Muirfield Course Guide

Hole 1 – 448 yards, par 4

This hole is normally into the prevailing wind. There are bunkers up the left side of a narrow fairway which veers right at around 225 yards. The green is quite flat and the front merges with the fairway. There is one bunker short right and the green is guarded by a large elongated bunker on the right and smaller bunker back left.

Hole 2 – 365 yards, par 4

This is the shortest par 4 on the course with a wall marking out of bounds running down the left hand side. There are 2 bunkers on the right hand side of the fairway and playing your 2nd shot to the right side of the green puts the player in danger of landing in one of the guarding four bunkers.

Hole 3 – 377 yards, par 4

A fairly straight hole where due to a gully you will lose sight of the fairway at just short of 300 yards. The left side of the fairway is the favoured shot from the tee to give a better view of the green. There are bunkers both sides of the fairway at around 289 yards and the green is well guarded by bunkers at the front. Difficulty is increased if the wind is coming from the east.

Hole 4 – 227 yards, par 3

The green on this hole is 40 yards from front to back and is played from an elevated tee. There are 2 bunkers to the front right and one to the front left. The hole is also surrounded by grassy hollows so accuracy is essential.

Hole 5 – 559 yards, par 5

This is a very well bunkered hole and accuracy is essential from the tee. There are Bunkers right and left ranging from 158 yards to 301 yards, 5 on the right and 3 on the left. If the wind is helping, the green is in reach with the 2nd shot but the entrance to the green is narrow with 5 bunkers to the left and 3 to the right. There are also fairway bunkers 43 and 100 yards short of the green for any lay-up’s.

Hole 6 – 469 yards, par 4

This hole is predominantly played into a cross-wind from the right making it very demanding and arguably one of the most difficult holes on the golf course. There is a crest in the fairway which makes a blind shot to the fairway beyond. The green is elevated with a hidden hollow to the front making the approach shot difficult to judge.

Hole 7 – 185 yards, par 3

The green is guarded by 4 bunkers. One to the front right and 3 to the left, where there is also a steep slope. The green is quire exposed, running from back to front and from right to left. Putts can be difficult to read.

Hole 8 – 445 yards, par 4

A fairly standard par four, however positioning of the tee shot is essential. There is a cluster of bunkers at around 285 yards, where the fairway dog-legs to the right. The wise choice is to play a 3 wood or long-iron to the left of the fairway to leave a shot to a green which runs away at the left and back.

Hole 9 – 558 yards, par 5

Downwind, this hole is a birdie opportunity, but the hole can be far tougher if the wind is against. There is a bunker right fairway at 274 yards and one left fairway at 315 yards and the tee shot needs to be between these two bunkers. There are also 5 bunkers short right of the green starting at 68 yards out. Out of bounds way runs all the way down the left hand side of this hole.

Hole 10 – 472 yards, par 4

The fairway has 3 bunkers to the right between 239 and 297 yards from the championship tee. There are also 2 large bunkers central fairway at around 353 yards. The South east winds tend to push the tee shot toward the bunkers on the right. The 2 large central bunkers are around 100 yards from the green and set on a low ridge and hide the green from full view. The green is guarded by 2 bunkers to the front right and one to the left.

Hole 11 – 389 yards, par 4

The tee shot on this hole is blind over the crest of the hill. The fairway is quite wide with bunkers on either side starting at 257 yards on the right. The green is surrounded by seven deep bunkers. It is small and heart shaped with many contours to contend with.

Hole 12 – 382 yards, par 4

This hole has a bunker short right at 190 yards which does not really come into play; however the fairway bunker set on the left does come into play at 263 yards. Left of centre fairway is the ideal position for your approach to the green which is heavily bunkered to the right with a further large bunker to the left. The green is a touch lower than the fairway and is 40 yards long but quite narrow.

Hole 13 – 193 yards, par 3

A very difficult uphill par 3, this green is only around 15 yards wide. There are 2 bunkers and dunes to the left and 3 bunkers spread alongside the right edge of the green. The green runs severely from back to front and the green also slopes to the right where the ball is gathered by the bunkers.

Hole 14 – 478 yards, par 4

This hole is normally played into a strong prevailing breeze, making the hole more difficult, as the tee is elevated. There are 5 fairway bunkers to the left starting at 233 yards from the tee with the last only 18 yards from the green. There are 2 fairway bunkers on the right starting at 240 yards from the tee. There is a plateau green which falls away both right and left and is guarded by one bunker at the front left. This hole can be a very difficult par 4.

Hole 15 – 447 yards, par 4

This is a left to right dog-leg fairway which is protected at the dog leg by bunkers at 240 yards on the right and 260 yards on the left. The wiser shot would be to play short of the bunkers. The second shot needs to find the correct part of the green to avoid 3 putting. The green is known to the members as ‘Camel Back’ indicating the difficulty awaiting the put.

Hole 16 – 188 yards, par 3

Seven bunkers guard the green on this hole. The hole normally plays shorter than the actual length due to the prevailing following wind. Tee shots played to the right hand side are in danger of falling into sand or rough due to the contours of the green. The sensible shot is to play to the middle of the green.

Hole 17 – 578 yards, par 5

The dangers on this hole are the four fairway cross-bunkers at the right to left dog-leg. The bunkers start at around 126 yards from the green. The earlier part of the fairway has 5 bunkers to the left starting at 192 yards, but none to the right. The green is tucked into dunes at the back, has a narrow entrance and is guarded at the front by one bunker on either side.

Hole 18 – 473 yards, par 4

This is a tough closing hole and one of the most famous finishing holes in Open Championship Golf. There is one fairway bunker on the right at around 218 yards. Two bunkers cut into the fairway on the left at its narrowest point which is at around 235 yards. There are 2 fairway bunkers starting at 42 yards short of the green. The green itself is guarded by deep bunkers on either side and is long and rising. The bunker on the right is the iconic ‘Island Bunker’