muirfield

It is not difficult to understand why so many of the world’s Top Players rate Muirfield as the best, and also the fairest examination of golf, among all of Britain’s Open Championship venues. If by fairest they mean that there are no hidden bunkers or deep hollows, as at St Andrews, or blind shots and holes that make up the character of Prestwick. Then we can have little argument. Muirfield, home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, is an honest but demanding test where all the pearls are in full view for all to see. Good shots are handsomely rewarded, while for any imperfection the penalties are severe.

The greatest Golfer of them all, Jack William Nicklaus, paid Muirfield the ultimate compliment by naming his own course in America ‘Muirfield Village’ in memory of his first Open Championship in 1966. Nicklaus has always been generous and warm in his praise of Muirfield ever since.

Henry Cotton, who won his last Open Championship at Muirfield in 1948, privately admitted to Muirfield being his favourite course in more than sixty years as a playing professional. In the modern era most of his Professional counterparts hold that same view. Muirfield has not always enjoyed such a fine reputation, albeit the latter part of the Nineteenth Century, one of the finest players of his day, Scottish professional Andrew Kirkaldy once described Muirfield as ‘nothing more than an ‘old water meadow’. The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers is generally recognised as the oldest golf Club in the World. It has complete records of its entire existence since 1744 when ‘several Gentlemen of Honour skilful in the ancient and healthful exercise of golf’ petitioned Edinburgh City Council to donate a silver club for annual competition on Leith links, outside Scotland’s capital. The Honourable Company set out the first official rules of the game in the year of their formation - a full ten years before The Royal and Ancient golf club of St Andrews was founded.

In 1836 they moved to Musselburgh six miles away to share the course there with the members of Musselburgh Golf Club. However in1892 it was time to move again, this time down the Firth of Forth to the present course at Muirfield.
The Open Championship was never held in 1871 due to young Tom Morris winning three years in succession and retaining the championship belt as his own. Thereafter the Honourable company, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club together subscribed for the present Trophy, for 20 years ‘The Open’ rotated between, Prestwick, St Andrews and Musselburgh. Muirfield hosted the first Open Championship to be played over 72 holes with the winner being Harold Hilton from Hoylake whose score, of 305 playing a Gutta Percha Ball, was considered to be remarkably low. Harold Vardon won the first of six Open Championships at Muirfield in 1896 after a play-off with J. H. Taylor, while James Braid also won the first of his Opens at Muirfield in 1901. Ted Ray was victorious in 1912, the last Open before the outbreak of war, and the last at Muirfield before major changes were made to the links due to advances in the modern game. Home to the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers is a very private place, unlike the public courses of Carnoustie and St Andrews, where the great traditions of the Royal and Ancient game are jealously preserved.

In 1972 Lee Trevino won a memorable Open, holing no fewer than 3 times from Muirfield’s infamous greenside bunkers. Much of Muirfield's quality is in its test of driving, the fairways are not narrow but unlike on most links courses the rough is lush and unforgiving. During the Open of 1948 Sir Henry Cotton missed only four fairways in 72 holes, a feat of precision driving greatly admired by his peers. It is a course steeped in tales of its one time secretary, Paddy Hanmer, who would gaze across the empty expanses of the Links, before telling expectant visitors, hopeful of a game, that they could not play because the course was to busy!!
Muirfield is a club of great history and importance to the game of golf, and a course which every golfer worthy of the Game wants to play. Only the fortunate few, however, are afforded the opportunity.