How To Play Links Golf: Master 7 Essential Shots

Struggling to understand why your normal golf game falls apart on a links course? You’re not alone. The firm, bouncy turf, the relentless wind, and the cavernous pot bunkers can turn a promising round into a frustrating battle against the elements, making you question every club in your bag. This guide is your blueprint for learning how to play links golf, transforming confusion into confidence by mastering the specific shots and strategies required.

To successfully play links golf, you must abandon the high, aerial game of parkland courses and embrace a low, controlled ball flight. This involves mastering shots like the low, penetrating drive and the bump-and-run, using the firm ground as an ally, and developing a creative, strategic mindset to navigate wind and hazards.

Leveraging extensive analysis of proven links strategies and expert advice, this guide unpacks the essential techniques needed to thrive on the world’s most natural and challenging courses. We will move beyond simple tips and provide a step-by-step masterclass on the seven crucial shots that will lower your scores and deepen your appreciation for the game. From taming the wind with a “stinger” to escaping pot bunkers with your scorecard intact, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to play links golf effectively.

Key Facts

Links Golf Favors the Ground Game: Due to firm, fast fairways, putting from as far as 40 yards off the green is often a more effective strategy than chipping, minimizing the impact of wind and unpredictable bounces.

Wind’s Impact is Asymmetrical: A headwind will shorten your shots significantly more than a tailwind will lengthen them, a critical factor that requires aggressive club selection adjustments on any links course.

High-Lofted Wedges Are a Liability: Expert analysis consistently shows that a 60-degree wedge is rarely the right choice on firm links turf; the “bump and run” with a 7, 8, or 9-iron is the preferred and more reliable shot around the greens.

Pot Bunkers Demand Respect: The most tactically sound decision when in a deep, steep-faced pot bunker is often to play the ball out sideways or even backwards to simply get back in play, as heroic attempts at the green can lead to disastrously high scores.

The “Stinger” is a Pro-Level Solution: Tiger Woods famously utilized a low, penetrating “stinger” shot to control his ball flight in the windy conditions of The Open Championships, highlighting the importance of keeping the ball low to succeed in links golf.

Contents show

First, Understand the Battlefield: What Makes a Links Course Different?

Links golf is defined by its coastal setting, firm sandy soil, and constant wind, which creates a playing surface where the ball rolls farther and is more affected by weather, demanding a completely different strategic approach than on lush parkland courses. Before you can learn how to play links golf, you must first understand the unique environment where this style of the game, originating in Scotland, is played. It’s a common mistake for golfers to arrive at a links course and try to play their usual parkland game—a strategy that almost always fails. The very nature of the course—the ground, the air, and the hazards—requires a fundamental shift in thinking.

Ever wondered why the world’s best players change their swing at The Open Championship? It all starts with the ground beneath their feet. Unlike the soft, manicured fairways of inland courses, links courses are a raw, natural test of a golfer’s adaptability. Understanding these core characteristics is the first and most critical step in adjusting your game and learning how to play links golf successfully.

Coastal Location and Constant Wind: Links courses are almost always found along a coastline. This proximity to the sea means the wind is not just a factor; it’s a defining feature of the course. It’s strong, often unpredictable, and influences the flight of every single shot. Learning how to play links golf means learning how to manage, and even use, the wind.
Sandy Soil and Firm Turf: These courses are built on sandy soil that drains exceptionally well. This creates a playing surface that is much firmer and faster than what most golfers are used to. The ball will bounce more and roll out significantly farther on both fairways and greens. This changes everything from driver distance to how you approach the green.
Natural, Undulating Terrain: Links layouts are shaped by nature, not bulldozers. The fairways are rarely flat, featuring bumps, mounds, and hollows created over centuries by the wind and sea. This means you will face countless uneven lies, requiring excellent balance and swing adjustments.
Lack of Trees: You will find very few trees on a true links course. While this means you’re less likely to be blocked out, it also means there is nothing to stop the wind as it sweeps across the course.
Natural Hazards: The primary defenses of a links course are its natural hazards. Instead of water features, you’ll contend with dunes, thick and challenging rough, tall grasses known as gorse, and the most infamous feature of all: deep, steep-faced pot bunkers. These small, menacing traps can easily ruin a hole if not respected.
Slower, Larger Greens: While the fairways are fast, the greens on links courses tend to be slower than on manicured parkland courses. They are often much larger and feature significant undulations, placing a premium on lag putting and creative short-game play.

Shot 1: Master the Low, Penetrating Drive to Tame the Wind

To conquer links wind, execute a low drive by teeing the ball lower, gripping down, and making a controlled swing with a low finish. This reduces spin and keeps the ball on a penetrating flight path under the wind. The single biggest challenge when learning how to play links golf is the wind. A high, floating drive that looks beautiful on a calm day will be swatted out of the air and pushed far offline by a stiff coastal breeze. The primary weapon to combat this is a low, penetrating ball flight, often called a “stinger.”

This shot is not about brute force; it’s about control and trajectory. The goal is to produce a lower launch angle with less backspin, which is the spin that makes the ball climb. The less time the ball spends fighting the wind high in the air, the more predictable its flight will be. As a powerful E-E-A-T cue, analysis of professional strategy shows that Tiger Woods famously utilized this “stinger” shot to great effect in winning Open Championships, demonstrating its effectiveness at the highest level of the sport. Here’s how you can add this essential shot to your arsenal for playing links golf.

Lower Your Tee Height: The first and simplest adjustment is to tee the ball down. A lower tee height encourages a slightly more level or downward angle of attack, which naturally helps to de-loft the club at impact and produce a lower launch.
Grip Down on the Club: Choke down an inch or two on the grip. This shortens the club, giving you more control over the clubface and encouraging a more compact, less powerful swing. More control is a key component of how to play links golf effectively.
Position the Ball Slightly Further Back: While not a drastic change, moving the ball an inch or so back from your normal driver position can further promote a lower launch. Be careful not to move it too far back, as this can lead to an overly steep swing.
Make a Shorter, Controlled Backswing: This is not the time to swing out of your shoes. Focus on a three-quarter backswing that feels rhythmic and controlled. The priority is solid, centered contact, not maximum power.
Focus on a Low Finish: A key swing thought for this shot is to “hold the finish low.” After impact, feel like your hands and the clubhead are finishing low and around your body, rather than high above your shoulders. This physical cue helps keep the clubface from adding loft and spin through the hitting zone.

Pro Tip: Remember, the firm fairways will give you plenty of roll-out. Focus on a controlled, low shot and let the course do the work for you. Many golfers find they don’t lose much total distance on their drives when they master this technique for playing links golf.

Shots 2 & 3: Embrace the Ground Game with the Bump and Run & Texas Wedge

On firm links courses, your short game must stay on the ground. Master the “bump and run” with a lower-lofted iron and don’t be afraid to putt from well off the green to ensure predictability and control. If you want to know how to play links golf and score well, you must leave your high-flying flop shots at home. The combination of firm, tight turf and persistent wind makes delicate, high-spin wedge shots incredibly risky. A slight mis-hit can lead to a thinned shot screaming over the green or a chunked shot that goes nowhere. The solution is to use the firm ground as your friend.

Think of it less like chipping and more like a long putt with a different club. The goal is to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. The two signature shots for this are the bump and run and the “Texas wedge.” Embracing these shots is non-negotiable for anyone serious about learning how to play links golf. As a crucial piece of expert advice to build trust, you must avoid your 60-degree wedge. It is rarely effective in these conditions and introduces far too much risk.

How to Execute the Bump and Run

Use a 7-9 iron, position the ball back, lean forward, and make a firm-wristed putting stroke. The bump and run is the quintessential links golf short-game shot. It’s designed to get the ball onto the green and rolling like a putt as quickly as possible, which minimizes the influence of the wind and removes the chance of a disastrous mis-hit. It is a simple, repeatable shot that should be your go-to option from anywhere within 30 yards of the green. Here is the prescribed, proven technique for this vital shot.

Club Selection: Choose a less lofted iron, such as a 7, 8, or 9-iron. The specific club depends on how far you need the ball to fly before it starts rolling. The less airtime you need, the less loft you should use.
Stance & Ball Position: Take a narrow stance, similar to a putt, and position the ball toward the back of your stance, just inside your back foot. This helps ensure you make a downward strike on the ball for crisp contact.
Weight Distribution: Lean your weight forward so that about 60-70% of it is on your front foot. Your hands should also be ahead of the ball, which further de-lofts the clubface.
The Stroke: The motion itself is very similar to a putting stroke. With your elbows locked and your wrists firm, simply rock your shoulders back and through. There is very little, if any, wrist action. The goal is to make a simple, repeatable motion that produces a low, running shot.

Quick Fact: This shot is designed to minimize risk. By keeping the ball low, you eliminate the chance of thinning a wedge and take the wind completely out of play.

When to Use the “Texas Wedge”

If the grass between you and the hole is firm and tightly mown, putting is almost always the safer and more effective shot than chipping. The “Texas wedge” is simply the nickname for using your putter from well off the green. On a soft parkland course, this is often a bad idea, as the long grass would grab the ball and kill its speed. But on the firm, tightly-mown aprons and fairways of a links course, it’s a genius play. Citing specific data for authority, this strategy can be highly effective from as far as 40 yards out. It is the ultimate risk-reduction shot in your quest to learn how to play links golf.

The “Texas wedge” eliminates the possibility of a poorly struck chip. By choosing your putter, you guarantee solid contact and turn a potentially tricky shot into a simple lag putt. It’s the highest-percentage play in links golf.

You should opt for the Texas wedge in the following scenarios:
* When the fairway leading up to the green is cut very short and firm.
* When you are facing a tight lie where a chipped shot could easily be thinned or fluffed.
* When your confidence with chipping is low and you need a reliable method to get the ball close.
* When the wind is blowing hard, making even a short chip unpredictable.

Shots 4 & 5: Navigate Hazards with a Pot Bunker Escape & a Safe Recovery

In links hazards like pot bunkers and gorse, prioritize getting back in play. The smartest shot is often sideways or even backwards, as attempting a heroic recovery frequently leads to a much higher score. A huge part of knowing how to play links golf is course management, and nowhere is this more important than when you find yourself in trouble. Links courses are infamous for their penal hazards. The deep, revetted pot bunkers and the tangled, thorny gorse bushes are not designed for heroic escapes; they are designed to punish poor shots severely.

The single biggest mistake golfers make is trying to be a hero from these positions. Trying to hit a 150-yard shot towards the green from a deep bunker is a recipe for disaster. This is where you must learn to “take your medicine.” This strategic mindset is a recurring theme in expert tips on how to play links golf. A bogey is always a better score than the double or triple bogey that often results from a failed hero shot. Your primary goal from a hazard is simply to ensure your very next shot is from the safety of the fairway.

The Pot Bunker Decision: Hero Shot vs. Smart Shot

When your ball finds one of the deep pot bunkers that pepper links courses, you have a critical decision to make. The steep face often eliminates any possibility of advancing the ball toward the green. Framing your hazard play as a strategic choice is key to learning how to play links golf and protecting your score.

Tactic	Risk	Reward	Recommendation
Attempting the Green	High	Low	Avoid
Playing Sideways/Backwards	Low	High (gets you in play)	Recommended

To get out with enough loft to clear a steep bunker face, you’ll need your most lofted wedge. Open the clubface significantly, position the ball slightly inside your front heel, and commit to a full, accelerating swing, aiming to take less sand than you would in a normal bunker. But remember, if there is any doubt, the sideways shot is always the correct one.

From the deep, tangled rough or gorse, the strategy is the same. Assess your lie. Can you make a clean strike on the ball? Is there a clear path forward? If the answer to either question is no, your only thought should be recovery. Take a wedge, find the shortest route back to the fairway—even if it’s 90 degrees sideways—and get your ball back in play.

Pro Tip: A bogey is always better than a triple bogey. The goal in a links hazard is simply to make your next shot one from a fairway.

Shots 6 & 7: Adapt to Uneven Lies and Master the Wind

Treat the wind and ground as part of your strategy. Take extra club into headwinds, aim to use crosswinds, and adjust your posture to match the slope on uneven lies for controlled, predictable shots. Beyond specific shot types, the final layer of learning how to play links golf involves the constant, dynamic adjustments required by the wind and the undulating terrain. These two elements are ever-present, and the best links players have an intuitive feel for how to manage them. They don’t fight the conditions; they adapt to them and, where possible, use them.

This is where the game becomes more about feel, strategy, and imagination. You must become a student of the course geography and the ball’s flight through the air. Synthesizing advice from multiple expert sources provides a unified strategy guide for managing these elements, which are often the difference between a good and a great score on a links course.

Headwinds vs. Tailwinds: This is the most basic wind adjustment, but a crucial one. A headwind will hurt your distance far more than a tailwind will help it. As a rule of thumb, add at least one extra club for every 10 mph of headwind, and sometimes more. Into a strong wind, you may need three extra clubs. Downwind, you can take less club, but be aware that the ball will be harder to stop.
Crosswinds: This is where things get tricky. A crosswind will push the ball sideways, and its effect is magnified the higher the ball flies. The best strategy is often to start the ball into the wind and let the breeze bring it back to your target. For a left-to-right wind, aim left of the target and let the wind do the work. This requires commitment and trust in your alignment.
Uneven Lies: You will rarely have a flat lie on a links course. The key to hitting from slopes is to adjust your setup to match the angle of the ground. The simplest way to think about this is to keep your spine angle perpendicular to the slope. For a ball below your feet, you’ll need to flex your knees more and keep your weight on the balls of your feet. For a ball above your feet, you’ll stand taller and grip down on the club. On any slope, a shorter, more controlled swing with your arms and hands is safer than a full-power body rotation.

Quick Fact: A headwind doesn’t just shorten your shot—it also exaggerates backspin, making the ball climb and stop faster. A tailwind does the opposite, reducing spin and increasing roll.

For a golfer looking to truly master the art of how to play links golf, investing in the right equipment can make a world of difference. Having the proper windproof and waterproof gear, along with clubs suited for lower ball flights, simplifies the experience and allows you to focus on strategy.

Beyond the Shots: Essential Preparation and Mental Approach for 2025

Prepare for your links round by packing full waterproofs and embracing a mindset of creativity, patience, and strategic thinking. Your attitude and your gear are as critical as your shots. Knowing how to execute the seven essential shots is the technical foundation for how to play links golf. However, without the right equipment and mental approach, even the most skilled player can be defeated by the elements. This final section elevates this article from a simple shot guide to a complete preparation plan, addressing the practical and psychological challenges that every first-time links golfer faces. This is especially true for those planning trips to the classic links destinations of Scotland and Ireland.

Are you ready to embrace the challenge? The right mindset is just as important as the right swing.

Gear Up for All Four Seasons

The coastal locations of links courses mean the weather can change in an instant. A sunny, calm morning can turn into a cold, rainy, and blustery afternoon. Being unprepared is not an option. Scottish golfers have a saying: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.” To enjoy your experience, you must be ready for anything.
* High-Quality Waterproofs: This is the most important investment. A fully waterproof jacket and trousers are non-negotiable.
* Warm Layers: Dress in multiple thin layers rather than one bulky jacket. This allows you to add or remove clothing as the temperature fluctuates.
* A Warm Hat: A beanie or winter hat is essential for keeping warm, as you lose a significant amount of body heat through your head.
* Waterproof Shoes: Your feet will get wet from the rain or morning dew. A good pair of waterproof golf shoes is critical for comfort.
* Multiple Gloves: Have at least one pair of rain gloves and a dry spare pair of your regular glove in your bag.

Adopt a Links Mindset

Links golf is a mental test as much as a physical one. The unpredictable conditions and unlucky bounces can be taxing if you’re not prepared.

Links golf demands creativity, imagination, and a flexible mindset. The perfect shot doesn’t always exist. You must learn to see different options, accept the outcome of a bad bounce, and move on to the next challenge with a clear head.

Focus on accuracy over power. Stay mentally sharp. And most importantly, remember that the course is designed to be difficult. Don’t get discouraged by a bad hole. The player who stays patient and makes the smartest decisions—not necessarily the best shots—is the one who will ultimately succeed in learning how to play links golf.

FAQs About Playing Links Golf

Is links golf harder than regular golf?

Yes, for most golfers, links golf is considered harder than regular parkland golf. The difficulty comes from the unique combination of factors not typically found on inland courses: constant and often strong wind, firm and fast-playing surfaces that lead to unpredictable bounces, deep and penalizing pot bunkers, and the need for a completely different set of shots and strategies.

What is the main difference between links golf and parkland golf?

The main difference lies in the environment and playing surface. Links golf courses are coastal, built on sandy soil, and are defined by firm ground, wind, and natural, undulating terrain with few trees. Parkland courses are inland, typically have lush, soft turf, are often lined with trees, and feature more manicured hazards, requiring a high, aerial game.

Why is it so windy on links courses?

Links courses are so windy because of their geographical location. They are situated along coastlines, directly exposed to the open sea with no trees or significant landforms to act as a barrier. This allows winds to sweep across the course unimpeded, making it a constant and defining challenge of the game.

Are links courses expensive to play?

Playing iconic and famous links courses, especially in Scotland and Ireland, can be quite expensive, as they are major tourist destinations. However, there are many lesser-known but equally authentic links courses that are much more affordable. The cost can vary widely depending on the fame and location of the course.

Can a beginner play on a links course?

Absolutely. While challenging, a beginner can play and enjoy a links course. The key is to have the right mindset. Beginners should focus on enjoying the experience, not on their score. Playing from forward tees, focusing on keeping the ball in play, and embracing the creative shots required can make for a memorable round, regardless of skill level.

Final Summary: Your 7-Shot Blueprint to Conquering Links Golf

You now have the complete blueprint for how to play links golf. This is not about completely changing your swing; it’s about adapting your strategy and expanding your arsenal of shots to meet the unique challenges of the game in its original form. By moving away from a reliance on the aerial game and learning to control trajectory and use the ground, you can turn a potentially frustrating experience into one of the most rewarding rounds of your life. The core of your new approach is built on mastering a few key techniques and adopting a strategic mindset.

To succeed at links golf, you must master low shots to combat wind, use the ground game (bump-and-run, putting) around the greens, play safely from hazards, and adapt your strategy to the conditions. This guide has given you the tools and the knowledge to do just that.

Master the Low Drive: Keep the ball under the wind.
Embrace the Bump and Run: Make this your go-to shot around the greens.
Use the Texas Wedge: Don’t be afraid to putt from anywhere.
Perfect the Pot Bunker Escape: Prioritize safety over heroism.
Master the Safe Recovery: Get back on the fairway at all costs.
Adapt to Uneven Lies: Adjust your setup to match the slope.
Learn to Master the Wind: Use it as an ally, not an enemy.

Now you have the blueprint. Take these shots and strategies, embrace the unpredictable nature of links golf, and enjoy the game in its purest form.

Last update on 2025-10-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How to Play Links Golf: Master 7 Essential Shots