We hope that you have all had a great summer season out on the Links. As we head towards the end of the 2025 season, we would like to take this opportunity to tell you about our winter plans.
As we advised last month that we would begin the installation of our brand new, state-of-the-art, irrigation system on The Carnoustie Burnside Course this month. The new system will provide better quality water for the golf courses and tackle some long standing issues that became apparent over the years in the existing system.
As previously done, we have been collaborating in order to fully understand how this work will affect our courses and your experience. With this in mind, in order to ensure that we only deliver the very best experience, we have taken the decision to suspend visitor golf across all three courses from 1st November 2025 to 28th February 2025 inclusive. We will update our return to normal operations in due course for March onwards.
This being the case, all three golf courses at Carnoustie will be exclusive to Season Ticket Holders* and their guests during the winter season. (*Please note that there may be a minority of tee times that will be allocated to non-Season Ticket Holders for operational business needs). Furthermore, we are delighted to advise that The Buddon Course will remain set-up to resemble our summer** course set-up, with full tees and greens in play. (**Please note this is for this winter season only). We will also ensure that a maximum of only two greens will be rested at one time on The Buddon Course. Our frost policy will continue to be in place on all three courses.
During the winter months, we will continue to update you on any hole closures or winter works that may impact your experience on the course.
Winter Protection
Over the last seven seasons there has been a more intensive overseeding programme on The Championship Course to further improve and encourage more finer grasses on the greens.
Giving the fescue seedlings the best possible chance of full establishment in the sward requires careful nurturing of the relatively fragile seedlings. To achieve this, we will continue our greenkeeping operations from the previous year:
- Mowing heights will be raised to 5.5mm
- Rolling will be reduced to a minimal requirement
- Resting 6 of The Championship / 2 of The Buddon / 4 of The Burnside Courses’ greens every week on a cycle through the winter period
As well as complimenting the stringent frost policy that has been implemented over the last few years, resting greens on a cycle throughout winter, placing pins to edges and particularly fronts give optimum rest and allows the Greenkeeping Team to make big strides in the programme of introducing more finer grasses into the greens..
Winter Mats and Additional Local Rules –
Winter Mats In Play From Monday 3rd November 2025 – Thursday 26th March 2026
The Championship & The Burnside Courses
Mats must be used on all ‘closely mown areas’ which includes;
- On the tees when using an iron, unless a full-size mat is placed on the tee
- Two club lengths into the semi-rough, except if you are using a putter
A ‘closely-mown’ area is any area of the course that is cut to fairway height or less and includes paths cut through the rough, tees, and the fringe/apron around the green.
The Buddon Course
The Buddon Course will have mats in play in all areas cut to fairway height or less (not semi-rough).
Mats can be purchased from The Professional Shop or Burnside Starter Box for £7.50 per mat for Season Ticket Holders and their Guests. Season Ticket holder discount does not apply.
In Winter the use of mats comes into play for the long-term benefit of the courses and Season Ticket Holders. Players found not to be using a mat from the appropriate place will receive a written warning, on a 2nd breach the player will be banned for the rest of the Winter period. Season Ticket Holders are also responsible for ensuring their Guests use mats where required.
Ground Under Repair (G.U.R)
Do not play from areas that are marked Ground Under Repair (G.U.R). Lift and drop outside the white lines. See Rule 16.1
Dropping Zones
If you are in G.U.R. and a dropping zone is marked, you must use it.
Bunkers
Drop, without penalty, from bunkers which have G.U.R. signs. Nearest point of relief and no closer to the hole. See Rule 16.1
Aeration Holes on Greens
If your ball is in a hole on the green, you may move it.
Frost Policy
With increased play during the winter season and increased traffic on the greens, there is significantly more damage to the greens when there is frost on the ground. This damage makes the grass plant more susceptible to disease.
On experiencing a white frost (rime) – pins will be positioned on winter greens prior to play and will remain so for the rest of the day.
On experiencing a hard frost – pins will be positioned on winter greens until the day after the frost has fully thawed from the soil.
Pitch Marks
Can we again kindly ask everyone to repair their pitch marks to keep our courses in the best condition possible – it’s just a small request, but if we all do it, then our courses will be even better for everyone to enjoy.
Winter Closures 2025/2026
Maintenance Works
Every year, we close each of our courses over a two/three week period for annual maintenance to take place. Therefore, closures have been scheduled for the following dates:
The Carnoustie Championship Course Closures
Monday 3rd – Friday 7th November inclusive
Monday 10th – Friday 14th November inclusive
Monday 23rd – Friday 27th February inclusive
The Carnoustie Burnside Course Closures
Monday 17th – Friday 21st November inclusive
Monday 24th – Friday 28th November inclusive
The Carnoustie Buddon Course Closures
Monday 1st – Friday 5th December inclusive
Monday 8th – Friday 12th December inclusive
Please Note: Terms & Conditions for play on other courses while one is closed for maintenance will follow next week.
Play on the Courses
From Monday 3rd November 2025
Over the winter season, we will continue to update the homepage of this website. Please check the information bar at the top of the home page with course playability information – we’d encourage you to check this before setting out.
In addition to the website information bar, details on current courses and holes in play are available on the display screens in Links House and in the weekly Season Ticket Holder Updates email.
These screens are located:
- At the exit to The Championship Course
- At the exit to The Buddon Course.
The display screens are updated regularly. We recommend that you check these prior to heading out for your round of golf.
If you have any queries, don’t hesitate to speak to a member of our staff who will be happy to help you.
As a follow-up to our previous communication regarding the winter course closures for annual maintenance, the following outlines the details for play conditions for each course during these closures.
When one of your designated course/s is closed, you have the following options:
1-Course Season Ticket Holders
- While The Buddon Course is Closed:
- May play The Burnside Course
2-Course Season Ticket Holders
- While The Burnside Course is Closed:
- May play The Championship Course
Play Conditions During Course Closures
- Guest Fees: Guests accompanying Season Ticket Holders will be required to pay the applicable course Guest rate during these times.
- Weekend Play: Weekend upgrade charges/rules apply. If wishing to play a course for which you are not a ticket holder you may organise a tee time AFTER the ballot has been drawn.
Ballot Cards: Please note active ballot cards during mid-week closures will not be automatically transferred. For changes to your ballot cards contact us on (01241) 802270 press #2 and then #1 again.
Outside of our operational hours you can contact us via email, at: [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Winter Opening Hours
1st November 2025 – 31st March 2026
Links House
Sunday – Thursday: 7.45am* – 8.00pm
Friday – Saturday: 7.45am* – 10.00pm
*or 15 minutes prior to first tee time
Burnside Starters Box
Monday – Sunday: 7.45am* – 2.00pm
*or 15 minutes prior to first tee time
The Professional Shop
Monday – Sunday: 7.45am* – 8.00pm
*or 15 minutes prior to first tee time
The Performance Centre
Monday – Sunday: 8.00am – 8.00pm
The Rookery
Monday & Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday & Thursday: 8.00am-6.00pm
Friday & Saturday: 8.00am-10.00pm
Sunday: 8.00am-6.00pm
The Kiosk
Monday & Tuesday: 8.00am-2.00pm
Wednesday – Sunday: Closed
Halfway House
Monday – Sunday: 9.00am-4.00pm*
*or earlier if footfall is low
On-course Toilet Facilities
Please be reminded that the toilets on The Championship Course at the 15th have a lock code entry. The code is 1953 (Ben Hogan’s Open win at Carnoustie).
The Buddon Course toilets are open daily 08:00 – 16:00*.
*On course facilities: On The Buddon Course, the toilets will be available daily from 08:00 to 16:00. If the weather drops below a certain temperature, there’s a possibility that we’ll have to close The Buddon Course toilets. This decision is based on health and safety considerations and the risk of pipes freezing and bursting. Please keep an eye out for updates that will outline any changes to facilities during the colder months.
The Carnoustie Buddon Course
This winter season (3rd November 2025 – 26th March 2026) The Buddon Course will be set-up differently to The Championship Course and The Burnside Course. We will provide a summer set up on The Buddon Course and hope this will create a great winter golf experience.
The Buddon Course will have mats in play in all areas cut to fairway height or less (not semi-rough) and will operate a maximum of only two temporary greens over the 18 holes. The course will also be set-up with all sets of summer tees (White, Yellow, Green and Black) in play. This will permit the course to be a ‘handicap counting’ course under WHS rules and will allow Season Ticket Holders to continue to play competition golf and enter General Play scores if they wish to do so. All constituent clubs will communicate with their own club members regarding their own plans for The Buddon Course competitions for the winter season.
FAQ’s
We have created some FAQ’s that will hopefully cover most of the questions that may arise:
How will I know that the course is on full temporary greens?
The website will be updated every morning before the first tee time to indicate the temporary greens situation for that day. There will also be signage on the first tee to indicate if the course is on full temporary greens that day.
Why are The Burnside and Championship Courses not available for General Play scores during winter months?
If there are more than two temporary greens per 18 holes, the course can’t be used as a ‘handicap counting’ course under WHS rules. The Championship Course will have six temporary greens and The Burnside Course will have four temporary greens in play daily. Use of mats in semi-rough (applicable to The Championship Course and The Burnside Course) also prohibits handicap counting scores to be entered under WHS rules.
Some of the bunkers on The Buddon Course are GUR, does this effect the ability to enter a counting score for handicap?
No. We have received advice from Scottish Golf on this question and they have confirmed handicap counting scores can be entered as normal even if a large majority of bunkers are marked as GUR.
I have mistakenly entered a General Play score while The Buddon Course was on full temporary greens. What do I do?
Please contact the secretary at your home club who will be able to delete that score from your handicap record.
Why are The Championship and Burnside Courses not playing at full length through the Winter months like The Buddon Course?
To ensure that The Championship and Burnside Courses are in peak condition for the Summer playing season (1st April – 31st October) we must give teeing areas and greens more time to rest and recover. We are anticipating the Winter set-up for The Buddon Course will help to relieve pressure on The Championship and Burnside Courses.
Will having a Summer course set-up in the Winter months be detrimental to The Buddon Course in the Summer months?
No. Our Greens Team are confident that this will not affect the condition of the course in the Summer months. Fixed mats will be in play where required to help with divots and grass wear on teeing areas.
Am I required to use a fairway mat on teeing areas when playing The Buddon Course?
No, a mat is not required for teeing areas and can be used on the fairway only. The rule for using your mat is as follows; “When a player’s ball lies in a part of the general area cut to fairway height or less and a putter is not being used for the stroke, the ball must be lifted, placed on and played from an Astroturf, or similar type of, mat. The mat must be placed as near as possible to where the ball originally lay, and the ball must be placed on the mat. The ball may be cleaned when lifted. If a tee is used to secure the mat into the ground, the ball must not be placed on the tee.”