Carnoustie Golf Links

Carnoustie Golf Links is in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland. Carnoustie has four courses - the historic Championship Course, the Burnside Course, the Buddon Links Course and a free-to-play short, five-hole course called The Nestie. Carnoustie Golf Links is one of the venues in the Open Championship rotation and has hosted golf's oldest major on eight occasions (1931, 1937, 1953, 1968, 1975, 1999, 2007, 2018), as well as the Senior Open Championship in 2010 and 2016 and the Women's British Open in 2011.

Carnoustie Golf Links
Club information
Location in Scotland
Location in Angus, Scotland
Location Carnoustie, Scotland
Established1842 (1842)
TypePublic
Total holes54
Websitehttps://www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk/
Championship
Designed byAllan Robertson and
Old Tom Morris;
James Braid (1926)
Par72 (71 for The Open)
Length6,941 yards (6,347 m)
(7,402 yards (6,768 m) for the
2018 Open Championship)
Course record63 by Tommy Fleetwood
Burnside
Designed byJames Braid
Par68
Length5,963 yards (5,453 m)
Buddon Links
Designed byPeter Alliss and Dave Thomas
Par68
Length5,921 yards (5,414 m)

History

Golf is recorded as having been played at Carnoustie in the early 16th century. In 1890, the 14th Earl of Dalhousie, who owned the land, sold the links to the local authority. It had no funds to acquire the property, and public fundraising was undertaken and donated to the council. The original course was of ten holes, crossing and recrossing the Barry Burn; it was designed by Allan Robertson, assisted by Old Tom Morris, and opened in 1842.[1] The opening of the coastal railway from Dundee to Arbroath in 1838 brought an influx of golfers from as far afield as Edinburgh, anxious to tackle the ancient links. This led to a complete restructuring of the course, extended in 1867 by Old Tom Morris to the 18 holes which had meanwhile become standardized. Young Tom Morris won a major open event there that same year. Two additional courses have since been added: the Burnside Course and the shorter though equally testing Buddon Links.

Carnoustie first played host to The Open Championship in 1931, after modifications to the course by James Braid in 1926. The winner then was Tommy Armour, from Edinburgh.

Later Open winners at Carnoustie include Henry Cotton of England in 1937, Ben Hogan of the USA in 1953, Gary Player of South Africa in 1968, Tom Watson of the USA in 1975, Paul Lawrie of Scotland in 1999, Pádraig Harrington of Ireland in 2007 and Francesco Molinari of Italy in 2018. The 1975, 1999 and 2007 editions were all won in playoffs.

The Championship course was modified significantly (but kept its routing used since 1926) prior to the 1999 Open, with all bunkers being rebuilt, many bunkers both added and eliminated, many green complexes expanded and enhanced, and several new tees being built. A large hotel was also built behind the 18th green of the Championship course.[2]

Tee off down Hogan's Alley, Hole #6, at Carnoustie

The Amateur Championship was first hosted by Carnoustie in 1947; the winner was Willie Turnesa. The world's oldest amateur event has returned three times since: 1966 (won by Bobby Cole), 1971 (won by Steve Melnyk), and 1992 (won by Stephen Dundas).

The British Ladies Amateur was first hosted by Carnoustie in 1973, and also in 2012.

The Senior Open Championship was held at Carnoustie for the first time in 2010, with Germany's Bernhard Langer winning. The Women's British Open was held here for the first time in 2011; the winner was Yani Tseng.

Carnoustie is one of the three courses hosting the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, an autumn event on the European Tour; the others are the Old Course at St Andrews and Kingsbarns.

The Golf Channel's reality series The Big Break, in which aspiring golfers compete for exemptions on professional tours and other prizes, filmed its fourth season at Carnoustie in 2005. As that year also saw the Ryder Cup at The K Club in Ireland, that year's show was based around a US vs Europe theme, with the two teams competing for European Tour exemptions.

In North America, the course is nicknamed "Car-nasty," due to its famous difficulty, especially under adverse weather conditions. Carnoustie is considered by many to be the most difficult course in the Open rota, and one of the toughest courses in the world.

The term Carnoustie effect dates from the 1999 Open, when the world's best players, many of whom were reared on manicured and relatively windless courses, were frustrated by the unexpected difficulties of the Carnoustie links, which was compounded by the weather. One much-fancied young favourite, a 19-year-old Sergio García of Spain, went straight from the course to his mother's arms crying after shooting 89 and 83 in the first two rounds.[3] The Carnoustie effect is defined as "that degree of mental and psychic shock experienced on collision with reality by those whose expectations are founded on false assumptions." This being a psychological term, it can of course apply to disillusionment in any area of activity, not just in golf.

The 1999 Open Championship is best remembered for the collapse of French golfer Jean van de Velde, who needed only a double-bogey six on the 72nd hole to win the Openand proceeded to score a triple-bogey seven, tying Paul Lawrie and 1997 champion Justin Leonard at 290 (+6). Lawrie won the four-hole aggregate playoff and the championship.

The Open Championship was once again contested at Carnoustie in July 2007. The eight-year absence was far shorter than the lengthy 24 years it took to return to Carnoustie, between 1975 and 1999. Harrington triumphed over García in a four-hole playoff. The 18th hole once again proved itself among the most dramatic and exciting in championship golf. Harrington had a one-shot lead over García as he approached the final hole in the fourth round, but proceeded to put not one but two shots into the Barry Burn, on his way to a double-bogey 6. García, playing in the final pairing of the day, reached the 18th with a one-shot lead over Harrington, but bogeyed the hole after missing a putt from just under ten feet away, setting up the playoff. In the four-hole playoff, which ended on the 18th, Harrington took no chances with a two-shot lead on the 18th; his bogey was enough to defeat García by one shot.

The Open Championship returned to Carnoustie in 2018[4], where Francesco Molinari became the first Italian major winner, and Europe's third consecutive Open champion at Carnoustie. Molinari's final round was a bogey-free 69, which saw off challenges from several players including past champions Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

The 18th hole at Carnoustie and the Barry Burn.

On 17 January 2014, Carnoustie Golf Links appointed its first-ever female chairman, Pat Sawers.[5]

Carnoustie Golf Links won the title of World's Best Golf Course 2019 at the World Golf Awards, Abu Dhabi.[6]

The Open Championship

Carnoustie is known as 'Golf's Greatest Test'. It is one of the venues for The Open Championship.

This is a list of The Open Championship champions at Carnoustie Golf Links:

YearWinnerScoreWinner's
share (£)
R1R2R3R4Total
1931 Tommy Armour73757771296 (+8)100
1937 Henry Cotton 2nd74727371290 (+6)100
1953 Ben Hogan73717068282 (−6)500
1968 Gary Player 2nd74717173289 (+1)3,000
1975 Tom Watson 1st71676972279 (−9) PO7,500
1999 Paul Lawrie73747667290 (+6) PO350,000
2007 Pádraig Harrington 1st69736867277 (−7) PO750,000
2018 Francesco Molinari70726569276 (−8)1,625,387
  • Note: For multiple winners of The Open Championship, superscript ordinal identifies which in their respective careers.

The Women's British Open

Winner of the Women's British Open at Carnoustie Golf Links.

YearWinnerScore
R1R2R3R4Total
2011 Yani Tseng 2nd71666669272 (−16)

The Senior Open

Winner of The Senior Open Championship at Carnoustie Golf Links.

YearWinnerScore
R1R2R3R4Total
2010 Bernhard Langer67716972279 (−5)
2016 Paul Broadhurst75666868277 (−11)

Course

Championship Course

2018 Open Championship

HoleNameYardsParHoleNameYardsPar
1Peninsula319410Kopje3304
2Ravensby456411Deil's Ha'3724
3Fence172312Heather3834
4South America457413Punchbowl3794
5Burn158314Scoop2283
6Camp335415Sou' Western4905
7Shelter362416Whins1713
8Battery424417Sinkies4614
9Grog163318Lismore3034
Out3,68533In3,71735
Total7,40271

Lengths of the course for previous Opens (since 1930):[7]

  • 2018 : 7,402 yards (6,768 m) , par 71
  • 2007 : 7,421 yards (6,786 m) , par 71
  • 1999 : 7,361 yards (6,731 m) , par 71
  • 1975 : 7,065 yards (6,460 m) , par 72
  • 1968 : 7,252 yards (6,631 m) , par 72
  • 1953 : 7,200 yards (6,600 m) , par 72
  • 1937 : 7,200 yards (6,600 m) , par 72
  • 1931 : 6,701 yards (6,127 m) , par 72

The 12th hole was played as a par-5 in 1975, and the 18th hole was played as a par-5 in previous Opens (1931−1968).

Length of the course for Women's British Open

  • 2011: 6,490 yards (5,934 m), par 72

Length of the course for Senior Open Championship

  • 2016: 7,345 yards (6,716 m), par 72
  • 2010: 7,297 yards (6,672 m), par 71

Course record

PlayerCountryScoreTournamentDate
Tommy Fleetwood England63 (−9)Alfred Dunhill Links Championship6 Oct 2017

Source:[8][9]

Scorecard

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par444445434445354344
FleetwoodE−1−1−2−2−3−3−3−3−3−4−5−6−7−8−8−8−9
Birdie
  • The course was par 72 at 7,394 yards (6,761 m), with the 12th hole as a par 5 at 504 yards (461 m).

Source:[9][10]


Burnside Course

HoleNameYardsParHoleNameYardsPar
1Peninsula319410Kopje3304
2Ravensby456411Deil's Ha'3724
3Fence172312Heather3834
4South America457413Punchbowl3794
5Burn158314Scoup2283
6Camp335415Sou' Western4905
7Shelter362416Whins1713
8Battery424417Sinkies4614
9Grog163318Lismore3034
Out2,84633In3,11735
Total5,96368


HoleNameYardsParHoleNameYardsPar
1Alma423410Somme3954
2Corunna171311The Hook4114
3Wadi Akarit364412St Valery3984
4Ypres164313Marne1703
5Kohima323414Waterloo3994
6Vimy401415Falaise1653
7Mareth193316Cassino4935
8El Alamein517517Tobruk1593
9Caen358418Rhine4174
Out2,91434In3,00734
Total5,92168

See also

References

  1. The World Atlas of Golf, second edition, 1988; Scotland: Where Golf is Great, by James W. Finegan, 2010
  2. Scotland: Where Golf is Great, by James W. Finegan, 2010
  3. The Real Carnoustie Awaits British Open Field, The Golf Channel, 18 July 2007
  4. "Royal Birkdale and Carnoustie to host The Open in 2017 and 2018". R&A Championships Limited. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  5. "Carnoustie appoints first female chairman". bunkered. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  6. "Winners 2019". World Golf Awards. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  7. "Media guide". The Open Championship. 2011. pp. 22, 203. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  8. "Fleetwood makes history to lead at Carnoustie". PGA European Tour. 6 Oct 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  9. "Tommy Fleetwood shoots record 63 at Carnoustie in Dunhill Links". PGA of America. Associated Press. 6 Oct 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  10. "Albert Dunhill Links Championship". PGA European Tour. (leaderboard). 8 Oct 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2018.

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