Arguably, Carnoustie's greatest export and claim to fame is the golf which has recently been isolated to become Carnoustie's only export.
What an export it is though. The Carnoustie golf courses are incomparable anywhere in the world and the undulating aspect of the landscape makes every round of golf played at Carnoustie a unique experience to be savoured by anyyone with a head for the challenge.

Briefly

Carnoustie is an ancient town, where golf has been played for many centuries. The local register certifies that the Earl of Panmure, Sir Robert Maule, "exercisit at the gowf" on the site of current links from as early as 1527. This is 25 years before the first record of golf at St Andrews.

The first real "course" of ten holes with double greens was laid out in the 1830s, most probably by Allan Robertson of St Andrews, and The Carnoustie Golf Club was formally established in 1842, making it one of the ten oldest clubs in the world. The full 18 hole links was completed in 1867 by Old Tom Morris, and modified in 1926 by James Braid.

The name Carnoustie most likely comes from two Scandinavian words - "car" meaning a rock and "noust" meaning a bay, although locals will tell you a more colourful tale. This involves a Scottish King, a Danish invader and a curse by the Nordic gods, who settled thousands of crows in the area, giving rise to the name "Craw's Nestie", which slowly became Carnoustie. However unlikely this version of the story may be, the Carnoustie Golf Club logo today still features three crows flying over a tree.

The Sons of Carnoustie

Between the end of the 18th century and the early 1920s almost 300 "Sons of Carnoustie" left their native soil and travelled to the four corners of the world to play and teach the game of golf.

At that time, each area in Scotland had developed its own golfing style and the "Carnoustie Swing" became recognisable throughout the world. James Braid, a five time winner of The Open Championship in 1901, 1905, 1906, 1908 and 1910 and a member of the 'Great Triumvirate' with J.H. Taylor and Harry Vardon, was one of its most successful exponents.

One of the best known Carnoustie teachers was Stewart Maiden, "Kiltie" to his friends, who was not only an outstanding golfer but taught the legendary amateur Bobby Jones to play golf. Bobby Jones remarked in later life: "The best luck that I ever had in golf was when Stewart Maiden came from Carnoustie to be pro at the East Lake Club [in Atlanta, Georgia]. Stewart had the finest and soundest style I have ever seen. Naturally I did not know this at the time, but I grew up swinging like him. I imitated his style, like a monkey I suppose."

There are today more than 250 golf clubs in the USA alone that have links with Carnoustie. Member of Carnoustie Golf Club were among the founders of the American, Australian and South African PGA's and the club is acknowledged by these organisations as their heriditary home.

Apart from Stewart Maiden, famous professionals from Carnoustie include the three Smith brothers, Alex, Willie and McDonald, who between them won 24 US PGA Tour events in the years 1910 to 1936, including three victories and two second places in the US Open.

By 1926, the names of Carnoustie golfers were inscribed on the National Open trophies of seven different countries.

But the Sons of Carnoustie did more than just play and teach. It was Alexander Cant from Carnoustie who in 1895 invented the modern handicapping system, now in universal use, based upon stroke allowance. Until then players were allocated an "average score" depending on ability. The world's first competition to use the new "handicap" system was held by the Carnoustie Golf Club and was so successful that 7 members tied for first place.

The Open Championship

Carnoustie has hosted the Open Championship on seven occasions, most recently in 2007, when Padraig Harrington gained a thrilling playoff victory over Sergio Garcia. Previous winners of the Open at Carnoustie were golfing legends Tommy Armour (1931), Henry Cotton (1937), Ben Hogan (1953), Gary Player (1968) and Tom Watson (1975), whilest in 1999, Carnoustie saw one of the most extraordinary moments in Open Championship history, when France's Jean Van de Velde lost a three shot lead at the 72nd hole, and was subsequently defeated in a playoff by Paul Lawrie of Scotland.