Muirfield Golf Course

The Two Loops of Muirfield

The golf course at Muirfield opened in May 1891 with 16 holes laid out by Old Tom Morris. It was extended to 18 holes for the 1892 Open, the first championship played over 72 holes. Drainage and cultivation steadily improved land that had included sandy waste and waterlogged ground.

After the club secured another 50 acres in 1923, Harry Colt created 14 new holes and formed the layout recognised today. The outward nine circles clockwise around the property's edge, while the inward nine runs anticlockwise inside it. This structure changes the wind's angle throughout the round, even when its overall direction stays constant.

Muirfield is known for visible landing areas and bunkers that make the challenge clear from the tee. Firm turf still rewards sound judgement, while poor positioning leaves demanding approaches. Tom Simpson later remodelled the 13th, and Martin Hawtree refined tees, bunkering, fairways, and greens before the 2013 Open. Its 16 Open Championships have produced winners including Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, and Phil Mickelson.