With The Open Championship next on the major schedule, and with Phil starting a thread talking about the Muirfield golf course, I thought I'd share some photos taken last month.
I played Muirfield on May 2, 2013...beautiful day to play. If any of you read The Boston Globe, my brother Mike was on the trip and wrote an article about it that ran in the "Travel" section a few weeks ago. In the article he spoke of how our afternoon round was played on pretty much an empty golf course. Looking around Muirfield and realizing you have the place almost to yourself is an awfully cool experience, especially knowing the world will be there or watching in a few months.
I'll list yardages from the tees we played.
Hole #1, Par 4, 446 Yards
From the tee:
The approach:
Greenside bunker:
Hole #2, Par 4, 365 Yards
Downhill from tee to green.
From the tee:
Left side of the green:
Hole #3, Par 4, 377 Yards
From the tee:
Approach:
Third green from fourth tee:
Hole #4, Par 3, 182 Yards
A bit of a false front sends balls off the front of the green, and potentially into a front-right bunker (as I found out).
From the tee:
Fourth green from fifth tee:
Hole #5, Par 5, 510 Yards
I thought this was a great hole...fantastic way to climb the hill. Plays much longer than the yardage.
From the tee:
From the right side rough:
The approach:
Hole #6, Par 4, 440 Yards
Wall comes right up to the fairway on the left side, but not really in play unless you are right in front of it. Dogleg left; four bunkers on the inside of the dogleg are very penal.
Only shot I got is a blurry one of the approach:
Hole #7, Par 3, 147 Yards
One of the high points of the course, and very exposed to the wind. Tough to not have the wind affect your golf ball.
From the tee:
Hole #8, Par 4, 443 Yards
Downhill tee shot; very inviting. Dogleg right.
From the tee:
Bunkers on the inside of the dogleg will most likely force a short shot back to the fairway:
The approach. Green is over a little mound, and therefore only the top of the flagstick is visible. Plenty of room short of the green:
Hole #9, Par 5, 505 Yards
The tee the pros will use:
From the tee:
From the fairway:
The approach. The green falls from left to right:
The wall just left of the ninth fairway:
Hole #10, Par 4, 470 Yards
Only shot I got is from the tee. You must avoid the right bunkers if you want to reach the green in regulation. Tee shots that end up in a bunker or the rough must negotiate two cross-bunkers 100 or so yards from the green.
Hole #11, Par 4, 354 Yards
Blind tee shot up a hill. It's fun and high anxiety to climb the hill and discover where your tee shot ended up.
From the tee:
The approach:
Hole #12, Par 4, 380 Yards
Downhill from tee to green.
From the tee, with Gullane Hill in the background:
The approach:
Bunker to the left of the green:
Hole #13, Par 3, 156 Yards
Green sits up, and slopes hard from back-to-front.
From the tee:
From the left of the green:
Hole #14, Par 4, 449 Yards
From the tee:
The approach:
Hole #15, Par 4, 394 Yards
From the tee:
The approach:
Neat wrap-around bunker back-left of the green:
Hole #16, Par 3, 186 Yards
From the tee:
Hole #17, Par 5, 506 Yards
I loved everything about this hole. Dogleg left with cross bunkers influencing the second shot. Nice green complex in a bit of a bowl.
From the tee:
From the fairway:
A nasty cross bunker:
The approach:
Hole #18, Par 4, 418 Yards
From the tee:
The approach:
Right green-side bunker:
Short of the green:
I looked hard, but couldn't find anything not to love about Muirfield. The course...routing, bunkering...world-class. If the rough is not out of control, I don't see why it can't be enjoyed by any class of player. It rewards good shots and punishes bad shots. The clubhouse, locker room, lunch...as many have said, just outstanding. We were welcomed very warmly by everyone. I only wish, when we walked off after 36 holes, we could have gone back out.