Carnoustie Links
We get the best tee timesPTS Protected · ATOL for flightsSince 1981 · 4.9★ on GoogleA specialist replies promptly
Where to stay while you play Carnoustie Links
3 hotels package this course — cheapest first, every one tailored to your group.
View detailsFromGolf resort
Fairmont St Andrews Hotel
Golf at Carnoustie Links
Stay & play — from
View detailsFromGolf resort
The Old Course Hotel Golf Resort & Spa
Golf at Carnoustie Links
Stay & play — from
View detailsFromHotel
Scores Hotel
Golf at Carnoustie Links
Stay & play — fromAbout Carnoustie Links
Carnoustie Championship course is one of the world’s great tests of golf and one of the oldest and most famous too. It's been an Open Championship venue since 1931. A must play and a perfect test of links golf with players like Cotton, Hogan, Player and Watson being crowned Open Champions here. Dramatic course is the best way to describe this venue!
There are two other courses here to enjoy. The Burnside oozes character. In 1953 it was where Ben Hogan shot 70 to qualify for The Open which he went on to win. The Carnoustie Budden course is a Peter Allis and Dave Thomas design. It starts and finishes as a links with several tree-lined holes in the middle.
- Buggies - Not available
- Caddies available
- Trolleys
- Clubhouse - restaurant and bar facilities available
Our take
There is no gentler way to put it: Carnoustie is one of the world's great tests of golf, an Open venue since 1931, dead flat underfoot and unforgiving everywhere else.
- Serious golfersThis is the one you build the trip around. Cotton, Hogan, Player and Watson all won Opens here, and the 6th and the 14th will show you exactly why. Barely sixteen metres of climb, so every ounce of energy goes on the golf.
- Higher handicapsBe honest about your game before booking the Championship course, because off the wrong tees it is a long and punishing day. The Burnside next door oozes character and will send you home smiling instead.
- Buddy tripsThree courses on one site means you can play the big one then settle the scores next door. The walking is easy and flat; the steady coastal breeze is the thing to dress and club for.
Tell us who’s coming and how you like to play, and we’ll shape the right trip around you.
What you are actually facing
The walk. Flat, and an easy walk — 16 metres of climb over the round.
The wind. The wind is usually westerly, averaging 15 km/h, gusting to 54. It is the club selection that catches people out, not the yardage.
The water. 2 hazards in play. Bring a few more balls than you think you need.
The design. Old Tom Morris (1867), redesigned by James Braid (1926).
The holes that will cost you. The 6th, the 14th and the 18th. The 6th is the one you will be talking about afterwards.
Hole by hole — how we would play it
Terrain and prevailing-weather data, read hole by hole. It is our own assessment of how the course plays, not an official course or slope rating.
The course at a glance
The par-5 6th, 'Hogan's Alley'
Eight-time host of The Open Championship (1931-2018)
WHERE TO STAY
Places to stay while you play Carnoustie Links
Base yourself near the course — every venue here includes Carnoustie Links in your golf holiday.
Tap a hotel to open it, or zoom in on the satellite view to see how close each one sits to the first tee.
- Fairmont St Andrews HotelFrom
£655pp (≈ €755) (≈ $865) (≈ CA$1,225) (≈ AU$1,255) (≈ NZ$1,505) (≈ CHF 705) (≈ kr 8,405) (≈ kr 8,445) (≈ kr 5,695) - The Old Course Hotel Golf Resort & SpaFrom
£865pp (≈ €1,005) (≈ $1,145) (≈ CA$1,615) (≈ AU$1,655) (≈ NZ$1,985) (≈ CHF 935) (≈ kr 11,095) (≈ kr 11,155) (≈ kr 7,525) - Scores HotelFrom
£1,230pp (≈ €1,425) (≈ $1,635) (≈ CA$2,305) (≈ AU$2,355) (≈ NZ$2,825) (≈ CHF 1,335) (≈ kr 15,775) (≈ kr 15,865) (≈ kr 10,705)
Carnoustie Links: your questions answered
Is Carnoustie worth playing?
Yes, if a proper test of links golf appeals. The Championship course has staged The Open since 1931 and is regarded as one of the great examinations in golf, so confident players will get the most from it. Be honest about your game though: it is a demanding day. The Burnside and Buddon sit alongside it, so a mixed group can still build a trip that works for everyone.
How many courses are there at Carnoustie Links?
Three. The Championship course is the famous one, an Open venue since 1931. The Burnside is full of character in its own right, and the Buddon completes the set. Playing more than one course on the same break is easy to arrange, and because green fees are built into your package, your specialist can mix the three however you like.
Who designed the Carnoustie Championship course?
Old Tom Morris laid the course out in 1867 and James Braid redesigned it in 1926, so you are playing two eras of classic Scottish architecture in one round. It is an 18-hole, par 72 links. Braid's redesign came just five years before Carnoustie staged The Open for the first time in 1931, and it has been a Championship venue ever since.
Has The Open been played at Carnoustie?
Yes. Carnoustie has been an Open Championship venue since 1931 and ranks among the oldest and most famous courses in the game. Cotton, Hogan, Player and Watson were all crowned Open Champions here. Hogan's 1953 visit took in the Burnside too, where he shot 70 to qualify. If playing the same ground as the champions matters to you, few links carry more history.
How much does a golf break at Carnoustie cost?
There is no fixed brochure price; every Carnoustie trip is priced per person once we know your dates, group size, hotel and which of the three courses you want to play. Green fees are built into the package rather than paid separately. Enquiries are free with no payment and no obligation, and your specialist sends a written quote by email.
Can Golf Planet Holidays book tee times at Carnoustie?
Yes. A named golf specialist plans the whole trip, books your tee times, including in-demand ones like the Championship course, and arranges transfers between your hotel and the courses. Golf Planet Holidays has hand-built golf holidays since 1981, is rated 4.9 on Google and is PTS protected. Trips are ground-only, with flights available as an optional ATOL-protected add-on.