A growing collection of long-reads and practical guides for amateur golfers — from deep dives into the courses themselves to everything you need to know before entering your first open competition. Researched and written by Ed Battye, founder of Golf Empire, drawing on nearly three decades of running the site and more than 650 courses played across Britain & Ireland.
New articles are added regularly. Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Drop us a line.
The definitive guide to every links golf course in Great Britain & Ireland.
Just how many genuine links are there? Ed Battye places over 300 courses on a spectrum from purest links to faux-links — drawing on four authoritative published sources and personal visits to nearly every venue on the list.
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Honest reviews of the best courses to play across the UK and beyond — new reviews added regularly.
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The four major rankings combined into one definitive Top 100 list of GB&I courses.
View the combined list
An abandoned golf course stands as a quiet reminder of venues once enjoyed.
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Play new courses, feel the buzz of competition and break out of your weekly routine.
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From Kinder Scout to Kirk Yetholm, the Pennine Way's hidden golfing map
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Volcanoes, glaciers, and the courses they made room for in the Lake District.
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And that's exactly why their courses are so good.
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But the courses that exist in the Peak District are unforgettable.
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The World Handicap System has been in force across Great Britain & Ireland since November 2020 — here's what it means for you.
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If you've ever entered an open competition online, you'll probably have been asked for a "CDH number".
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If you're new to open competitions — or just have a question — this page covers the most common things golfers ask.
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Browse any club's fixture list and you'll see a bewildering mix of formats - here we explain them all.
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15+ filters, a calendar view, a map search, email alerts, saved searches and favourites — all in one place.
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Save any search. Get an email when new matching opens go live.
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Tell us your gender, age and handicap. We'll show you only the events you're actually eligible for.
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