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The Global Golfer Top 100
Carnoustie Golf Links — Championship Course
Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland · #8 in the World
Location: Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland | Ranking: #8 — The Global Golfer Top 100
Type: Links | Partner Stay: Carnoustie Golf Hotel; Fairmont St Andrews
Editor’s Note: Carnoustie’s reputation is terror. Ben Hogan won his only Open here in 1953. Jean Van de Velde came within one putt of losing it in the most spectacular collapse in the game’s history (1999). The Barry Burn winds through the closing three holes creating the most pressure-filled finish in links golf. What separates Carnoustie from the other great venues is this: it is a public course. Anyone can book a tee time and stand where the legends stood.
1. Travel & Logistics
- How to Get There: Carnoustie is 12 miles east of Dundee via the A92. From Edinburgh, approximately 1h 15m.
- Nearest Airport: Dundee Airport (DND) — 20 mins. Edinburgh (EDI) — 1h 15m.
- By Train: Edinburgh to Carnoustie direct (1h 20m) — the station is 5 minutes’ walk from the first tee. Possibly the best train-to-course commute in golf.
2. Contact & Booking
- Tel: +44 (0)1241 853789 | Email: golflinks@carnoustiegolflinks.com
- Website: carnoustiegolflinks.com
- How to Book: Public course — book online up to 12 months in advance. No handicap certificate required, though mid-handicap or better is recommended.
- Course Rating / Slope: Championship: 76.8 / 147 | Medal: 75.1 / 143
- Green Fees: From £195 (April–October Championship Course)
3. Championship Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | OUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 |
| Yards | 406 | 462 | 342 | 412 | 410 | 578 | 410 | 183 | 474 | 3,677 |
Par 4
Par 3
Par 5
Total
| Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | IN | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 71 |
| Yards | 466 | 383 | 479 | 168 | 514 | 246 | 250 | 459 | 499 | 3,464 | 7,421 |
4. Hole-by-Hole Strategy
Hole 14 — Spectacles (Par 5, 514 Yards)
- Strategy: Named for the two enormous bunkers positioned exactly where a long second shot lands. Either carry them with a mighty drive and fairway wood, or lay up short. The escape from 10 feet below green level is almost impossible to convert.
Hole 17 — Island (Par 4, 459 Yards)
- Strategy: Van de Velde’s hole. The Barry Burn loops around the entire green, creating an island. In 1999, Van de Velde famously stood in the burn attempting an impossible recovery. The conservative play — iron off the tee, wedge in — is entirely correct and commonly ignored.
Hole 18 — Home (Par 4, 499 Yards)
- Strategy: Perhaps the hardest finishing hole in major championship golf. The Barry Burn crosses twice; the tee shot must find the correct side. Hogan finished with a 68 here in 1953. It remains the standard against which all others are measured.
5. The 19th Hole — Where to Stay & Dine
- Carnoustie Golf Hotel (4★): Right on the course — rooms overlook the 18th green. Book via Expedia →
- Fairmont St Andrews (5★): 30 minutes away — the region’s finest resort hotel with two courses, spa and extraordinary views over the Eden Estuary.
- The Station Hotel, Carnoustie: Traditional Scottish pub directly opposite the station — post-round pie and pint in unpretentious surroundings.