2018 Major Golf Venues

Every year that passes we are treated to a myriad of awesome golf tournaments that capture global attention and help drive enthusiasm for our great game.

Many golf fans look towards April as the real start of the golf season as this month sees the commencement of major golf. The four major tournaments are anticipated like no others (Ryder Cup apart) and provide an immeasurable level of drama.

To help build up to the commencement of major season let's take a look at each of the venues upon which the world's best golfers will aim to write their very own piece of history this coming year.

2018 Masters - Augusta National

Par: 72
Yardage: 7,435 yds

The annual host venue of The Masters needs no introduction. The hallowed fairways of Augusta National have played as the backdrop to some of the most iconic moments in the game's history.

Famously each hole is named after the tree or shrub with which it is most associated and it is when reaching the 'White Dogwood' 11th hole that real drama can unfold. Amen Corner encompasses holes 11 - 13 and the formidable trio has been pivotal in determining major winners of yesteryear.

Signature hole - Par-3 12th (Golden Bell)

This hole is shortest on the golf course but each and every golfer that stands upon the tee box should underestimate this potential card wrecker at their peril.

Rae's Creek lies in wait for any short tee shots and there are three bunkers ready to snare any ball which deviates from its target. The often swirling wind also plays a huge role in making this one of the most difficult holes on any golf course worldwide.

Fancy a flyover of the most famous golf course in the game?

2018 U.S. Open - Shinnecock Hills

Par: 70
Yardage: 6,996 yds

This year's U.S. Open sees the return of the event to one of the founding golf clubs of the USGA.

This will be the sixth time the New York-based facility will have hosted the year's second major championship, with the most recent outing back in 2004 when South African Retief Goosen secured his second major title. A seventh appearance on the U.S. Open rota will come in 2024.

The course itself is widely acknowledged as the best New York has to offer. Indeed, the back nine is thought by many to be up there with the best throughout world golf - and you won't get many arguments from us.

Signature Hole Par-3 7th (Redan)

Back at that 2004 U.S. Open many of the players faced a battle just to keep the ball on the putting surface on each of the four days. The target green was so small and firm that facing a birdie putt of any length was an achievement in itself.

Get a preview of Shinnecock Hills' return to the U.S. Open below:

2018 Open Championship - Carnoustie Golf Links

Par: 71
Yardage: 7,421 yds

Carnoustie Golf Links is a golf course which will test every facet of every golfer's game. The championship course has hosted The Open on seven separate occasions and it is considered to be the toughest of all venues on its rota.

Holes 15-18 play as possibly the toughest closing stretch anywhere in major golf. The famous Barry Burn comes into play twice on the final hole and strikes fear into the hearts of many of the world's best with great regularity (for confirmation just ask Frenchman Jean Van de Velde).

Signature Hole - Par-5 14th (Spectacles)

There are many holes on Carnoustie's championship course which could conceivably be coined as its signature offering. The par-5 14th hole is one of these and is so named after two huge and intimidating bunkers which lie in wait at either side of the fairway to snare any errant approach shots. Find these sand-traps and literally any score is possible.

Here's a memory jog of Paidraig Harrington's playoff win in 2007 at Carnoustie:

2018 PGA Championship - Bellerive Country Club

Par: 71
Yardage: 7,600 yds

Bellerive Country Club last hosted the PGA Championship back in 1992 when Zimbabwean Nick Price secured his first of three career major wins by three strokes.

The course features a winding creek which features on nine separate holes while it also boasts bold bunkering and huge undulating greens making accurate approach shots of paramount importance.

Signature Hole: Par-3 6th

As the signature par-3 on the golf course, the sixth can play as an absolute brute of a golfing hole. It is more than likely that we will see a few big numbers and scoring averages approaching 4.00 are not unheard of.

Here's a look forward to next year's PGA Championship:

The 2018 golfing calendar is littered with reasons for great excitement and with these venues playing host to the biggest tournaments in the game, we can't wait until the major season gets underway in April.

What are you looking forward to in 2018? Let us know below.