noun
Very common
links
lihngks
Links (noun) means a golf course, especially one built on grassy dunes near the sea. Example: “My uncle plays at the seaside links every summer weekend.”
noun
1
A golf course, especially one built on grassy dunes near the sea.
"My uncle plays at the seaside links every summer weekend."
"The wind is fierce on the links, so bring a warm jacket."
"They played a round on the famous Scottish links."
"All over the country, links are scattered — club links, public links, and private links — and every year the number grows."
— Walter Hines Page, The World’s Work (1920)
"A links is best when it’s really firm and when the wind is really up."
— Lorne Rubenstein, A Season in Dornoch: Golf and Life in the Scottish Highlands (2003)
"The links are the property of the town, the Courses being under the management of a joint committee representing the R. & A. Golf Club and the City."
— Litellus Russell Muirhead, Scotland (1967)
How to use links
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA seaside golf course, traditionally built on sandy, rolling ground.
Common pairings
a links course
play the links
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Word forms
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My uncle plays at the seaside _____ every summer weekend.
Etymology
From Scots links, "sandy, rolling ground near the seashore," from Old English hlincas ("hills, rising ground").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for links
See all rhymes for links →Frequently asked questions
What does “links” mean?
The word “links” means a golf course, especially one built on grassy dunes near the sea. In plain terms, a seaside golf course, traditionally built on sandy, rolling ground.
How do you pronounce “links”?
“Links” is pronounced lihngks (/lɪŋks/ in IPA).
How do you use “links” in a sentence?
Here is “links” used in a sentence: “They played a round on the famous Scottish links.”
What part of speech is “links”?
“Links” is a noun.
Where does the word “links” come from?
The word “links” comes from Old English. From Scots links, "sandy, rolling ground near the seashore," from Old English hlincas ("hills, rising ground").
Is “links” a common word?
“Links” is a very common word in modern English.
What is the difference between links and a golf course?
All links are golf courses, but not every golf course is a links. "Links" refers specifically to a seaside course laid out on sandy, dune-covered coastal land, with firm turf, few trees, and natural undulations. Inland or parkland courses, though also golf courses, are not true links.
Why is a golf course called links?
The word comes from the Old English "hlinc," meaning rising ground or ridge. It described the sandy, grassy coastal dunes — unsuitable for farming but ideal for golf — where the game first developed in Scotland. These stretches of linksland gave the courses built on them their name.
What is an example of a links course?
The Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland is the most famous links, regarded as the home of golf. Other renowned examples include Royal Troon, Carnoustie, and Ballybunion in Ireland. Many Open Championship venues are traditional seaside links laid out along the coast.
Is links singular or plural?
Although it ends in "s," "links" in the golfing sense behaves as a single place — you play "a links" or "the links." It is unrelated to the plural of "link." This unusual grammar reflects its origin as a collective term for coastal dune land.
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