Carnoustie

The game of golf has been played in Carnoustie for well over four centuries. The first indication that the game was being played in the Angus town can be found in the Parish Records of 1560 when the game of gowff was mentioned, and there is every indication that the game has played an important part in the town’s life ever since.

The course here was originally only 10 holes, and was laid out in 1842 by Allan Robertson of St Andrews, the world's first professional golfer.  In 1867, Old Tom Morris extended the course to the new standard of 18 holes.

In 1926 James Braid was brought in to make sweeping changes to the course.  These changes enabled the hosting of  the 1931 Open Championship.

The course has two burns that meander their way through the links. This one, first seen on the short par four 3rd is Jockie's Burn.

Grant Nicholson nails a drive down the fairway of the par five 6th hole, known as Hogan's Alley.

The 6th hole driving zone.  In the 1953 Open Championship, Ben Hogan, on his way to victory, played this hole beautifully, in particular the drive.  Each day he started his ball over the OOB fence on the left side, and hit a gentle fade back into play and to the left of the fairway bunkers.  The gap between the OOB fence and the bunkers became known as Hogan's Alley.

Carnoustie has hosted the Open on seven occasions, the last being Padraig Harrington's win in 2007.  It is scheduled to host again next year.  Preparations are well under way for the event.  R & A and CBS staff were out on the course today working out positioning for the TV cameras.

They have already installed the bunker cams for the broadcast next year.  Probably fortunate that they are not switched on yet.

Carnoustie is considered the toughest test on the Open rota.  It is always with a sense of trepidation that you step onto the first tee.  Today, although breezy with the prevailing south westerly making things interesting, the course was much more playable than I have experienced before.

The rough has been thinned out quite a bit, which means that errant balls are not only findable, but playable.  So it was nowhere near as "Carnasty" as usual.

Peter Hannon prepares to play his tee shot on the par three 13th.

The from the 16th tee across to the 1st green.

Melanie Hannon firing into the long par three 16th.

This is the Barry Burn.  Barry Burn is the burn that crosses the front of the first fairway, twice across the 17th fairway (but actually comes into play three times) and twice across the 18th.  The second crossing of the 18th is just in front of the green.  The most famous moment involving Barry Burn is in the 1999 Open Championship.  Jean Van De Velde came to the 18th, only requiring a double bogey 6 to win.

Van De Velde had played beautifully all week and had hardly made a mistake.  On the 72nd hole he made multiple bad choices, and his third shot ended up here in the burn.  He toyed with playing it, but ended up taking a drop.  Eventually he made a great up and down from the greenside bunker for a triple bogey 7, and a playoff with Paul Lawrie.  Paul Lawrie won the playoff.

Marilyn Cookes took the win today after playing very consistently.
Next up is the beautifully scenic Kingsbarns.