Kings Links by the Sea

Dennis Begin reviews the Vancouver-area Kings Links golf course.

The word links is Scottish and means rising ground or ridge. In Scotland, golf courses were traditionally built on land that was not suitable for agriculture and were close to the sea. The terrain consisted of sandy dunes, rock outcroppings, few trees and tall fescue grass. Constant wind and rain added to the already difficult playing conditions.

The above aptly describes Kings Links by the Sea, located adjacent to Boundary Bay in Ladner. The course has a panoramic view, from Crescent Beach in the south to Point Roberts in the north.  To the southwest is the Strait of Georgia and the Gulf Islands.

The original owner opened it as a private golf course, but Kings Links is now public. In 2007, Kings Links was purchased by Brad Newell, his brother and father. The Newells installed better drainage, widened the fairways and improved the greens and collecting areas. The end result is a golf course that resembles links courses such as the Royal Liverpool, Royal Troon and St. Andrews Old Course. 

"Our goal is to offer a different golfing experience, just as if you were playing on a links course in the British Isles," said general manager Neil Bidewell.

If the name Newell or King is familiar, it should be. Brad is the president of King of Floors, the retail outlet selling flooring materials. Television ads feature Brad wearing a cape and crown and accompanied by his faithful dog, Sir Scruffy. 

“The Newell family plays golf here and has a hands-on role,” said Bidewell, “putting back into the course something the members respect."

Playing the course

In a traditional links course, the front nine holes go out from the clubhouse and the back nine returns to the clubhouse. Kings Links is not that traditional and returns to the club house after nine, but it is a good walking course.

If you are going to score well, do it on the front nine. The fairways are wide and lined with fescue grass, with plenty of sand bunkers. In order to classify as a links course, the fairways are watered sparingly.

"We want the fairways hard and firm to produce the real links experience, something golfers find challenging,” said superintendent Mike Kiener.  

A part of that experience means playing in the wind, something most golfers dislike. The day I played the course, Mother Nature only provided a soft sea breeze.

The first hole is relatively short and easy, making for a nice start. Water comes into play on only Holes 2 and 9. From the 3rd and 6th holes there is a view of Boundary Bay. The par 3s are open and not difficult, but seemed to play longer. Trees are not a factor, with only two trees coming into play on Hole 7. The greens are undulating, not difficult to read, and at 9 to 10 on the stimpmeter, are fast.

The back nine plays harder because of the water, although it's not much longer in yardage. Hole 10 has water running up the entire right side, with trees near the green. The only other tree on the back nine is found on Hole 16, providing good photo ops.

Water also comes into play on Holes 12, 13, 15, 17 and 18, which adds to the difficulty. The par 5s are both over 500 yards, with even a 460-yard par 4. Again the fairways are wide, but pot bunkers are well placed. Pot bunkers are typical on a links course, since they're so deep the wind cannot blow away the sand. Hole 17 is the signature hole. It's not long, but it is situated at the end of a peninsula and plays more like an island green. The final hole has water up the entire right side of the fairway, for a good finishing hole.

Kings Links is a full service golf course with a driving range, putting and chipping greens, a players' club and restaurant. The academy offers lessons from Rob Houlding, who once taught Nick Taylor, the NCAA Player of the Year in 2010 who is presently on the Web.com tour.

It was refreshing to talk with the superintendent and general manager, because they were enthusiastic about their course, the plans for a new clubhouse and their involvement with the Delta Naturalist Society, which conserves bird habitat on the course.