A links golf course, sometimes referred to as a "Seaside links" is the oldest style of course, first developed in Scotland, where golf originated. Links are located in coastal areas, on sandy soil, often amid dunes, with few water hazards and few if any trees. This reflects both the nature of the scenery where the sport happened to originate, and the fact that only limited resources were available to golf course architects at the time, and any earth moving had to be done by hand, so it was kept to a minimum.

The challenges of links golf fall into two categories. Firstly the nature of the courses themselves, which tend to be characterised by uneven fairways, thick rough and small deep bunkers known as "pot bunkers". Secondly, due to their coastal location many links courses are frequently windy. This affects the style of play required, favouring players who are able to play low accurate shots. As many links courses consist literally of an "outward" nine in one direction along the coast, and an "inward" nine which returns in the opposite direction, players often have to cope with opposite wind patterns in each half of their round.

Links courses remain most common in the United Kingdom, especially in Scotland, and in both parts of Ireland. The Open Championship is always played on links courses, even though there are some celebrated courses which are not links, and this is one of the main things which differentiates it from the three major championships held in the United States. There are also some well known links courses in other countries, including courses in the U.S. at Pebble Beach, California (on the Pacific Ocean) and Whistling Straits in Wisconsin (on Lake Michigan).

Strictly speaking, links courses must be on a coast. However, links-style conditions can be duplicated on suitable ground, even hundreds of miles inland. One especially notable example of an inland links-style course is Sand Hills Golf Club, an much-acclaimed new layout in the Sand Hills of Nebraska.