Learn from Charley Hull’s epic 9 on a par-5. Understand the brutal reality of links golf, bad bounces, and the patience needed to survive the toughest courses.

So, you think you’ve got golf figured out? You’ve practiced your swing, you’ve got your favorite driver, you can even make a few putts. Then you step onto a links course. And suddenly, golf decides to remind you who’s boss. We’re talking about the kind of golf where a simple birdie putt can turn into a full-blown car crash. Ask Charley Hull. She knows. She’s lived it. And it’s not pretty.

Links golf. It’s a whole different beast. It’s where the wind is your constant companion, the bounces are as predictable as a toddler’s mood, and patience isn’t just a virtue; it’s your only hope of survival. You can’t just muscle your way through this. You need a different kind of game. A game that accepts the chaos. Because trust me, there’s a lot of chaos.

Charley Hull herself laid it out pretty clearly. She’s getting more comfortable with it, which is good, because you have to. She talked about the British Open, right? How it’s got all these different elements, and how there are always different kinds of winners. That’s a polite way of saying it’s pure madness sometimes. There’s a bit of luck involved, sure. But mostly, it’s about having the patience of a saint. You’re going to get bad bounces. You’re going to hit shots that make absolutely no sense. Funky shots? Yeah, they’re on the menu.

The key? You just have to accept them. Deal with it. Don’t let it fester. Forget about it and move on. Sounds easy, right? It’s not. Not when you’re standing there, looking at the mess you just made, and you know you’ve got to do it all over again.

The Day the Birdie Putt Died

So, picture this. It’s the first round of the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open. Dundonald Links. A par-5, 521 yards. Charley Hull is putting for birdie. Fifteen feet. Left-to-right downhill. Seems straightforward enough for a pro, right? Wrong. This putt… it just slid right. Past the hole. But it didn’t stop. Oh no. It kept going. It looked like it lost all momentum, then, like it had a mind of its own, it picked back up and rolled right off the green. Down a slope. Gone. Just like that. Her playing partner, Nelly Korda, had a similar thing happen with a chip earlier. The announcer on TV, Richard Kaufman, he said, “That could be de-greened.” Couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t have either.

Now, you’d think that’s the worst of it. Ha! You’re new here, aren’t you? This is links golf. It’s just getting started.

The Chip That Wouldn’t Quit

So, Hull’s ball is off the green. She’s got about a 30-yard chip back up the green. Playing for par. Korda’s chip earlier had gone about eight feet past. Hull’s? It came up short. And then, you guessed it, it rolled back down to her feet. Back where she started. The announcer’s losing it. “Well, this is turning into a nightmare,” he says. Nightmare? Buddy, we’re just getting warmed up.

Hull pauses. Steps back. Takes a practice swing. She’s now playing for bogey. She hits it again. And what happens? The ball hits the slope. And comes back down. To her feet. Again. At this point, you’re wondering what club she’s even using. She walks back to her bag. Shoves the club she was using back in. Grabs a new one. You can practically hear the frustration building. The announcer’s losing track. “I’m losing count now,” he says. “What are we up to, five, six, seven shots?”

Seventh shot. And it ends up like the last two. Back at her feet. This is pure, unadulterated golf hell. It’s the kind of situation that makes you want to throw your clubs into the North Sea. But she doesn’t. She walks back to the bag. Doesn’t even take a practice swing this time. Just hits it. And this one? This one actually goes past the hole. Finishes a few feet short of where she had once putted for birdie. The announcer, bless his heart, is just stunned. “Wow,” he says. “I don’t like using the word ‘wow,’ but it deserved one there.”

The Final Nail in the Coffin: The 9

Finally, after all that drama, all that chipping, all that self-inflicted torture, she’s got an eight-foot putt. For a 9. She makes it. Nine shots. On a par-5. A quadruple bogey. You can’t script this stuff. You just can’t. This is why links golf is so brutal. It takes your best intentions and laughs in your face.

She ended up shooting a six-over 78 that day. Not terrible all things considered, but that one hole… that one hole was a masterclass in how links golf can just break you. It wasn’t just bad luck; it was a series of unfortunate events compounded by the brutal nature of the course. The slopes around the greens on links courses are notorious. They can funnel balls back into the fairway, or worse, right back to your feet. And the wind? Don’t even get me started on the wind.

So, what can we, the mere mortals of the golfing world, learn from Charley Hull’s nine? A hell of a lot, actually. First off, acceptance is key. You’re going to hit bad shots. You’re going to have bad bounces. You’re going to have holes where nothing goes right. If you let it get to you, you’re done. You’ll start pressing, trying to make up for it, and just dig yourself a deeper hole. Hull’s attitude, even in the face of that disaster, was to forget it and move on. That’s the mindset you need. Easier said than done, I know.

Secondly, course management is everything. On a links course, you can’t just hit it as hard as you can and hope for the best. You need to think about where you want to land the ball, what kind of bounce you might get, and how the wind will affect it. Sometimes, the smart play isn’t the most aggressive play. It’s about taking your medicine and getting out of there with a bogey or a double bogey, rather than risking a snowman.

Third, your short game needs to be bulletproof. When you’re hitting chips that come back to your feet, you need to have the touch and feel to get it up and down. Hull eventually made the putt for a 9, but the struggle to even get the ball close after multiple chips was the real story. This highlights the importance of practicing those delicate chips and pitches, especially around undulating greens.

Fourth, mental fortitude is non-negotiable. Links golf is a mental battle. It tests your patience, your resilience, and your ability to stay calm under pressure. When you’re facing a situation like Hull’s, it’s easy to get flustered. But the pros, the ones who succeed on these courses, they find a way to compartmentalize and focus on the next shot. It’s about having a routine, breathing, and reminding yourself that every hole is a new opportunity.

Finally, respect the course. Links courses demand respect. They are raw, natural environments that have been shaped by the elements over centuries. Trying to dominate them is a fool’s errand. You have to work with them, understand their nuances, and accept that sometimes, they will throw you a curveball. It’s a humbling experience, but it’s also incredibly rewarding when you can navigate its challenges successfully.

Playing a links course is an adventure. It’s a test of skill, nerve, and sheer stubbornness. You’ll experience highs and lows that are probably more extreme than on any other type of course. You might have moments of brilliance, followed by moments that make you question your life choices. But that’s the allure, isn’t it? It’s unpredictable. It’s challenging. And when you finally come out the other side, having battled the wind, the bounces, and your own frustrations, there’s a unique sense of accomplishment.

So, the next time you find yourself on a links course, remember Charley Hull. Remember that even the best can have a day where a birdie putt turns into a nightmare 9. Don’t get discouraged. Embrace the madness. Stay patient. And whatever you do, try not to let the ball roll back to your feet too many times. If you can do that, you’re already ahead of the game. For more on navigating the challenges of different golf courses, check out resources on golf course management strategies .

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