Golf Course Architecture and Design

While no two courses are alike, many can be classified into one of the following broad categories:

Links Courses

The most traditional type of golf course, of which some century-old examples have survived in the British isles. Located in coastal areas, on sandy soil, often amid dunes, with few water hazards and few, if any trees. Traditional links courses, such as The Old Course at St. Andrews, are built on "land reclaimed from the sea," that is, land that was once underwater.

Parkland Courses

Typical inland courses, often resembling traditional British parks, with lawn-like fairways and many trees.

Heathland

A more open, less-manicured inland course often featuring gorse and heather and typically less wooded than parkland courses. Examples include Woodhall Spa in England and Gleneagles in Scotland.

Desert Courses

A rather recent invention, popular in Australia, parts of the USA and in the Middle East. Desert courses require heavy irrigation for maintenance of the turf, leading to concerns about the ecological consequences of excessive water consumption. A desert course also violates the widely accepted principle of golf course architecture that an aesthetically pleasing course should require minimal alteration of the existing landscape. Nevertheless, many players enjoy the unique experience of playing golf in the desert.

Sand Course

Instead of a heavily irrigated green, the players play on sand.

Snow Courses

Another rather recent invention; golf being played on snow, typically with an orange coloured or another brightly coloured ball. Can be played in Arctic or subarctic regions during winter.