Over 500 years ago, golf's humble beginnings arose on a spit of sandy windswept dunes between the North Sea and the fertile farmlands near the Town of St. Andrews. The land upon which the game began has been described as Linksland -- meaning the link between the sea and the farmland or some believe, the link between the sea and the town. Throughout the British isles, links golf is played on similar landscapes.
大約500年前，高爾夫起始沙風呼嘯的沙丘上面，其位于北海和圣安德魯斯鎮附件的富饒農場之間。這項運動開始的場地被稱之為林克斯場地---意思就是說連接大海與農場的區域；有些人認為是連接大海與小鎮的區域。沿著英格蘭的海邊，林克斯高爾夫都有著相類似的景觀。

Many golfers use "links" and "golf course" interchangeably. But the term "links" is actually a specific type of golf course. A true traditional links course has the following geographic characteristics:
許多球手都將“林克斯”與“高爾夫球場互換”。但實際上，林克斯實際上是高爾夫球場的一種特定類型。一個真正的林克斯球場有著以下地理特征：
A links course is built along a major body of water
林克斯球場的建造沿著巨大的水域
A links course usually has very few trees, if any.
林克斯球場一般很好有樹，幾乎沒有
A links course resides on sandy soil that drains easily.
林克斯球場位于排水良好的沙質土地上面
A links course has a natural open layout where the native landscape and the weather (wind/rain) play a huge factor
林克斯球場風格自然，帶有自然的景觀，天氣有著很大的影響
A links course features ground contours that provide remarkable inherent undulations and slopes in the fairways and greens
林克斯球場的地形是一特色，其在球道和果嶺上面提供明顯的起伏坡度
A links course rarely has any internal water bodies
林克斯球場很少有內部水源
A links course’s rough areas feature pure seaside grasses
林克斯球場的高草區特色是純的海邊草
 
According to the PGA Professionals’ Guide to Travel, “The Classic Links golf courses of Scotland, Ireland and England all share similar settings: hard by the sea, buffeted by breeze and built along the firm, fast ground and dunes that link the ocean to land.”
根據PGA專業旅行指導所述，“蘇格蘭、愛爾蘭、英格蘭傳統的林克斯球場都有以下共同特點：有著生硬的海邊，迎著微風，建造在又硬又快的地上，沙丘連接著大洋與內陸”

Some examples of traditional links courses include: 
一些傳統的林克斯球場如下：
St. Andrews Old Course
圣安德魯斯老球場
Royal Troon Golf Club 
皇家特倫高爾夫俱樂部
Royal Dornoch Golf Club
皇家多爾諾奇高爾夫俱樂部
Carnoustie Golf Links
卡諾斯帝林克斯高爾夫
Ballybunion Old Course
巴里巴寧老球場
Turnberry Ailsa Course
坦伯麗 艾麗薩球場