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 and 2021.
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.The World Atlas of Golf, second edition, 1988; Scotland: Where Golf is Great, by James W. Finegan, 2010 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.Scotland: Where Golf is Great, by James W. Finegan, 2010
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 v Europe theme, with the two teams competing for European Tour exemptions.
In North America, the course is nicknamed "Car-nasty," due to its infamous difficulty, especially under adverse weather conditions. Carnoustie is considered to be the most difficult course in the Open rota, and one of the toughest courses in the world.
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 Open—and 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. Padraig Harrington triumphed over Sergio 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, 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.
On 17 January 2014, Carnoustie Golf Links appointed its first-ever female chairman, Pat Sawers.
Carnoustie Golf Links won the title of World's Best Golf Course 2019 at the World Golf Awards, Abu Dhabi.
Carnoustie Golf Links came under private ownership in March 2025 through a sale to Carnoustie Golf Heritage and Hospitality Group Limited (CGHH), a private investment group directed by Johann (Max) Herberstein and Paul Lisiak of Metropolitan Partners Group. The group had earlier acquired the Carnoustie Golf Hotel and Spa in September 2023. The acquisition was followed by substantial investment in local hospitality infrastructure, including upgrades to the hotel and surrounding facilities.
The Open Championship
This is a list of The Open Championship champions at Carnoustie Golf Links:
YearWinnerScoreWinner'sshare (£) R1 R2 R3 R4 Total1931 Tommy Armour 73757771296 (+8) 1001937 Henry Cotton 2nd74727371290 (+6)1001953 Ben Hogan 73717068282 (−6)5001968 Gary Player 2nd74717173289 (+1)3,0001975 Tom Watson 1st71676972279 (−9) PO7,5001999 Paul Lawrie 73747667290 (+6) PO350,0002007 Pádraig Harrington 1st69736867277 (−7) PO750,0002018 Francesco Molinari 70 72 65 69276 (−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 Winners of the Women's British Open at Carnoustie Golf Links.
YearWinnerScore R1 R2 R3 R4 Total 2011 Yani Tseng 2nd 71 66 66 69 272 (−16) 2021 Anna Nordqvist 71 71 65 69 276 (−12)
The Senior Open Winner of The Senior Open Championship at Carnoustie Golf Links.
YearWinnerScore R1 R2 R3 R4 Total 2010 Bernhard Langer 67 71 69 72 279 (−5) 2016 Paul Broadhurst 75 66 68 68 277 (−11) 2024 K. J. Choi 69 69 70 70 278 (−10)
Course
Championship Course
The name of each holes are below: HoleNameParHoleNamePar1Cup410South America42Gulley411John Philip43Jockey's Burn412Southward Ho44Hillocks413Whins35Brae414Spectacles56Hogan's Alley The formerly name was "Long".515Lucky Slap47Plantation416Barry Burn38Short317Island49Railway418Home4Out36In35 Total71
Lengths of the course for previous Opens (since 1930): 2018 : , par 71 2007 : , par 71 1999 : , par 71 1975 : , par 72 1968 : , par 72 1953 : , par 72 1937 : , par 72 1931 : , 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 2021 : , par 72 2011 : , par 72
Length of the course for Senior Open Championship 2024 : , par 72 2016 : , par 72 2010 : , par 71 In 2010, the 12th hole was played as a long par-4, but from 2016, it has been played as a short par-5.
Course record
PlayerCountryScoreTournamentDateTommy Fleetwood63 (−9)Alfred Dunhill Links Championship6 Oct 2017
Scorecard Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415161718Par444445434 445354344 Fleetwood E−1−1−2−2−3−3−3−3 −3−4−5−6−7−8−8−8−9 {|class="wikitable" span = 50 style="font-size:85%;
|style="background: Pink;" width=10| |Birdie |} The course was par 72 at , with the 12th hole as a par 5 at .
Burnside Course HoleNameYardsPar HoleNameYardsPar1Peninsula3194 10Kopje33042Ravensby456411Deil's Ha'37243Fence172312Heather38344South America457413Punchbowl37945Burn158314Scoup22836Camp335415Sou' Western49057Shelter362416Whins17138Battery424417Sinkies46149Grog163318Lismore3034Out2,84633In3,11735 Total5,96368
Buddon Links Course HoleNameYardsPar HoleNameYardsPar1Alma4234 10Somme39542Corunna171311The Hook41143Wadi Akarit364412St Valery39844Ypres164313Marne17035Kohima323414Waterloo39946Vimy401415Falaise16537Mareth193316Cassino49358El Alamein517517Tobruk15939Caen358418Rhine4174Out2,91434In3,00734 Total5,92168
See also Golf in Scotland
References
External links