Originally designed as a 16 hole course by Old Tom Morris in 1891, Muirfield was extended to eighteen holes for the Open in 1892, which was the first Open Championship to be played over 72 holes.
The course remained relatively unchanged until 2013 when the layout was altered - again for the Open. This involved relocating a few key green-side bunkers to narrow the entrance to the greens and extending the ninth hole to what is now a tricky and famously testing par 5, where you play directly into a strong, prevailing wind.
About Muirfield golf club Scotland – Brief history
- Muirfield golf club Scotland is a privately owned links, home to The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers
- Golf was first played here in 1891 on 16 holes created by Old Tom Morris
- The original boggy ground has been steadily drained over time to provide wonderful quality greens
- Hosted the first Open Championship to be played over 72 holes in 1892 and 1896
- An extra 13 acres was brought into play in 1907
- In 1923 an extra 50 acres was added, to the north of the course, and the respected course designer Harry Colt added 14 new holes
- Tom Simpson re-modelled the 13th hole in 1935
- Harry Colt's design remains mostly unchanged, featuring two sets of 9 holes, one loop played inside the other in the opposite direction
- What do the experts think? As Tom Watson says, "…there is not a weak hole on this course."
Muirfield Scorecard
Click here to view the scorecard
Featured hole – Hole 1
What a way to start a game. Muirfield's number one hole deserves respect, and a great deal of it at that! According to Jack Niklaus, the first hole is “as tough an opening hole as there is anywhere in championship golf", which is fearsome praise indeed. Featuring an extremely difficult rough lining the edges of a horribly narrow fairway, with a green that slopes front to back, Hole 1 at Muirfield pulls no punches – it lets you know exactly what you’re in for right from the start. Look out for a particularly nasty bunker 200 yards from the medal tees to your left - you’ll fail unless you can manage to pull off a high approach. At a challenging 404 yards off the forward tees, it's your job to get the ball in the hole within four strokes. But when the strong winds blow, only true champions manage to reach the green in two.
Known for multiple long par fours
Having exercised your long game on the first hole, now it's time for a short game. Multiple long par 4s of 404, 404, 416 and 410 await you, but you're at the mercy of the wind and making some of these greens in two is a whole lot easier said than done. The fierce undulations of the green complicate things further, demanding a very close approach close if you want to avoid a string of 3 putt greens.
Muirfield golf vacations
If you only play one golf course in Scotland, beautiful, complex Muirfield would an excellent choice. We offer top class, enjoyable, luxurious golfing deals in Scotland, the ancestral home of the game. Make your trip a golf holiday to remember forever with The Experience St Andrews - enjoy exceptional hotels and guaranteed tee time at some of the planet's finest courses. For more details about golf vacations at Muirfield, get in touch.
Featured Muirfield golf package:
St Andrews & Lothians 7 Nights 4* Golf Package - Seven rounds of Golf, including Muirfield, and one guaranteed round on the Old Course and seven nights’ superb accommodation await you. Start your day in style with a full daily Scottish breakfast, followed by clubhouse lunches and a sumptuous three-course dinner in your St Andrews hotel during one evening of your stay. This package is fully customisable to ensure you get the most out of your golfing vacation package, and includes transfers and driving range privileges. Discover More >