By Joel Beall
The Open Championship, especially when conducted in Scotland, is notorious for the weather factoring into the contest. But we doubt this year’s field will face anything this extreme.

The United Kingdom has been blanketed by snowfall emanating from Siberia, a storm dubbed by Europeans as “The Beast from the East.” Scotland was not immune from the blizzard, with parts of the northern country receiving 10 inches of powder. An inconvenience, yes, but also a salvo that swathed some of the world’s greatest links in a winter wonderland.

Demonstrated by these photos of the Old Course at St. Andrews…

As well as down the street at the Castle Course…

Up through the Highlands to Royal Dornoch…  

The beast from the east has hit. No golf today!! #beastfromtheeast #snow #wind #drifting

A post shared by Gary Dingwall (@royaldornochpro) on Feb 28, 2018 at 3:42am PST

Back down the coastline to Cruden Bay…

Eye-catching views captured between heavy snow showers at Cruden Bay Golf Club today. @Crudenbaygolf @BBCScotWeather @Greatherday @visitabdnbt #OutAndAboutScotland #ScotSpirit #CrudenBay pic.twitter.com/v2K3wDPLuh

— Stewart Paul (@StewartPaul1) February 28, 2018

And yes, Carnoustie, host of this year’s claret jug, was also painted in white…

#Repost @theopen ・・・ The famous Spectacles bunkers under snow at this years Open Venue @carnoustiegolflinks ? @craigboath9

A post shared by Carnoustie Golf Links (@carnoustiegolflinks) on Feb 28, 2018 at 9:04am PST

Gullane Golf Club in East Lothian, which will host the Scottish Open the week before The Open at Carnoustie, wasn’t immune either.

Beauty and the Beast (from the East)… ?‍ pic.twitter.com/czSvJmHA9X

— Gullane Golf Club (@GullaneGolfClub) February 28, 2018

American golfers often complain their Scottish excursion was dampened by constant rain. But, as the photos above illustrate, there are worse precipitation fates from Mother Nature.

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