Are These The Toughest Finishing Holes in Golf
By: Kieran Clark | Mon 22 Jul 2024
When golfers consider what is the most challenging links golf course in the UK, thoughts will instantly turn to the revered Championship Course at Carnoustie Golf Links.
This venue on Scotland's east coast has become synonymous with difficulty - they even market themselves as being Golf's Greatest Test - and that reputation has been established through the staging of eight Open Championships, two Women's Opens, and soon to be three Senior Opens in Angus.
Part of what has forged that identity are the finishing holes on this brilliant layout. Following a somewhat generous par 5 at the 14th, golfers are faced by the punishing par 4 15th (measuring 471 yards in majors), the par 3 16th (249 yards), and the testing par 4 17th (470 yards), before you turn back towards the iconic hotel and take on the brutal 18th that is a par 4 of some 499 yards, where the famous Barry Burn and out-of-bounds are waiting ominously to catch you.
It just doesn't get any better - or more difficult - than that, especially with a prestigious trophy and all its associated glory on the line.
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
This will be quite an examination for the players gathered for the 2024 Senior Open, where the likes of Padraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer and Paul Lawrie will be hoping to triumph on this links once again.
Back in 2018, the Golfshake Team had the great fortune of experiencing Carnoustie weeks before that year's 147th Open Championship, won by Italy's Francesco Molinari.
During our visit, we documented the questions asked by the closing three holes, which you can see below or directly on YouTube.
If you want a flavour of what you can expect from the closing stretch at Carnoustie - then you need to watch these!
The 16th, Par 3, 249 Yards (Watch on YouTube)
The 17th, Par 4, 470 Yards (Watch on YouTube)
The 18th, Par 4, 499 Yards, (Watch on YouTube)
Related Content
The Hardest Golf Courses You Can Ever Play
Carnoustie - Finding Beauty in The Beast
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Tags: Senior Open Legends Tour Champions Tour Carnoustie
