Carnoustie Golf Links
Carnoustie, Scotland
Course Layout
253 features mapped — fairways, greens, bunkers, tees, water. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Course by the Numbers
Calculated from 253 mapped features. Areas are measured directly from the polygon geometry.
About Carnoustie Golf Links
Carnoustie Golf Links is in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland. Carnoustie has four courses – the historic Championship Course, the Burnside Course, the Buddon Links Course and a free-to-play short, five-hole course called The Nestie. Carnoustie Golf Links is one of the venues in the Open Championship rotation and has hosted golf's oldest major on eight occasions, as well as the Senior Open Championship in 2010 and 2016 and the Women's British Open in 2011 and 2021.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Tournament History & Records
Events Hosted
- The Open Championship — Hosted 8 times — most recently 2018
Architecture
- • Allan Robertson (original)
- • James Braid (1926 redesign)
What Should You Expect to Shoot?
These expected scores use the World Handicap System formula: your handicap index × slope ÷ 113, plus course rating. Use them to set a realistic target before you tee off.
Championship
Rating 74.0 · Slope 140 · Par 72 · 7,000 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 8 | 82 | +10 |
| 10 | 14 | 88 | +16 |
| 15 | 21 | 95 | +23 |
| 20 | 27 | 101 | +29 |
| 25 | 33 | 107 | +35 |
| 30 | 39 | 113 | +41 |
Medal
Rating 72.0 · Slope 132 · Par 72 · 6,500 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 6 | 78 | +6 |
| 10 | 12 | 84 | +12 |
| 15 | 18 | 90 | +18 |
| 20 | 23 | 95 | +23 |
| 25 | 29 | 101 | +29 |
| 30 | 35 | 107 | +35 |
Club
Rating 70.0 · Slope 125 · Par 72 · 6,000 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 74 | +2 |
| 10 | 9 | 79 | +7 |
| 15 | 15 | 85 | +13 |
| 20 | 20 | 90 | +18 |
| 25 | 26 | 96 | +24 |
| 30 | 31 | 101 | +29 |
Ladies
Rating 73.0 · Slope 130 · Par 72 · 5,400 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 7 | 80 | +8 |
| 10 | 13 | 86 | +14 |
| 15 | 18 | 91 | +19 |
| 20 | 24 | 97 | +25 |
| 25 | 30 | 103 | +31 |
| 30 | 36 | 109 | +37 |
Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 71 |
| Yards | 401 | 541 | 405 | 388 | 156 | 388 | 429 | 194 | 377 | 3,279 | 378 | 377 | 159 | 521 | 447 | 449 | 173 | 397 | 516 | 3,417 | 6,696 |
| Stroke Index | 7 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 17 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 12 | 14 |
Holes That Decide Your Round
Play for the fat of the green and take bogey off the table. Build your pre-round plan →
Three good shots beats two heroic ones. Bogey here is a solid result for anyone above 10 handicap.
Attack the pin — if your wedge game is on, this is where strokes get gained back.
Expected par or better. If you drop a stroke here, it's usually a mental mistake — which is trackable.
Pre-Round Checklist for Carnoustie Golf Links
Your Game Plan for Carnoustie Golf Links
The scorecard tells you the course. The Grand Plan assessment tells you you — which part of your game is actually bleeding strokes. Pair both, and you have a pre-round strategy tailored to this course AND your weaknesses.
Tee Sets
Championship
- Yards:
- 7,000
- Par:
- 72
- Course Rating:
- 74.0
- Slope:
- 140
Medal
- Yards:
- 6,500
- Par:
- 72
- Course Rating:
- 72.0
- Slope:
- 132
Club
- Yards:
- 6,000
- Par:
- 72
- Course Rating:
- 70.0
- Slope:
- 125
Ladies
- Yards:
- 5,400
- Par:
- 72
- Course Rating:
- 73.0
- Slope:
- 130
Play the Open Championship Rota
The rotating venues of golf's oldest major — St Andrews, Muirfield, Royal Birkdale, Royal Troon, Carnoustie, Turnberry, and friends.
See the full Open Championship Rota guide →Other Notable Courses near Carnoustie
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the par at Carnoustie Golf Links?
Carnoustie Golf Links is a par 71 course with 18 holes measuring 6,696 total yards. Front nine par 35 (3,279 yards), back nine par 36 (3,417 yards).
What is the longest hole at Carnoustie Golf Links?
The longest hole is hole 2, a par 5 playing 541 yards.
Which hole is hardest at Carnoustie Golf Links?
Hole 6 has the lowest stroke index (1). It's a par 4 playing 388 yards.
What tournaments have been held at Carnoustie Golf Links?
- The Open Championship — Hosted 8 times — most recently 2018
What should I shoot at Carnoustie Golf Links?
Use the expected-score table above — it's calculated from your handicap and this course's official WHS rating and slope. A 15 handicap typically shoots mid-80s to low-90s depending on the tee set; a 25 handicap mid-90s to low-100s. Track your actual scores against these targets to see how your game travels.