If you think of how many thousands of golf courses there are around the world, it demonstrates just how special and unique the select few hundred that can be considered a links truly are.
Mostly located within the UK and Ireland, golfers travel from all corners of the planet to experience this purest form of the game, where the elements define the challenge.
Consequently, due to demand, it has made these layouts often expensive to play, but there are bargains out there if you know where to look.
When people are asked to name a links, you'll likely hear responses that encompass Open Championship venues like St Andrews, Royal Birkdale and Royal Portrush, or those other most famous locations across these islands such as Ballybunion, Royal County Down, Royal Dornoch, North Berwick and Royal Porthcawl. Their reputations speak for themselves.
But we wanted to uncover places that were a little different, turning our attention to the Golfshake Community on Facebook who were tasked to identify the best "hidden gem" links that they had played.
Now, it's debatable whether hidden gems can even exist these days in the world of social media, and certainly many of the destinations they recommended to us are far away from being considered anything like a hidden gem.
That said, they are worth sharing with you, as the most popular suggestions cover a wide variety of jewels, all of which deliver a links experience that you will love.
Here are the links golf courses that other golfers think you should play.
Silloth-on-Solway Golf Club
Location: Wigton, Cumbria
Golfshake Rating: 4.9
Review Comment: "Wonderful layout, great condition and great test. Friendly staff."
Carne Golf Links
Location: Belmullet, County Mayo
Golfshake Rating: 4.9
Review Comment: "The dunes and the entire 27 holes are incredible, the hospitality second to none."
Southerness Golf Club
Location: Southerness, Dumfries & Galloway
Golfshake Rating: 4.6
Review Comment: "Super course and a real coastal treat. A flat (ish) links which meanders away from the coast for first few holes (around a cow field) but then routes back to a fabulous 12th hole which has one of the best views you will ever encounter. A tough finish if the wind is coming off the Solway coast from 14-17 especially with the more accessible par 5 18th back to the clubhouse providing a little reward for resilience on the back 9. Go and enjoy it like we did on a calm July evening."
Goswick Links Golf Club
Location: Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland
Golfshake Rating: 4.3
Review Comment: "Natural links layout. Proper test. Not stuffy. Reasonably priced. Friendly."
Lundin Golf Club
Location: Lundin Links, Fife
Golfshake Rating: 4.7
Review Comment: "What an absolutely incredible links golf course. Views are stunning, holes are well laid out, and a fantastic mix of par 4s, 5s and tricky par 3s. Condition of course was superb, greens were excellent. Just a delight to play."
Panmure Golf Club
Location: Barry, Angus
Golfshake Rating: 4.9
Review Comment: "History comes to life. An old course where Ben Hogan practiced before the 1953 Open. The sixth hole has a story all its own. Very courteous staff. Caddie was knowledgeable and friendly."
Seaton Carew Golf Club
Location: Seaton Carew, County Durham
Golfshake Rating: 4.3
Review Comment: "Amazingly playable for time of year. Classic links golf, superb greens, great layout."
Corballis Golf Links
Location: Donabate, County Dublin
Golfshake Rating: 4.1
Review Comment: "Really enjoyed the course! Fantastic price for the quality of the course. The course has a great blend of trickiness which will only help you improve your golf game."
Covesea Links
Location: Lossiemouth, Moray
Golfshake Rating: 4.4
Review Comment: "A real gem. This is like the secret garden of courses. You head off down an unremarkable path which opens into the absolute gem that is Covesea. The welcome is the best. The lady is so friendly and helpful. There are head covers, ball markers, etc, for sale. You can hire clubs and trolleys too. The holes all have something to offer and are being improved season on season. The greens were in fabulous condition when we went in August. My favourite holes are driving over a mound (mountain!) and driving through two, let's call them cliffs! Fun and challenging. It’s a wonderful atmosphere and if the golf is bad or you’ve run out of balls in the gorse (which is brutal!) you can enjoy the wonderful sea views or watch the RAF planes. Can’t wait to get back."
Cullen Links Golf Club
Location: Cullen, Moray
Golfshake Rating: 4.4
Review Comment: "Extremely scenic links course, the shortest true links in the world, with several extremely testing holes amongst the many par 3s. Definitely a must play especially as all the staff are so helpful and friendly, enjoy!"
Dooks Golf Club
Location: Glenbeigh, County Kerry
Golfshake Rating: 4.6
Review Comment: "Real traditional links course - weather was kind and wind was low so the conditions were kind. Friendly staff and pace of play was good. Will return."
Hayling Golf Club
Location: Hayling Island, Hampshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.6
Review Comment: "This is a proper links test, a beautifully kept course too with fantastic clubhouse and friendly staff. It's amazing value for what is one of the best links courses in the south - well worth the day trip from London when you compare the quality of the experience here. I rate it up with Rye and Royal Cinque Ports - but it's much cheaper and easier to play than either."
Kilspindie Golf Club
Location: Aberlady, East Lothian
Golfshake Rating: 4.3
Review Comment: "Kilspindie is a diamond in a gem-studded line of courses on the East Lothian coast. Me and my sons and son in law have an annual trip to the Scottish Open, preceded by two rounds for ourselves. We played Gullane 3 in the rain on Tuesday, but Kilspindie the next day was fabulous and not just because it stayed dry. A friendly welcome in the pro shop and the bar, followed by a superbly conditioned course with stunning views of the Firth of Forth. Greens, fairways, bunkers and even rough are all in mint condition. We will definitely be back next year. Highly recommended."
Seacroft Golf Club
Location: Skegness, Lincolnshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.3
Review Comment: "Brilliant seaside links course. The course is in fantastic condition having had many years of improvements. The fairways are beautifully maintained due to an irrigation system and greens are outstanding. The clubhouse is beautiful and catering services are the best in the county. It’s great value for money and well worth a visit."
Shiskine Golf And Tennis Club
Location: Blackwaterfoot, Isle of Arran
Golfshake Rating: 4.4
Review Comment: "Top 100 course worldwide, quirky, friendly and in excellent condition at a very reasonable price. Stunning location and views."
The Machrie
Location: Port Ellen, Isle of Islay
Golfshake Rating: 4.9
Review Comment: "The setting, the scenery, the quality of the course, the condition, the design. Just an overall fantastic experience."
Ardglass Golf Club
Location: Ardglass, County Down
Golfshake Rating: 4.2
Review Comment: "Ardglass was a great experience. The pro shop was very welcoming and helpful, caddies are available if you want one but we didn't find it necessary after purchasing the course guide. The course is typical links, punishing if you are not straight, the odd unlucky bounce and lost ball if you are too wide. Every aspect of the course was in excellent condition."
Dumbarnie Links
Location: Upper Largo, Fife
Golfshake Rating: 4.9
Review Comment: "Absolutely stunning golf course. In incredible condition. A few risk and reward holes and an overall fair test of golf but very playable, the views are absolutely out of this world."
Dunstanburgh Castle Golf Club
Location: Alnwick, Northumberland
Golfshake Rating: 4.4
Review Comment: "One of my favourite courses. Stunning location on the Northumberland coast. The course was in amazing condition with perfect greens as always."
Irvine Golf Club
Location: Bogside, Ayrshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.5
Review Comment: "Course in excellent condition for April and the greens were rolling pretty well. Good food and a warm welcome in the clubhouse - well worth playing this course."
Leven Links
Location: Leven, Fife
Golfshake Rating: 4.0
Review Comment: "Incredible links course immaculately prepared with equal challenge and opportunity. A tough course as a new player to it with some blind shots. Very friendly people."
Machrihanish Golf Club
Location: Machrihanish, Argyll & Bute
Golfshake Rating: 4.7
Review Comment: "Fabulous course in great surroundings. A fast, testing layout, especially in the wind. Tight fairways and slick greens. Stay on the fairway to avoid disappointment!"
Donegal Golf Club
Location: Murvagh, County Donegal
Golfshake Rating: 4.3
Review Comment: "Challenging links course and the greens were fabulous."
Seascale Golf Club
Location: Seascale, Cumbria
Golfshake Rating: 4.5
Review Comment: "Greens and course in great condition. Fair test of skill, especially in the wind, which can catch you out over or under clubbing. Definitely play here again."
Spey Bay Golf Club
Location: Spey Bay, Moray
Golfshake Rating: 4.0
Review Comment: "The true appreciation of a golf course should only be judged on the experience of your journey from the 1st tee to the 18th green and with all due respect, the rest is just cake decoration. In Spey Bay’s case this is a wonderful journey. The undulating firm fescue fairways with gorse and heather in abundance and views over the Moray Firth, all play their part in this 'sleeping beauty' of a classic natural links."
Wallasey Golf Club
Location: Wallasey, Merseyside
Golfshake Rating: 4.6
Review Comment: "Amazing golf course from tee to green, one of the best on Merseyside."
Western Gailes Golf Club
Location: Irvine, Ayrshire
Golfshake Rating: 4.9
Review Comment: "Western Gailes is a brilliant design and the setting alongside the Firth of Clyde is better than advertised! Any excursion to Scotland for golf needs to include a trek to the west coast of Scotland, where you'll find Western Gailes awaiting your arrival!"
Which of these recommended links courses are you most keen to play? Any of them would be an unforgettable tee time, an opportunity that you will fondly recall with relish, because there truly is nothing else quite like playing golf on the seaside.
