Brighouse Bay
• Brodick
• Buckpool
• Bute (Kingarth)
• Carradale
• Craignure
• Eyemouth
• Fairmont St. Andrews (Kittocks)
• Fairmont St. Andrews (Torrance)
• Garmouth & Kingston
• The Glen
• Girvan (Part?)
• Iona
• Isle of Eriska
• Machrie Bay
• Portpatrick (Dunskey)
• Portpatrick (Dinvin)
• Royal Tarlair
• Sanday
• St. Andrews (Castle)
• St. Medan
• Stonehaven
• Stromness
• Tobermory
• Uig Lodge
• Westray
• Whalsay

Wales
• Bull Bay
• Holyhead
• Machynys Peninsula
• Maesdu
• Nefyn
• Southerndown


You can visit the Unique Golf Courses website and tick off how many links courses you have played.