The Bluffs Course
Designer: Tom Watson
# 1 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 302
BIRKDALE 326
TURNBERRY 360
CARNOUSTIE 386
MUIRFIELD 274
Pro Tips
Keep it straight off the tee on this Par 4. Thick woods on the right and tree trouble left make this one of the most challenging tee shots on the course.
# 2 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 277
BIRKDALE 299
TURNBERRY 327
CARNOUSTIE 359
MUIRFIELD 250
Pro Tips
This hole does not play long but the dogleg comes so late that fading the ball is not to your advantage. Stay left for a good approach angle to this treacherous green.
# 3 /
Par: 3
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 135
BIRKDALE 170
TURNBERRY 177
CARNOUSTIE 196
MUIRFIELD 107
Pro Tips
This long uphill Par 3 requires a well struck tee ball. The in the front sits 12 feet below the green and has a large lip; you definitely do not want to be there.
# 4 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 269
BIRKDALE 301
TURNBERRY 314
CARNOUSTIE 339
MUIRFIELD 253
Pro Tips
This short uphill Par 4 has the narrowest fairway on the golf course. Water to the left and a fairway bunker on the right encourage an iron or fairway wood of the tee. A large tier in this green requires that you plan an accurate approach.
# 5 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 310
BIRKDALE 337
TURNBERRY 364
CARNOUSTIE 381
MUIRFIELD 269
Pro Tips
On this short, downhill Par 4, keep your tee shot left of center as a fade could be blocked out by the two trees that guard the right side. Don’t try to bump and run your second shot; a pot bunker is hiding just in front of the green.
# 6 /
Par: 3
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 129
BIRKDALE 142
TURNBERRY 150
CARNOUSTIE 172
MUIRFIELD 111
Pro Tips
Water protects the short and right sides of the green on this Par 3. If you overcompensate and miss to the left, you will find yourself with tree trouble or a delicate chip shot.
# 7 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 357
BIRKDALE 378
TURNBERRY 407
CARNOUSTIE 415
MUIRFIELD 309
Pro Tips
Hit a big drive down the left side of this fairway and you may be lucky enough to have a clear shot in with a mid-iron. This Par 4 is the hardest hole on the course. Play accordingly.
# 8 /
Par: 5
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 409
BIRKDALE 435
TURNBERRY 462
CARNOUSTIE 481
MUIRFIELD 389
Pro Tips
This true links-style Par 5 has wildly rolling fairway. Be sure you avoid the bunker on right side roughly 90 yards out. Shots from this bunker must carry 50 yards over a greenside bunker to reach the narrow putting surface.
# 9 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 328
BIRKDALE 362
TURNBERRY 389
CARNOUSTIE 415
MUIRFIELD 328
Pro Tips
This long Par 4 is no push-over. Hitting a big tee shot here will be helpful. Make sure your second shot is accurate because your target is the smallest green on the course.
# 10 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 327
BIRKDALE 362
TURNBERRY 387
CARNOUSTIE 417
MUIRFIELD 305
Pro Tips
This is the only dogleg left Par 4 on the course. Keep your tee shot right and your second shot left. The greens right side is well protected by a deep creek.
# 11 /
Par: 3
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 114
BIRKDALE 136
TURNBERRY 152
CARNOUSTIE 164
MUIRFIELD 95
Pro Tips
Avoid the large front left bunker. The mature stand of trees behind the green makes this hole look longer than it is. Be sure to choose the right club on this Par 3.
# 12 /
Par: 5
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 422
BIRKDALE 446
TURNBERRY 496
CARNOUSTIE 512
MUIRFIELD 383
Pro Tips
With a two-tiered green sitting 65 feet above the teeing area, this first Par 5 plays much longer than the scorecard yardage. Be accurate with your drive to this narrow fairway on this dogleg right.
# 13 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 323
BIRKDALE 343
TURNBERRY 369
CARNOUSTIE 394
MUIRFIELD 308
Pro Tips
This dogleg right drops 75 feet from the tee to the green as it winds through this breathtaking valley. Be careful trying to cut the dogleg; the corner is much farther away than it appears to be from the elevated tees.
# 14 /
Par: 5
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 370
BIRKDALE 370
TURNBERRY 380
CARNOUSTIE 390
MUIRFIELD 365
Pro Tips
Aim your tee shot at the large black oak in the middle of the fairway. A good drive will run down this fairway that drops 90 feet from its highest point to the creek protected green.
# 15 /
Par: 3
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 121
BIRKDALE 131
TURNBERRY 144
CARNOUSTIE 159
MUIRFIELD 101
Pro Tips
Avoid missing this Par 3 to the left. A deep bunker and heavy rough await players who are not careful.
# 16 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 348
BIRKDALE 373
TURNBERRY 403
CARNOUSTIE 423
MUIRFIELD 303
Pro Tips
A right to left sloping, tree-lined fairway awaits tee shots from the elevated tees on this Par 4. The views from the back tees, sitting 80 feet above the fairway, are spectacular.
# 17 /
Par: 3
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 112
BIRKDALE 132
TURNBERRY 145
CARNOUSTIE 162
MUIRFIELD 82
Pro Tips
This Par 3 is the Deuce’s Signature Hole. The green sits 100 feet below the back tees. Figuring out what club to hit from any of the 9 different tee boxes is quite a challenge.
# 18 /
Par: 4
Yardage by Tee:
TROON 387
BIRKDALE 432
TURNBERRY 470
CARNOUSTIE 494
MUIRFIELD 387
Pro Tips
Watch out for the creek on the left. It appears to be well left of the fairway, but then cuts sharply into play to errant second shots hit to the left side.