The ABC of Golf Courses: Types and Examples

As an avid gold player and enthusiast, what is one of the most important things you should know? Of course, the types of golf courses. Believe it or not, but there are five main types of them found in the US. The more you know, the better you will be able to organize your golfing time. The course that you would choose more wisely after reading this article will also give you the memories and experiences you want.

1. Parkland

The name is self-explanatory. These types of golf courses give you the feeling that you are playing in a park. They are usually built away from the coastline or the ocean. They feature a lot of grass, trees, and alleys. The park gets heavily manufactured based on the designs of a course architect. Parklands are mainly built in areas where the natural conditions don’t suffice for having a golf course without human intervention. The best example of parkland is Augusta National. 

2. Links

Although this has become a household name to call the golf courses, one crucial element defines the links. That is the sandy soil underneath. The links course is usually situated near the coastline and features natural fairways and hills. In the past, this type of area wasn’t used either in agriculture or belonged to any manufacturing use. Hence, people, first in Scotland, decided to use it for a game that is called golf today. The most famous example in the US is Pebble Beach which hosts PGA events every year. 

3. Stadium 

Known as championship courses, stadiums are specifically built and designed to organize tournaments and other golf-related events.  These courses always feature places for spectators, and stadium architects also think about correctly managing their flow. Sometimes, as in the case of TPC Sawgrass, those bleachers and the golfing area can resemble a theatre. Usually, championship courses have no more than 18 holes which can host both big and small tournaments. 

4. Par-3 Course

The par is the value each hole is given based on how many shots it takes to score. If the value is 3, it means that you are given 3 attempts. Hence, if you are a beginner in golf, par-3 courses are the ones you should start with because of the ease. For this reason, par-3 courses can be mainly found in entertainment areas. They make for an excellent choice for kids, amateurs, or the elderly to play. Par-3 courses require less land; they are cheaper to create and environmentally friendly to maintain. One of the most beautiful examples in the US is the lovely Palm Beach Par-3.

5. Desert Golf Course

You heard that right. People wanted to play golf in a place where nothing grows, and their desire came true. This type of golf course is built in a natural desert in burning sand. It looks like an oasis with one green spot in the middle of miles of inhabited land. Usually, a golf course appears here because people want to make use of that land. In the US, desert golf courses are mainly situated in the southwestern part of the country. Of course, it is possible that they could feature synthetic golf turf, like putting green or teeing ground or turf for artificial fairways. The Saguaro course at We-Ko-Pa, Arizona, is one of the most famous examples of this category.