Life Lessons You Can Learn Playing Links Golf

I have spent 35 years playing golf in Ireland, and most of that time playing links golf. In particular, my home course is the Corballis links course just outside Dublin city. You probably will not have heard of it as it is not a championship course or normally targeted by the golfing tour packages.

As with many of my rounds of golf I try to focus in on the key skills needed to play a course well and by playing the Corballis links I discovered the following golf tips. If they start to sound like 'life lessons', well you are absolutely right. A good round of golf gives you plenty of time to ponder such things!

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, so roll with it

I've lost count of the times I have visualized a shot and executed it perfectly only to watch it land in the centre of a fairway and hit some undulation that ricochets it off into the rough. Sometimes, that is just the way things go so it's best to accept it and play the next shot you're given. Don't ever put it down to bad luck. It's just the nature of how things are.

When things get turbulent its best to stay low

Many a 'parkland' golfer has suffered the fate of playing a links course on a gusty day for the first time. You may as well leave the wedges at home as all shots into the green need to be kept low (or drilled low) so the sea-breeze doesn't take it away. One grand ole timer I was teamed with one day used a putter from 50 yards off the green and got to within two strides of the hole. The only exception is if the wind is on your back in which case aim high and ride the breeze in.

Forward planning beats brute force every time

If you see an older (and presumably wiser) golfer take an iron off the tee on a long par-4 then follow their lead. Don't feel the need blast a long drive when the canny shot is to play for position so that your next shot has a better chance.

Having things tough for a while makes the good times seem even better

I still get a kick out of playing the undulating and narrow fairways of links golf, its glassy greens and being thrown about by the gusting sea breezes. And when I do play a parkland course of wide fairways, level greens and faint breezes, I find these courses easier to play with even my poor shots finding lucky lies. But don't take my word for it: Bernhard Langer used to practice at Corballis before playing the Irish Open at the prestigious Portmarnock links course so there has to be some value in being challenged to raise your game.

I have spent 35 years playing golf in Ireland, and most of that time playing links golf. In particular, my home course is the Corballis links course just outside Dublin city. You probably will not have heard of it as it is not a championship course or normally targeted by the golfing tour packages.

As with many of my rounds of golf I try to focus in on the key skills needed to play a course well and by playing the Corballis links I discovered the following golf tips. If they start to sound like 'life lessons', well you are absolutely right. A good round of golf gives you plenty of time to ponder such things!

Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, so roll with it

I've lost count of the times I have visualized a shot and executed it perfectly only to watch it land in the centre of a fairway and hit some undulation that ricochets it off into the rough. Sometimes, that is just the way things go so it's best to accept it and play the next shot you're given. Don't ever put it down to bad luck. It's just the nature of how things are.

When things get turbulent its best to stay low

Many a 'parkland' golfer has suffered the fate of playing a links course on a gusty day for the first time. You may as well leave the wedges at home as all shots into the green need to be kept low (or drilled low) so the sea-breeze doesn't take it away. One grand ole timer I was teamed with one day used a putter from 50 yards off the green and got to within two strides of the hole. The only exception is if the wind is on your back in which case aim high and ride the breeze in.

Forward planning beats brute force every time

If you see an older (and presumably wiser) golfer take an iron off the tee on a long par-4 then follow their lead. Don't feel the need blast a long drive when the canny shot is to play for position so that your next shot has a better chance.

Having things tough for a while makes the good times seem even better

I still get a kick out of playing the undulating and narrow fairways of links golf, its glassy greens and being thrown about by the gusting sea breezes. And when I do play a parkland course of wide fairways, level greens and faint breezes, I find these courses easier to play with even my poor shots finding lucky lies. But don't take my word for it: Bernhard Langer used to practice at Corballis before playing the Irish Open at the prestigious Portmarnock links course so there has to be some value in being challenged to raise your game.