ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND

Carnoustie Golf Links (Burnside Course)

A compact Carnoustie counterpoint with its own rhythm, angles, and identity.

ST ANDREWS Location
LINKS Course type
18 HOLES Holes
PAR 68 Par

Beyond the Scorecard

Course established: 1934
Course designer/s: Robert Simpson, Old Tom Morris, and James Braid
National ranking: #93 in Scotland
Known for: Ben Hogan's 1953 Open qualifying round
Defining feature: Barry Burn surrounding the fifth green

The Other Side of Carnoustie

The Burnside Course at Carnoustie Golf Links began in 1892 as a nine-hole auxiliary layout created by Robert Simpson to ease pressure on the main course. It became an 18-hole course in 1914, before being lengthened, formally opened, and given the Burnside name in 1934.

Its compact scale does not remove the need for control. Narrow fairways, heather, whins, pot bunkers, and small, contoured greens place a premium on position, particularly when dry ground and wind make approaches harder to hold.

The short holes give the course much of its character. The fifth green is wrapped by the Barry Burn on three sides, while the long 14th asks for a fully committed tee shot. At the 17th, golfers must cross the burn twice with their approach, before out of bounds remains close along the right of the driveable closing hole.

Its championship connection is also genuine. Ben Hogan played the course during qualifying for the 1953 Open, then won the Claret Jug later that week in his only appearance in the championship.

Why Add This Course to Your Golf Experience

This is a strong choice for golfers who want more than one round at Carnoustie without repeating the scale or rhythm of its championship layout. The shorter card creates a different challenge, where careful club selection, controlled approaches, and dependable putting can matter more than outright distance.

It also works naturally as an additional round during a stay in the St Andrews golf region. Kinfern can include the course within a tailored golf experience built around varied links tests and meaningful championship heritage.