True links courses are "naturally" created by the actions of wind and water and the grazing and huddling of sheep; thus they are located along the coast and feature plenty of sand, virtually no trees, bunkers where sheep once huddled for protection from the elements, wore the ground bare, and exposed the sand beneath, natural grasses, and natural contours. Areas leading into greens allow shots to be played along the ground from the fairway into the greens, thus the run-up shot. They usually show less evidence of human design and interference with the natural surroundings.

Any other course is either a parkland or woodland course and has obviously been designed specifically for golf. Many are designed in such a way as to make run-up shots less desirable than airborne shots, leading to the designation "target golf." Grass is more lush, trees are more plentiful, bunkers are usually bigger and more "intelligently" or purposefully placed, and elevation changes are more pronounced than on a coastal site.