Carnoustie Country: An In-Depth Look at "The World's Hardest Links"



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Carnoustie is more than just a golf course, written Kevin Markham

Carnoustie Country: it has some sound, is not it?

Carnoustie … a name instantly recognizable by golfers everywhere for its fearsome reputation and some of the most memorable moments of the open championship in history

Country … a word which suggests the space, the community, the variety and the pride of what they have.

Golfers from around the world will connect to watch the biggest major play on the links where golf started in the 16th century

This is the eighth time that the Open has been played at Carnoustie and if the past two tournaments are to be seen, we will see a drama unfold Sunday.

After all, Jean Van de Velde did not let the Claret Jug escape from his grip on the 72nd hole in 1999 … first he let go and then he launched into the Barry Burn. .. from where Paul Lawrie claimed after a playoff of three men and the turn of his life.

In 2007, three men all made a race for the trophy – Andres Romero, Sergio Garcia, and Pádraig Harrington – and after a second-hole, Harrington beat Garcia in a three-hole play-off

. He returns this week to defend his "title".

Carnoustie is not in any of the major golf regions of Scotland. Of course, but it's on the outskirts of Fife (home to St Andrews and Kingsbarns), north of East Lothian (Muirfield, North Berwick), to the east of Ayrshire (Royal Troon , Prestwick, Turnberry). and south of the Highlands and Aberdeenshire. This means that for many golfers it is a day trip. In this respect, it is similar to our Waterville.

But Carnoustie Country, which extends across the valleys of Angus and Perthshire, has much more to offer.

Just watch the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, two weeks ago, to enjoy what a tournament can do for a region. The beauty of Ballyliffin's Glashedy course and the stunning images of Donegal have been a stroke of tourist engineering for the county. These images have been shown on screens in 420 million homes around the world. The long-term benefits are enormous. And it will be the same at Carnoustie

The message that Carnoustie Country wants to promote is that it is a destination in itself.

You can get inspiration from what you see from the TV course but Carnoustie Country is not limited to Carnoustie … other courses abound and then there are the towns and villages, the coastline, the castles and businesses, large and small, that make the area what it is.

city, and the fourth in Scotland. It grew as a commercial port but a new chapter in its evolution began in 2001 when the city was reinvented as a cultural center.

The opening in September of the V & A Museum (Victoria and Albert) on the Discovery Point wharf will be one of the biggest milestones of this venture. The architecture alone is worth visiting: it has the shape of a bow hanging over the water and it is made of two-ton stone slabs.

Next door is the Discovery, Scott's original Antarctic exploration vessel. Launched in 1901. It is a striking juxtaposition of old and new and reflects the regeneration thrust of the city.

At the other end of the scale is the small town of Kirriemuir, 20 miles north of Dundee. The growing passion for flavored gins can be found in an old blacksmith's forge on the outskirts of the city. The Bothy Gin tasting sessions and even those who are opposed to the drink will become converts after sampling creative combinations. A & G & T & # 39; is perfectly acceptable, but why not try Rhubarb Gin with ginger ale and mint leaves, Raspberry Gin with tonic lemon … and Chilli Gin will raise temperatures more than one.

Kirriemuir is also home to two famous sons. In the heart of the city is a statue of Peter Pan, tribute to JM Barry, the author born here in 1860. The other statue is dedicated to Bon Scott, the first singer of one of the most big rock bands of the world, AC / DC

For those who love whiskey, your first stop is the Glenesk Hotel in Edzell. And do not forget to drop the "e" is whiskey here and they have a lot of it. The 360 ​​° bar contains the Guinness Book of Records for the most whiskeys for sale under one roof. The count is over 1000. The hotel is putting pressure on Edzell Golf Club, which dates back to 1895. When a bomb was dropped on the course during World War II, it is suspected that the whiskey reserves of the hotel were well used … which is why the crater 4th hole of the club.

Next to Edzell, there are 33 other courtyards in the country of Carnoustie. Carnoustie himself has two other courses on each side of the Braid Championship links. How many people know Buddon and Burnside? Only minutes away are Monifieth and Panmure, where Ben Hogan mowed the 17th green to take his speed to his liking before his Carnoustie Open victory in 1953. The magnificent Montrose, who recently renamed his "Medal" tied to "1562 To signify not only his age but also his place in the history of golf, is captivating and natural and brilliant. It lies on the coast, north of Dundee and 40 miles south of Aberdeen. It is soaked with gorse and asks your creative brain to play well.

Outside of Loch Lomond and Gleneagles, Scotland is rarely discussed in terms of interior courses, but Blairgowrie has 45 holes of mesmerizing moors, including the 9-hole Alister MacKenzie. Of course, while Downfield, near Dundee, is a lazy, sporty and very joyful affair. The two courses at Murrayshall are different entities, overflowing on a tumbling ground and spread over 365 acres of quiet countryside. They come with a peaceful luxury hotel (the house dates from 1664) and an excellent restaurant.

You could easily go to Murrayshall for a Carnoustie Country Golf Tour or you could go straight to the heart of the matter and stay at the Carnoustie Links Hotel, an imposing, modern structure of 85 rooms (including 10 suites named 39, after the greatest golf champions) that stands behind the 18th green of Carnoustie. The new Links House clubhouse opened in April next to the hotel. It has all the bells, whistles and technology you expect from such a resource, including a hi-tech sedan facility. Six bays allow golfers to play 14 different courses, including Carnoustie. If you want, you can reproduce the exact conditions on the outside, even in the wind and rain, you will know exactly what to hit on each hole.

Anyone can use the facilities and while paying guests have free access, just £ 10 gets everyone an hour to hone their swing.

When Carnoustie received the nickname "Carnasty" after the 1999 Open, it was not something that the club wanted to do. Again, the course has a formidable reputation and the club freely embraces its coat as the toughest course of the Open Championship: the words "The most difficult links in the world" greet golfers who walk on the green d & # 39; # 39; drive.

How difficult is it? Well, after the first round in 1999, Hal Sutton said, "I feel like I was just making war."

Harrington, the last man to win at Carnoustie, says, "In terms of hardness you could not have done that. This is the hardest, not just because of the 18 holes, but it has the toughest finish of the championship golf. You have a very tough 14 holes and a very tough four last.

Carnoustie is unquestionably a difficult course and although it can be distinguished as a solitary bucket list destination, the arrival

of this week's Open Championship gave [19659003] Carnoustie Country has the opportunity to present all that the region has to offer.

Carnoustie Country is not limited to Carnoustie … other courses abound and then there are the towns and villages, the coast, castles and businesses, big and small, that make the area what that she is

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