Carnoustie Golf Links

Carnoustie Golf Links lies on the east coast of Scotland in the town of Carnoustie, Angus. It has four courses: the Championship Course, the Burnside Course, the Buddon Links Course and a short five-hole course called The Nestie. The Championship Course is the historic venue for major championships. Golf has been played here since the early 16th century, when the land was part of the Earl of Dalhousie’s estate. In 1842 Allan Robertson and Old Tom Morris opened a ten-hole course that crossed the Barry Burn. The arrival of the railway from Dundee in 1838 brought many visitors eager to play the links. The Championship Course has hosted The Open Championship eight times and other major events. Winners include Tommy Armour, Henry Cotton, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Tom Watson. The 1999 Open saw Paul Lawrie win in a four-hole playoff after Jean van de Velde’s collapse on the final hole. In 2007 Pádraig Harrington beat Sergio García in another playoff decided on the 18th. The course is known in North America as “Car-nasty” for its difficulty, especially in bad weather. It is regarded as the toughest course in the Open rota and one of the most demanding in the world. Visitors walk the Championship Course’s 18 holes, where the Barry Burn crosses several fairways and the 12th is a long par-5. The 18th green is overlooked by a large hotel built behind it. The Burnside and Buddon Links courses offer shorter tests of golf, while The Nestie provides a quick five-hole challenge. The Championship Course measures over 7,300 yards and has been modified several times, most recently before the 1999 Open. Its bunkers, greens and tees were rebuilt to keep the challenge modern yet retain the routing unchanged since 1926.