A gentle introduction to the course, the first hole is driveable in certain conditions. Care must be taken however not to push the drive as two cleverly positioned fairway bunkers will catch any ball heading right.
Yards Par
319 4
309 4
301 4
Yards Par
319 4
301 4
290 4
Yards Par
319 4
309 4
301 4
290 4
A tough, challenging par 4 that could hold it’s own on any links course in Britain. The drive must be long and accurate and avoid the bunkers on the right hand side of the fairway. The second shot normally requires a long iron to a green protected by only one bunker but which is very close the out of bounds fence on the right.
Yards Par
456 4
441 4
437 5
Yards Par
456 4
437 5
329 4
Yards Par
456 4
441 4
437 5
329 4
A testing par 3, with the green well protected by bunkers and also the out of bounds will catch any sliced shot.
Yards Par
172 3
161 3
156 3
Yards Par
172 3
156 3
94 3
Yards Par
172 3
161 3
156 3
94 3
Another tough par 4, which generally requires a long second shot to a raised green, which tends to throw the ball off to either side.
Yards Par
457 4
445 4
435 5
Yards Par
457 4
435 5
291 4
Yards Par
457 4
445 4
435 5
291 4
Reminiscent of the 17th hole at Sawgrass, this par 3 is surrounded by the Barry Burn on three sides. Only a well-struck shot with the right club will find this green and anyone scoring three here can be highly pleased.
Yards Par
158 3
146 3
139 3
Yards Par
158 3
139 3
135 3
Yards Par
158 3
146 3
139 3
135 3
A short par 4 well protected by fairway bunkers and thick rough on the right hand side. A good drive will leave a short iron to a reasonably generous green.
Yards Par
335 4
335 4
295 4
Yards Par
335 4
295 4
207 4
Yards Par
335 4
335 4
295 4
207 4
A tough drive to a narrow fairway well protected by trees on the left hand side and a ditch on the right. The second shot must be threaded between two green side bunkers to a green which slopes from back to front, making putting difficult.
Yards Par
362 4
345 4
337 4
Yards Par
362 4
337 4
231 4
Yards Par
362 4
345 4
337 4
231 4
Trouble waits with gorse bushes on both the left and right hand side of this hole. The second shot is usually a mid iron to a green which is nestling in a hollow. The second shot must not go left as bunkers, gorse and heather await.
Yards Par
424 4
414 4
366 4
Yards Par
424 4
366 4
311 4
Yards Par
424 4
414 4
366 4
311 4
Another excellent par 3, the green sits on top of a small hillock, anything missing the green long, short, right or left will roll to the bottom of the slope and leave a very difficult up and down.
Yards Par
163 3
151 3
127 3
Yards Par
163 3
127 3
75 3
Yards Par
163 3
151 3
127 3
75 3
A short par 4 but one which requires a straight drive, once that has been accomplished the second shot is usually a short pitch onto a receptive green.
Yards Par
330 4
318 4
282 4
Yards Par
330 4
282 4
170 4
Yards Par
330 4
318 4
282 4
170 4
A challenging drive with gorse, whin and heather on both sides of the fairway. The second shot is reasonably straightforward but the green provides the hardest putting to be found anywhere in Carnoustie with a severe slope from back to front, two putts on this green is an excellent result.
Yards Par
372 4
355 4
351 4
Yards Par
372 4
351 4
275 4
Yards Par
372 4
355 4
351 4
275 4
A bunker smack in the middle of the fairway will catch the well-struck straight drive, which can prove very frustrating to the player. The second shot is straightforward except if the pin is back left when bunkers have to be carried and the ball landed on a narrow plateau.
Yards Par
383 4
363 4
347 4
Yards Par
383 4
347 4
239 4
Yards Par
383 4
363 4
347 4
239 4
The drive is not too challenging on this par 4 but the second shot is a blind one to a green where only the top of the flag can be seen. Very often a ball will kick awkwardly off one of the slopes and leave the player much further from the pin than he expects.
Yards Par
379 4
364 4
346 4
Yards Par
379 4
346 4
289 4
Yards Par
379 4
364 4
346 4
289 4
A par 3 of well over 200 yards this shot normally requires a fairway wood or even a driver into the wind. The ball must not go left as whins and gorse await, anything pushed right will result in a very difficult up and down. Anyone making par 3 here has good reason to be very pleased.
Yards Par
228 3
212 3
168 3
Yards Par
228 3
168 3
117 3
Yards Par
228 3
212 3
168 3
117 3
At 500 yards this is a short par 5 by modern standards. However the severely contoured fairway means that you will be playing your second shot with the ball either well above or below your feet and this will make it difficult to hit the straight shot required. Two good hits however should get you home and a birdie secured.
Yards Par
490 5
490 5
455 5
Yards Par
490 5
455 5
312 4
Yards Par
490 5
490 5
455 5
312 4
A more straightforward par 3 than the others but still capable of giving the player a nasty shock if he pushes his tee shot too far right where a huge bank of gorse and whin awaits. A well-hit shot with a mid iron, however, should secure a par 3 with no great difficulty.
Yards Par
171 3
171 3
141 3
Yards Par
171 3
141 3
138 3
Yards Par
171 3
171 3
141 3
138 3
One of the great par 4’s of any course at Carnoustie and one which would easily grace the Burnside’s more illustrious neighbour, the Championship course. The drive must be struck long and straight in order to get close enough to the Barry Burn to allow the player to get home with the second shot. Too far however and the ball will disappear into one of the folds of the burn. Once the drive is safely on the fairway the player then has to face a second shot of well over 200 yards crossing the Barry Burn twice in order to reach the green. Although not too difficult if played as a 5 a par 4 here is a magnificent result.
Yards Par
461 4
441 4
436 5
Yards Par
461 4
436 5
327 4
Yards Par
461 4
441 4
436 5
327 4
A classic little par 4 with the green driveable on occasions but the out of bounds fence is an ever present threat on the right hand side of the hole and many a score has been ruined by a sliced tee shot on this hole.
Yards Par
303 4
290 4
281 4
Yards Par
303 4
281 4
202 4
Yards Par
303 4
290 4
281 4
202 4
The Burnside oozes character and from the back tees is a splendid test of golf.
Many of the short holes could grace the top links courses around with the 5th and 14th in particular providing dramatic challenges for the player who strives to gain their par 3.
The finish is also strong with the 17th proving to be one of the hardest par 4’s that can be found anywhere in golf and many a score has been ruined by the out of bounds fence at the 18th.
It was on this course in 1953 where the great Ben Hogan shot 70 in order to qualify for the Open Championship which he subsequently won.
