Scotland April/May 2004/2009 - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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This Web page was originally put together in 2004. Yes, 2004. We were, then, about 25 years into our "regular" golf-oriented visits to Scotland. Over the years (starting in 1976 and continuing on until "normal/professional" work-retirement time in 1998) I made yearly-or-so 3-to-4 day stops in Scotland as I returned to USA from European business trips. My wife started to join me for such in 1988-or-so (she started playing golf in 1985) and we were fortunate to continue business-time-travel until retirement in 1998. From 1998 until present day (2018, as I write this) we have been regular bi-yearly-or-so three-week-long visitors to Scotland and its wonderful golf/life/people place.
I have modified the original 2004 comments and photos with later-on years photos/comments (primarily the 2009 trip's photos/memories it is turning out to be the case). During our more-recent trips to Scotland, the 7-Day and 3-Day St. Andrews Links Trust tickets have dominated our decision-making on golf-days during our trips -- and, courses (including Carnoustie Burnside) other-than the St. Andrews' Links Trust courses have been less-frequented by us. As I went through the photos and comments of "yesteryear" trips, though, I am encouraged to - the next time we head to Scotland/St. Andrews - return to the yesteryear courses, including Carnoustie Burnside. Wonderful memories to re-kindle, for sure. I have enjoyed "going through" these older photos.
From an "online Website" point of view, I have up until including this Web page in my shown-golf-course Web pages, concentrated on the post-retirement time period (after 1998) and golf courses we settled-onto as our normal :Scotland Home": The courses that the Links Trust manages in St. Andrews.
The reason for concentrating on chosen Web-showing, up until this Web page, was mainly practical: I had easy-access to photos taken since the time of digital cameras (for me) came in the early 2000s. Up until 1998, my golf course photo-taking was mostly non-existent.... at least, as my memory seems to "say".... I just do not remember what I did with most "paper" photos and I cannot find the "negatives" -- and, in addition: I "lost" some online "stuff" to a PC/Computer ransom-ware attack a few years ago (yes, I failed one year of good backup procedures and I lost some images)... Shame on me!
So, I do not have many golf-photos of years 1976 -thru- early 2000s.
Now: I give a shot at finding/using/showing photos taken while playing on a few courses other-than-St. Andrews (starting, here, with Carnoustie Burnside)-- and, trying to put the taken-in-early-2000 photo images, themselves, into a reasonable-viewing quality. We see, how that goes.
Most of the photos in this Web page are "clickable" (when clicked upon, shown in a larger-sized image). Some are not. Sorry, about that... just, "try" if it seems that the photo is quite-small when viewed. In addition, some of the shown-images are of "poor" quality (especially those photos that I show "cropped" from other photos). I apologize for this -- but, I hope even the poor-quality photos give you a feeling-for Carnoustie Burnside.
Most of the initial comments and "organization" of this Web page are from a Web page that I used for my own use in 2004. I am now adjusting those initial comments as time allows and adding photos from later visits (primarily, for now: From 2009).
If you have any comments/concerns/etc. please:
eMail me ( scscompa at scscompa dot com ).
Regards,
Dave Shogren
The Burnside is the "second" course at Carnoustie. It is shorter than the Championship course, but is a very nice test of golf and very much worth the 45-minute drive from St. Andrews.
The golf hole map shown, below, is from 1988. The "Clubhouse" as shown on the map is now a hotel just off the 18th green of the Championship course. The Burnside starter house, car park, and first tee are shown in "blue" (as are the Burnside golf holes) and are located about 500 yards down the road from the hotel/Championship first tee.
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Click on any of the following smaller photos to see in a larger-sized image.
(The Hole-Layout images shown below are Course Guide Layouts that were available for purchase to players who played The Burnside Course:
The "strokesaver" copyright DuCam marketing (UK) 1988 and 1992).
(Hole Lengths are from the Medal tees and the (Front) tees).
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Getting Started
The Burnside starting and ending holes are located about 500 yards away from the Championship start/end. The Burnside's first three holes run alongside a road and the rail line to/from Aberdeen.
The Burnside 1st hole, 324-yard par 4 called "Peninsula" immediately shows the no-nonsense character of Carnoustie Burnside: No mystery - just try to not find the fairway bunkers located right-side, 200+ yds off the tee. A nice starting hole! Enjoy the round.
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1st - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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The green of the Burnside's first hole is located a bit away from the Burnside’s 17th Green and 18th Tee, shown in the background of the following photos. You will enjoy that challenge in about 3-hours!
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Carnoustie Burnside 1st Hole - Second Shot Area
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Carnoustie Burnside 1st Hole - Green Area
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The Burnside 2nd hole, 450-yard par 4 (Par 5 for Forward Tee players) "Ravensby" continues along the road/train-side and is another wonderful links-driving-style golf hole. Watch the ball bound-along, whatever is your playing handicap. Fun, to see and to play.
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2nd - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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A long-iron or metal-wood/hybrid (3-wood, for me) is the second-shot challenge. If you are a golf fan... Ben Hogan played this golf hole, I am quite sure, in 1953 when he had to qualify!!! for the only "British" Open championship that he won. I bet that he loved this shot.
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Carnoustie Burnside 2nd Hole - Second Shot Area
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Carnoustie Burnside 2nd Hole - Approach Area
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The Burnside 3rd hole, 175-yard par 3 called "Fence" (see the fence marking the out-of-bounds to the right) gives us the first view of the burn that runs throughout the course -- and contributes to the course's name. Although the burn shows up this hole, it comes up more in-play on the next hole, the 460-yard par 4 that heads back in the direction that was played on the first three holes.
We also see that the Burnside, although a links course, has trees and groves of bushes in various places throughout the 18-holes. This combination of dunes, gorse, and trees is also a characteristic of the Championship course.
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3rd - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2004)
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Crossing the Burn
This is tee shot on the Burnside's 4th hole, 460-yard par 4 "South America". The tee shot crosses the burn and runs against any left-to-right shot. Keep the drive left-middle of the fairway or the burn is definitely in play.
In the distance, now a prominent view while playing Carnoustie, is the hotel that is near the 1st tee and 18th green of the Championship course. At the end of a Burnside day, the hotel is a good place for a snack (excellent chips -- French Fries).
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4th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2004)
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The Burnside par 3 5th 158-yard hole "Burn" requires a well-placed shot through the trees and a perfectly-distanced shot to the island green wrapped around the burn. Four is a good score here!
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5th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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(2004)
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5th Green Area - Carnoustie Burnside Course
(2009)
This is a look back to the tee of the Burnside par 3 "Burn". I can attest that the burn is in front of the green -- and looks just as intimidating as it does from this view! This view is from BEHIND the green; looking back to the 5th Tee. The building shown to the left of the burn is a wonderful, small, functional "Hot Chocolate"/etc. stopping point for the Burnside and Championship golfers.
(2004)
The Burnside 6th hole "Camp" is a relatively short par 4 of 348 yards. The tee shot needs to be well-placed -- or hit it 270 yards to clear the last bunkers on the right side of the fairway. Offline tee shots find the Carnoustie rough that, depending up on the time of year, can be quite difficult to play out of. The holes up to this have been quite generous with regards to the rough. From here on: Stay in the fairway if possible! That's the Championship Course and its bunkers upper-right-shown, in the distance, within this photo.
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6th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2004)
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The Burnside 7th hole "Shelter" par 4, 360 yards, requires a good tee shot. The carry for the drive can be quite long, depending upon the tee used for the day of play. Many tee shots find the rough -- or gorse -- on this hole.
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7th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2004)
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The green for the Burnside 7th hole "Shelter" is very accessible if you come at it from the fairway. The Championship course is shown in the background of this picture (beyond the gorse).
No, my ball is not the one on the green... it is my playing partner's. I pulled my shot left.
(2004)
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Looking Around The Area
(2004)
The Burnside 8th hole "Battery" par 4, 432 yards from the back tee, 366 yards from the front tee, is just one of the great driving holes on the Burnside. Hit away! When I play these holes, I can just imagine how happy/fascinated the fans were who lined these holes and watched his wonderful play in 1953 when he had to qualify!!! for the only "British" Open championship that he won; played on the Championship course at Carnoustie. I was fortunate, later, when I was able to see Ben Hogan play in the USA Open at Olympic in SanFrancisco (1966). How lucky was I!
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8th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2004)
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The Burnside 9th hole "Grog" par 3, 163 yards from the back tee, 127 yards from the front tee, plays a bit more than the yardage book says. Uphill at the end; a mounded, challenging green. I wonder if Donald Ross ever played the crowned-greens of the Carnoustie Burnside's par 3s?
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9th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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(2004) 
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9th Green Area - Carnoustie Burnside Course
(2009)
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Take a look at the Blooming Gorse each April/early-May.
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The Burnside 10th hole "Kopje" par 4, 336 yards from the back tee, 282 yards from the front tee, starts the back nine of the Burnside with another fine driving-hole. Long hitters off the tee will love this hole - although the fairway is somewhat hidden from view from the tee. Hit-over the aiming stake at the top of the slight hill and enjoy a chance for a nice-score start on the challenging back-nine of the Burnside.
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10th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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10th Approach Shot and Green Area - Carnoustie Burnside Course
(2009)
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Reversing direction from the previous hole (providing the players with a different wind-challenge, perhaps, on the day you play the 10th and 11th holes), the Burnside 11th hole "Deils Ha'" is another par 4: 375 yards from the back tee, 352 yards from the front tee. The green area is not complicated - other than it slopes back-to-front; so, try not to be long on your second or approach shot.
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11th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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Try to miss the right-side fairway Bunkers at the 11th on the Burnside. They are "deep" as shown below. Probably, a stroke penalty... Oh, well.
(2009)
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11th Approach Shot and Green Area - Carnoustie Burnside Course
(2009)
The Burnside 12th hole, 386-yard par 4 called "Heather" is another challenging, relatively long (of course, depending upon the wind!) par-4. The green is well-protected and par is a nice score in match play, on this golf hole.
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12th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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Carnoustie Burnside 12th Hole - Second Shot Area
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Carnoustie Burnside 12th Hole - Green Area
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The back-nine challenges offered by The Burnside continue with the 13th hole, a 382-yard par 4 called "Punchbowl".
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13th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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Carnoustie Burnside 13th Hole - Second Shot Area
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Carnoustie Burnside 13th Hole - Approach and Green Area
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The Burnside 14th hole "Scoup" par 3, 228 yards from the back tee, 168 yards from the front tee, has a difficult green to hold.
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14th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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14th Green Area - Carnoustie Burnside Course
(2009)
The Burnside 15th hole, 500-yard par 5 called "Sou'western" is another great driving hole. Depending upon the wind... enjoy!.
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15th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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Carnoustie Burnside 15th Hole - Approach Shot Area
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Carnoustie Burnside 15th Hole - Approach Area...
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The Burnside 16th hole "Whins" par 3, 163 yards is perfectly positioned as a respite prior to playing the very difficult 17th hole "Sinkies" (see the next set of photos for the challenging 17th at Carnoustie Burnside).
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16th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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(2004) 
(2000) 
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16th Green Area - Carnoustie Burnside Course
(2009)
Before playing the Burnside 17th hole, take a look around. Links golf at its finest, here at Carnoustie.
(2009)
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The Burnside 17th hole "Sinkies" par 4 (Par 5 for Front Tee players), 473 yards is a challenging - and: Interesting/fun golf hole. The burn comes into play at least once... for all players and the green is laid out perfectly for those who attack it on the second or third shots. The challenge is set perfectly, prior to the relatively-"easy" 18th hole coming up at Carnoustie Burnside.
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17th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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17th Green Area - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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Carnoustie Burnside 17th Hole - Green Area
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The Burnside 18th hole "Lismore" par 4, 307 yards is a finishing-hole that will no doubt give you a smile. Depending upon the wind -- the long players can drive the green. Others of us, will still have a very manageable approach shot. Just: Stay in-bounds on all shots; enjoy the finish and stop at the hotel for an after-play drink and chips!
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18th - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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(2009)
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18th Green Area - Carnoustie Burnside Course
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Carnoustie Burnside 18th Hole - Green Area
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Links Views
Not all the fairways of the Carnoustie Burnside -- or any links course -- are lined with gorse! Hit away, and watch the ball bounce/roll any-which-way. One of the joys of links golf.
(2004)
Players and Caddies
The Burnside plays alongside some holes of the Championship course and the players/caddies on that course are no doubt enjoying Carnoustie’ s challenge.
(2004)
Green Warning
The greenskeeper let us know. Very thoughtful!
(2004)
A Golf Walk
After the tee shot is away - the golfer enjoys the walk of Carnoustie.
(2004)
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To return to the main page of this series - click on:
Scotland - St. Andrews Links - A Visitor's Summary-Set of Photos
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