Today's word: Links

Photo: Wojciech Migda via Wikimedia Commons

Today's word is in honour of the remarkable 17-year-old Lydia Ko (left), who has just capped off her first season on the LPGA Tour by winning the CME Group Tour Championship and, with it, just under $2m in prize money. Oh yeah, she's also been named rookie of the year. Phenomenal!

I'd always assumed that links derived from the fact that the 18 holes on a golf course are linked, chain-like, in a predetermined sequence. But no. It turns out that links is a Scottish/Northumbrian term for undulating sandy ground, often near the sea. It comes from the  Old English hlinc, "rising ground, ridge". It was on this type of ground that the first games of golf in Scotland, home of this venerable game, were first played. 

I'll bet Lydia already knew that. The star.

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