Muirfield

Overview: At Muirfield, the links profile for Muirfield is listed at 7245 yards and par 71. The layout is defined by firm turf, revetted bunkers, deep rough and greens that ask for precise approaches rather than one repeated shot shape. Its walled setting and the surrounding Firth of Forth landscape give the course a distinctive sense of enclosure, while the 7,245-yard directory figure reflects its championship scale. The routing can look restrained from the fairway, but the changing wind and the way the holes turn make club selection difficult to repeat. Muirfield's character comes from strategy and balance: each nine moves through the same landscape in a different direction.

History: Golf was first played at Muirfield in 1891 over 16 holes laid out by Old Tom Morris; the course was extended to 18 holes for the Open the following year. After additional land was acquired, Harry Colt was consulted in 1923 and his recommendations produced the modern two-loop arrangement, including 14 new holes. Tom Simpson later advised on selected improvements, and Martin Hawtree recommended championship changes before the 2013 Open. Muirfield has hosted 16 Open Championships as well as Amateur, Ryder, Walker and Curtis Cup events. The club's history therefore records a long process of refinement rather than a single frozen design date, with the present course still recognisably rooted in the Colt reworking.

Did You Know? Muirfield hosted the first Open Championship played over 72 holes in 1892. In 2013, Phil Mickelson was the only player in the field to finish under par, a small statistic that illustrates how much the wind, bunkering and angled greens can change the scoring character of the course.