Golf courses

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Blue Sow - 01 Jan 2007 18:25 GMT

I am occasionally confronted by phrases such as 'there are three links courses
nearby'.

I am not a golfer - is there some other kind of golf course?
If so, what are they called?
If not, why mention that a course is a 'links course'?

Any help appreciated as my dictionaries seem to think as I do - no difference.

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Blue Sow

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Peter Duncanson - 01 Jan 2007 19:48 GMT

>I am occasionally confronted by phrases such as 'there are three links courses
>nearby'.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
>Any help appreciated as my dictionaries seem to think as I do - no difference.

I am not a golfer, but I have met this usage of "links".

Here is the origin of the word "links"
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=links

links
"undulating sandy ground," 1728, from Scottish/Northumbrian
link "sandy, rolling ground near seashore," from O.E. hlinc
"rising ground, ridge;" perhaps from the same P.Gmc. root as
lean (v.); cf. O.E. hlinan "to lean." This type of landscape in
Scotland was where golf first was played; the word has been part
of the names of golf courses since at least 1728.

In Britain and Ireland "links course" means a course that is on
sandy ground near the seashore.

However, the phrase "golf links" is often used used to mean the same
as "golf course": which can be inland or at the seashore.

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Peter Duncanson, UK
(in uk.culture.language.english)

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Blue Sow - 01 Jan 2007 23:51 GMT

>> I am occasionally confronted by phrases such as 'there are three links courses
>> nearby'.
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> However, the phrase "golf links" is often used used to mean the same
> as "golf course": which can be inland or at the seashore.

Much appreciated. Thank you.

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Blue Sow

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Discussion Groups / British English / January 2007

Golf courses