Just like in C.S.Lewis’ book – “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” – LINKS75 follows in Lucy’s footsteps and goes through a gateway after the 3rd green and is met by golf’s answer to Narnia. Outside the high wall there are 14 links holes – 7 away and 7 home - laid out between the wall and the sea. Inside the wall are the clubhouse and a waiting Belhaven Black. Outside the ground between the sea and land – links landscape – consists of sunburnt grass and hard fairways. We venture out and let the course, which two weeks ago was host for the Final Local Qualification, take us on a journey outside the wall. The 4th – a par 4 – with fairway like concrete, and wind at our backs, allows our hybrids to do the talking and we survive without the beach edge taking our white gold. The 6th has a burn running in front of the green and the wall all the way along the right. We underestimate the distance and have to fish out our white gold. On the 7th tee – par 4 – there is a pin placement meter, the wall curves away after 200 yards and we manage to hit over the curve. The green slopes towards the next tee, with a big mound in front. Wonderful – links75 class – and celebrated with a birdie.
Pin position at No7, Dunbar
The 9th – a par 5 – consists of concrete class1 and the wind takes our balls on a never-ending journey. A large mound stands between the tee shot and the green. We manage to get there in 2 and once again make birdie. After the 10th the course turns. Suddenly it gets chillier, the wind is in our faces – Is this the White Witch? The 11th and 12th are two par 4s that set the benchmark. LINKS75 is admonished for its disrespectful earlier birdie putts. On the 13th we turn with a tailwind, a real bonus like winning the jackpot. We use the neighbouring fairway and rough in order to once again attack a bathtub green. The 14th has an elevated tee overlooking the sea and a slight dogleg towards the houses behind the 4th and 14th greens. We search for the cut fairways from hole to hole but there seems to be no difference between the cut and uncut. The green is hand-watered by yet another network of member’s garden hoses. On the 15th – half of LINKS75′s white gold is seized by the White Witch on the beach while the other half lands in position for birdie next to the flag in the cup. On the 16th - a par 3 – the cold makes itself felt with the strong side wind and fear of the wall resurfaces- commit to the shot! We go towards the 17th tee, change to harder balls because soon we must return to reality away from linksland.
Leaving Narnia!
We will soon be back in August to once again visit Narnia – links land. We raise our hands to the skies – DE-LIGHT!
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