Course Review: Summerlin and Carnoustie & Kingbarns

Golf comes back down to earth after the rarefied atmosphere of the Ryder Cup as the players battling to retain their playing privileges for next year make their way to TPC Sum merlin on the western edge of Las Vegas, Nevada for the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Summerlin is one of 25 courses in the Tournament Players Club network across the United States that was created to provide great venues for PGA Tour events. The course was built in 1991 by architect Bobby Weed with Major winner Fuzzy Zoeller acting as player consultant and is designed on the stadium concept that affords exceptional views to the spectators.

The layout is a 6700m par 71 that meanders through rugged desert canyons punctuated by numerous water features. The final four holes present a visually dramatic and beautiful setting that will challenge and frustrate some, whilst offering ample rewards for those willing to take risks. The 15th is a driveable par 4 that is always a crowd favourite. Water is in play on the last three holes with a reachable risk and reward par 5 followed by a 180m downhill par 3 with a narrow green guarded by water on the right. The finish is a 400m par 4 that is pure theatre, with the green almost encircled by corporate hospitality tents and a hill swarming with spectators.

Action resumes on the European Tour with the Alfred Dunhill Links hosted at the cradle of golf, St Andrews, and two other nearby courses, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. Like St Andrews, Carnoustie is steeped in history with golf here dating back to the 1500's. The current course that famously crosses and re-crosses the Barry Burn was laid out as ten holes in 1842 by St Andrews-born Allan Robertson – golf's first true professional – assisted by his young apprentice, Old Tom Morris. In 1867 Morris extended the layout to 18 holes which had by then become the standard. After hosting its first Open Championship in 1931, Carnoustie has gone on to host six more and is now a fixture in the Open rotation.

By contrast Kingsbarns is a modern take on links golf, though located in an area that boasts its own Golfing Society that dates back to 1793. Just 10km southeast of St Andrews, the course design was collaboration between property developer Mark Parsinen and renowned California-based architect Kyle Philips. Kingsbarns is set in a natural coastal amphitheatre with almost every hole offering spectacular views of the North Sea.

Aggressive driving lines are often rewarded with easier approach angles to the well-contoured greens. One of the signature holes is 13th, 130m par3 with the triangular green nestled on the edge of a cliff. Although this is the shortest hole on the course, wind direction and pin placement can come together to make it one of the toughest. Kingsbarns is ranked as the best British design of the last 50 years, and is one of the Top 60 rated courses worldwide.

A Golf Weather
Editorial