In 1842, Allan Robertson, recorded as the first golf professional, laid out a 10-hole course with the help of his young apprentice, a 21 year-old by the name of (Old) Tom Morris. Tom returned to Carnoustie in 1867 to extend the layout to 18 holes and it’s apparent that his legacy is still felt on this coastline.
In 1926, James Braid introduced some substantial changes to the routing in preparation for the course to host its first Open Championship in 1931. One of the lesser-known contributors is the Dundee accountant, James Wright who redesigned the final three holes to ensure a stronger finish at the 1937 Open Championship.
A more recent figure in the development of the Links is John Philp, who is credited with restoring Carnoustie to The Open rota in 1999 after a 24-year hiatus. In 2012 Carnoustie Golf Links named the 11th hole on The Championship Course ‘John Philp’ in recognition of his efforts. There are only two holes in golf that have been named after greenkeepers, the other being Tom Morris at St Andrews.
