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By David Brice
Golf International Inc.

Among the truly great courses of the British Isles, Scotland's Carnoustie is firmly established alongside the very best. It may lack the finesse and good manners of some and not have the aesthetics of others; there are certainly layouts with more charm, but for any perceived failings, Carnoustie remains a true champion and a worthy holder of its top dog, world class ranking.

Carnoustie's pot bunkers are only one defense.

Golfers come to play Carnoustie for the same reasons as mountaineers try to climb Mount Everest -- because it's the toughest and there is no other course in Scotland or anyplace else in this world that will test your golfing abilities to the extremes that Carnoustie does. No wonder some have called it Carnasty.

This is not a layout for everyone and any eager beaver challenger, big on courage, but shy on skills, who even dreams of tackling this rugged monster, should either be prepared for miserable defeat, or give up on their dream. Carnoustie is a relentless challenge of epic proportions, with no apologies ever made. And it's this no nonsense, what you see is what you get approach, that endears the course to links aficionados the world over. Carnoustie is true links golf at its very best.

The infamous rough is thick and deep.

What makes the course tough is its proportions -- everything here is on a massive scale with titanic dimensions. The length stretches to almost 7,400 yards from the tips; the abundance of bunkers are deep, huge, hungry and unforgiving -- they are not here to gather bad shots, so much as they are to eat up those that fall even slightly short of perfection. Water is another hazard to be reckoned with. There are two burns (streams) that meander back and forth across the track, sometimes more than once on a single hole. The burns are not here for window dressing, but a very relevant hazard to be judiciously negotiated, as Jean Van de Velde discovered on the 72nd hole of the 1999 British Open.

But it is the sheer vastness of Carnoustie's championship layout that strikes the first time visitor, setting the tone for the challenge that lies ahead. Despite its 150 years of age, the track is not the traditional out and back layout, typical of the day; rather it sets off in a huge circle, totally surrounding Carnoustie's second 18-hole track, the very worthy, Burnside Course. Seemingly occupying twice the flat territory of other links, the wind that constantly gusts in from the Firth of Forth becomes more of a factor to contend with.

Doomsday at Carnoustie's 1999 Open.

Complicating matters further are the continuous changes in the direction of the holes as they take their circular journey. With never more than two holes consecutively running in the same direction, the already cantankerous wind becomes even more devilish, unpredictable and difficult to estimate. A non-stop battle with the elements gets underway on the first tee, with no let-up until the calm of the 19th hole is eventually reached.

There is no question that Carnoustie qualifies as perhaps the mightiest of all links, yet for all of its uncompromising demands and insistence on ability, it is never devious or unfair, demonstrating an almost fearful honesty from start to finish. And in a layout filled with excellent holes, it is the finish where Carnoustie's challenge reaches its crescendo with a trio of holes considered the most fearsome in golf.

Even Carnoustie has a softer side.

The par-3 16th could be the toughest short hole in existence, where par will be a miracle and bogey an accomplishment. Measuring a testing 250 yards, the narrow green slopes off frighteningly to all sides, with five voraciously hungry, deep bunkers guarding the entrance. The par-4 17th is no less forgiving with a test compounded by the burn that snakes back, forth and alongside the fairway, forming a virtually island landing area that cannot be misjudged.

The 18th is a grand finale par-4, demanding the ever-present burn is carried on both the tee and approach shots, critically placed fairway and greenside bunkers complicating matters in true Carnoustie style.

Walter Hagen considered this to be Britain's greatest course, and after hosting The British Open on 6 occasions, a listing of Open Champions who have earned the honor here tells the story of its greatness -- Tommy Armour, Henry Cotton, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Tom Watson -- each achieving victory with a score only little better than Carnoustie's nominal par.

Carnoustie will again host The British Open this July, demonstrating one more time that it is the toughest of all Open venues. Whoever walks away with the claret jug will undoubtedly have proved themself in a way they have never been previously called upon to do.

If you have what it takes and want to include Carnoustie in your Scottish golf trip, click here.

© 2007 David Brice / Golf International Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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