It
is not difficult to understand why so many of the worlds
Top Players rate Muirfield as the best, and also the fairest
examination of golf, among all of Britains Open Championship
venues. If by fairest they mean that there are no hidden bunkers
or deep hollows, as at St Andrews, or blind shots and holes
that make up the character of Prestwick. Then we can have
little argument. Muirfield, home of the Honourable Company
of Edinburgh Golfers, is an honest but demanding test where
all the pearls are in full view for all to see. Good shots
are handsomely rewarded, while for any imperfection the penalties
are severe.
The greatest Golfer of them all, Jack William Nicklaus, paid
Muirfield the ultimate compliment by naming his own course
in America Muirfield Village in memory of his
first Open Championship in 1966. Nicklaus has always been
generous and warm in his praise of Muirfield ever since.
Henry
Cotton, who won his last Open Championship at Muirfield in
1948, privately admitted to Muirfield being his favourite
course in more than sixty years as a playing professional.
In the modern era most of his Professional counterparts hold
that same view. Muirfield has not always enjoyed such a fine
reputation, albeit the latter part of the Nineteenth Century,
one of the finest players of his day, Scottish professional
Andrew Kirkaldy once described Muirfield as nothing
more than an old water meadow. The Honourable
Company of Edinburgh Golfers is generally recognised as the
oldest golf Club in the World. It has complete records of
its entire existence since 1744 when several Gentlemen
of Honour skilful in the ancient and healthful exercise of
golf petitioned Edinburgh City Council to donate a silver
club for annual competition on Leith links, outside Scotlands
capital. The Honourable Company set out the first official
rules of the game in the year of their formation - a full
ten years before The Royal and Ancient golf club of St Andrews
was founded.
In
1836 they moved to Musselburgh six miles away to share the
course there with the members of Musselburgh Golf Club. However
in1892 it was time to move again, this time down the Firth
of Forth to the present course at Muirfield.
The Open Championship was never held in 1871 due to young
Tom Morris winning three years in succession and retaining
the championship belt as his own. Thereafter the Honourable
company, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club together subscribed
for the present Trophy, for 20 years The Open
rotated between, Prestwick, St Andrews and Musselburgh. Muirfield
hosted the first Open Championship to be played over 72 holes
with the winner being Harold Hilton from Hoylake whose score,
of 305 playing a Gutta Percha Ball, was considered to be remarkably
low. Harold Vardon won the first of six Open Championships
at Muirfield in 1896 after a play-off with J. H. Taylor, while
James Braid also won the first of his Opens at Muirfield in
1901. Ted Ray was victorious in 1912, the last Open before
the outbreak of war, and the last at Muirfield before major
changes were made to the links due to advances in the modern
game. Home to the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers
is a very private place, unlike the public courses of Carnoustie
and St Andrews, where the great traditions of the Royal and
Ancient game are jealously preserved.
In 1972 Lee Trevino won a memorable Open, holing no fewer
than 3 times from Muirfields infamous greenside bunkers.
Much of Muirfield's quality is in its test of driving, the
fairways are not narrow but unlike on most links courses the
rough is lush and unforgiving. During the Open of 1948 Sir
Henry Cotton missed only four fairways in 72 holes, a feat
of precision driving greatly admired by his peers. It is a
course steeped in tales of its one time secretary, Paddy Hanmer,
who would gaze across the empty expanses of the Links, before
telling expectant visitors, hopeful of a game, that they could
not play because the course was to busy!!
Muirfield is a club of great history and importance to the
game of golf, and a course which every golfer worthy of the
Game wants to play. Only the fortunate few, however, are afforded
the opportunity.
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The
Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers
Muirfield
Gullane
East Lothian
EH31 2EG
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Founded:-
1744
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Type
of course:- Links
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No
of holes:- 18
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Distance:-
6801 yds
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Par:-
70 (SSS 73)
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Designer:-
James Braid, Henry Cotton
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Location:- Edinburgh |
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