Not all golf courses are created equal. The terrain, the design philosophy, the climate, and even the history behind a course all shape how it plays and feels. A windswept seaside links course offers a completely different experience than a tree-lined parkland course inland, and understanding these differences can help you choose where to play, what to expect, and how to prepare your game.
This guide walks through the main types of golf courses, breaks down how course design varies, answers common questions like what 18 holes of golf is actually called, and explains the origin of one of golf’s most iconic course styles: the links course.
What Is 18 Holes of Golf Called?
Before diving into course types, it helps to clear up some basic terminology. A full round of golf, made up of 18 holes, is simply called a “round.” Courses with only 9 holes are often played twice to complete a round, sometimes referred to as playing “the front nine” and “the back nine” when referring to the first and second halves of an 18-hole course.
There’s no special separate name for the full 18 beyond “a round of golf,” but you’ll often hear golfers refer to the front nine, the back nine, and “the turn,” which is the brief break between finishing hole 9 and starting hole 10.
6 Types of Golf Courses
Golf courses are generally grouped into a handful of recognizable categories based on terrain, design intent, and playing experience. Here are the six main types you’ll come across.
1. Links Courses
Links courses are the oldest style of golf course, originating along the coastlines of Scotland and Ireland. They’re built on sandy, undulating land near the sea, typically with few trees, deep bunkers, and firm, fast-running fairways shaped by wind and weather rather than heavy machinery.
2. Parkland Courses
Parkland courses are what most golfers picture when they think of a “classic” golf course: lush green fairways, mature trees lining each hole, and a manicured, park-like setting. These courses are usually built inland, often on former estates or parkland, and tend to play softer and more sheltered than links courses.
3. Desert Courses
Desert courses are built in arid climates, often featuring dramatic contrast between lush green fairways and surrounding natural desert terrain, rock formations, and cacti. These courses rely heavily on irrigation and are common in regions like Arizona and the Middle East.
4. Mountain Courses
Carved into elevated, often dramatic terrain, mountain courses feature significant elevation changes, scenic backdrops, and tighter, more strategic fairways shaped by the natural slope of the land. Altitude can also affect golf ball flight, adding another layer of strategy.
5. Heathland Courses
Heathland courses sit on sandy, well-draining soil similar to links courses, but are located inland and often feature heather, gorse, and pine trees instead of coastal dunes. They combine some of the firm, fast playing characteristics of links golf with a more wooded, inland setting.
6. Resort Courses
Designed primarily with the golfing tourist in mind, resort courses prioritize scenery, playability, and an enjoyable overall experience, often featuring wide fairways, dramatic water features, and forgiving design alongside upscale amenities and accommodations.
Why Is It Called a Links Golf Course?
The word “links” actually predates golf itself. It comes from the Scottish term for the rugged, undulating land that “links” or connects the sea to more fertile, arable land further inland. This sandy, grassy terrain was largely unsuitable for farming, which made it freely available for early Scottish golfers to play on starting in the 15th century.
Because the term originally described the land itself rather than the sport played on it, a true links course must occupy this specific coastal, dune-based terrain. Today, the term is sometimes used loosely to describe any course with an open, treeless layout, but purists reserve “links” for courses that genuinely sit on this historic coastal land.
Types of Golf Course Design
Beyond the natural terrain a course is built on, golf course design also varies based on the design philosophy and strategic approach used by the architect. Here are some of the most common design styles you’ll encounter.
Strategic design rewards thoughtful shot placement over raw power, offering multiple routes to the green and asking golfers to weigh risk against reward on nearly every hole.
Penal design punishes poor shots severely, typically through tight fairways, deep bunkers, and unforgiving rough, leaving little room for error.
Heroic design blends strategic and penal styles. It often offers a high-risk, high-reward shot, like cutting across a hazard, for a better position.
Minimalist design works with the natural landscape. It shapes the course around existing land features instead of heavy machinery.
Stadium design, pioneered by Pete Dye, builds elevated mounding around fairways and greens for easy spectator viewing. It’s common on professional tournament courses.
Types of Golf Courses in the World
Golf course styles also vary by region, shaped by local climate, geography, and golfing tradition.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, true links courses dominate coastal regions, while heathland courses are common further inland around cities like London.
Parkland courses are the most widespread style, though desert courses are iconic across the Southwest and mountain in the United States. Courses are common in states with significant elevation like Colorado and Utah.
In the Middle East, particularly the UAE, desert courses dominate, often featuring striking contrast between irrigated greens and surrounding arid landscape.
Sandbelt courses near Melbourne are world-renowned for their firm, fast-playing characteristics similar to links golf, despite not sitting directly on the coast, in Australia.
In Asia, particularly Japan and parts of Southeast Asia, mountain and resort-style courses are common, often built into hillside terrain with dramatic elevation changes.
Final Thoughts
Knowing the different types of golf courses helps you know what to expect before you tee off. Course terrain shapes how the ball rolls and which clubs you’ll need. Design philosophy shapes the risk and strategy of each hole.
Whether you’re planning a golf trip or just want to understand the game better, knowing your links from your parkland makes every round more interesting.