LINKS75 continues its tour of the Channel Islands. Already at the entrance we are greeted by loads of Christmas baubles, Santa Clauses and a heavily decorating ladies’ committee. As usual we are advised to use the yellow markers initially at the traditionally dug-up December tees. The 2nd has a winter tee and can be reached with a proper driver – LINKS75 just ends up in the gorse. The first nine are adorned with corridors of gorse and we lose balls in droves. Two full-time ball retrievers work through the gorse during the day and their hard work can be seen in the local shop. Already at the 5th we sink a Guernsey-birdie – newly sodded bunkers create links joy and we ley out the railway.

New bunkers, 5th Royal Gurnsey

Even the second nine begins with birdie and a multitude of Martello Towers – the local celebrity from Felixstowe. On the 13th a wonderful apparition appears before us – quite simply in the true spirit of LINKS75. The 14th is a great par 5 up into an accelerating landscape. The 15th is adorable and a hole worthy of  a round – par 4, sea to the right, a rolling fairway, and two Martello Towers to hit over – LINKS75 class. MrJ wins 4 and 2.

Martello towers at 15th, Royal Gurnsey

The 17th rises to a conclusive finish and the finale a par3. The 18th is made for a hole in one. A classy, champagne of a finish which takes us back to Father Christmas.

We only need to report to the shop. Just like in the good old days we don’t have to book a time – just step up to the 1st tee and play! We are on England’s south-east coast. More accurately we are near the harbour town of Felixstowe, where all the ferries from Germany, Holland and Denmark disembark. In a clubhouse with authentic links atmosphere we feel moved – the course is England’s fifth oldest. The 1st tee is squeezed in between the 12th and 18th greens with a view over the course’s landmark – a fortress or the so-called  Martello  Tower – which forms the course’s midpoint. A highway seperates  the holes, 10 in marshland and 8 in linksland. The jitters from Borth and Ynyslas arise to the surface yet again. Yellow fairways and wind from the North Sea create expectation. We start the marshland stretch of holes. One half of LINKS75 raises its game to a new level, chipping and putting like a pro – 5 birdies after 11 holes. The 11th has an unforgettable bunker that is perfectly aligned with the highway crossing the course. A blissfully ignorant golfer can at any time be run over by the roadside by anyone on two wheels.

“Road bunker” at Felixstowe Ferry

The 12th is a hole that must be experienced. A short par 3 – 137 yards -  across the road to a waiting green below the clubhouse. Between the tee and the road is a strong net to protect the traffic that zooms round a blind corner ahead of the hole – an obstacle we have never seen before. From the state of the net it would seem that many balls have ended up in it. A man-made obstacle – an integral part of the course or just something to amuse? Like a jetty from the marshland to real links, the course changes character and some real links gems swirl around the Martello Tower form the 13th to the 17th holes like a well-coordinated Viennese waltz. The 13th is a wonderful par 4 with Martello behind, the North Sea to the right and a fairway dip that leads to an elevated, undulating green. Links75 class. Mr J wins 7 and 6. The 14th and 15th continue in the same vein.

Felixtstowe Ferry, 16th & 14th green

The 16th is a very good par 3 – 201 yards – followed by the 17th, a par4 at 441 yards, which completes a finishing climax around Martello’s heavy torso. The slope up to the 18th feels easy and we cast a last awestruck look at the Net at the 16th before we sign off our cards.