Why Muirfield is both a beauty and a beast

No other tournament can match the Open, and golf’s oldest and best Major is once again set for majestic Muirfield, a links course that boasts a roll-call of truly great champions.

The East Lothian course is rightly revered on the rota as being the fairest test, but one that comes with penal rough, the vagaries of the Firth of Forth wind and weather, not to mention some of the toughest holes in golf.

Here, we profile where the Open will be won and lost at Muirfield, with the help of some of the men who will play in the event, past champions, two people who have played there this spring and R&A Secretary Peter Dawson.

Why Muirfield will be a beauty

1 It’s all in front of you off the tee…

“What you see is what you get at Muirfield,” says Jack Nicklaus, who won The Open here in 1966. “But you have to think, you have to hit it straight, you have to play in every wind direction. It has everything except length. When I won there I used a 1-iron all week. You’ve got to stay out of that rough. The first is as tough an opening hole as there is anywhere in championship golf.”

2 There are no hidden vagaries…

The pros love Muirfield because if you hit a good shot, you’ll be rewarded. R&A Secretary Peter Dawson told us: “You don’t get the humps and bumps you get at Royal St George’s and others. The players love it, it’s immensely popular and it’s always in fantastic condition. I always say we could hold an Open here any year at three weeks’ notice. Jack Nicklaus’ comment about ‘what you see is what you get’ at Muirfield was perhaps directed at other links courses with blind shots and where more luck is involved.” Nick Faldo, winner of the Opens here in 1987 and 1992, added: “In terms of shot values, variety, intricacy and overall strength of the test, Muirfield is out there on its own.” 

3 It’s a shot-maker’s course…

Padraig Harrington told us: “Muirfield makes a statement – we’re going to test you. You’ve got to be able to hit every kind of shot because you’re going to be asked for it. When you get through nine holes you feel relief, but then the back nine starts off with one of the toughest Open holes.” Colin Montgomerie added: “Muirfield is undoubtedly a shot-maker’s course. It is perhaps the fairest Open challenge of them all with no hidden hazards or surprises. The front nine runs clockwise around the inner loop of the homeward nine which runs broadly in the opposite direction, forcing players to face winds from all directions.”

4 It produces the best champions…

Especially over its modern history, since the late 1950s, a host of the true greats and multiple Open champions have won here at the peak of their powers – Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo and Ernie Els. Flukey winners aren’t part of Muirfield’s DNA. Dawson added: “This course has produced some fantastic quality of champions in the past and we envisage that continuing.”

Why Muirfield will be a beast

1 It’s tight and the rough is penal…

Tiger Woods bore the full brunt of Muirfield’s wrath in the third round in 2002, when he got the wrong end of the draw, caught a squall and shot 81. He said: “If the rough is as long and knee-high as it was in ’02 then somebody’s going to get hurt. It’s a heck of a golf course. If the rough is up it’s pretty tight.” Dawson added: “The rough has been cut down over the winter, but will regenerate over the coming weeks. We will see the rough up and you are unlikely to win an Open at Muirfield from the rough. The amount of rough is weather-dependent, but we will get plenty.”

2 The wind can really blow…

Its seaside location on the mouth of the Firth of Forth means 30-40mph gusts can sweep in at any time. Sam Torrance told us: “There are days when I’ve played the first and absolutely creamed a driver and 3-wood the best I can hit them, and not even got close.” And Tom Watson famously said: “Muirfield without wind is like a lady undressed. No challenge. If we get wind, anything can happen.”

3 It’s The Open Championship…

Muirfield will be set-up to identify the Champion Golfer of the Year. For 2013, it’s longer, tighter and a great short game is critical on 18 greens with some big undulations. Dawson said: “As we’ve done with all the Open venues, we’ve made alterations and upgrades. The card of the course compared to 2002 has increased a total of 158 yards, which is about two per cent of the previous length. In general, the changes reflect new back tees on 2, 4, 9, 14, 15, 17, and 18. But there’s also been a considerable amount of tightening in bunkering around the greens, requiring somewhat more accurate approach play than was required previously.” Darren Clarke summed it up perfectly: “It’s the one all the players really want to win but it’s not easy; it took me over 20 years!”