Course: Carnoustie Golf Links
Location: Carnoustie
Brief description: The Championship course is very well known and is considered by many the toughest, and best, of all the Open courses. There are clubs and clubhouses associated to the links courses and you can use their clubhouses. Likewise there is a lot of parking and the Carnoustie Links investment in Links House has raised the profile quite considerably. It's a bustling place with Members and visitors mingling to enjoy the feast of golf on offer.
What to expect of the courses: The Championship course is tough, and understandably so. With the Barry Burn running through the course, and it's wider than you think, that adds an additional challenge to the course length, large greens, rough and so on. The course is iconic and the venue of the last Scottish success in the Open. If you try and take short cuts, or think for a second you've got the course beat, then you probably haven't reached 16, 17 and 18. Great course.
The Burnside is a superb links course that would grace the finest fields but it lives in the shadow of its big brother. Do not fall into the trap of not considering the Burnside if you cannot get onto the Championship course as like many venues with more than one 18 hole course, the second one is almost as good as the first which is all you you need to know.
The Buddon is shorter and gives different options from the beating you usually get on the Championship or Burnside. It has promonent water features and gentle holes which are good to give you confidence. Arguably if playing Carnoustie, and you have the time, then play Buddon, Burnside and the Championship in that order.
What to expect of the overall visit: Carnoustie Golf Links is a classy affair now. It suffered from lack of imagination and investment for many years and now gives a different impression. The Members of the clubs associated are very proud of their courses and were it not for these Members, the courses would not be what they are. The Hotel is obviously the place to stay and they often put packages together that includes all the courses. Play well!
Website: https://www.carnoustiegolflinks.com/
