Golf courses in Edinburgh and East Lothian reflect the city’s and county’s reputation for history, culture, and diversity.
The city is home to several courses, including the 36-hole Dalmahoy, which has hosted the Solheim Cup and Scottish PGA Championship, as well as the 18-hole Bruntsfield Links and the 9-hole Ratho Park, both of which were designed by the illustrious architect James Braid.
Golfers looking to get away from it all can find many great links, layouts, and hidden jewels in East Lothians. Muirfield, North Berwick, and Gullane, all of which are included in the Top Courses in Scotland and Best in Region rankings, are among the highlights of any golfer’s trip to Scotland.
Discover the Top Golf Courses Around Edinburgh and East Lothian, which the professionals have played and recommend today.
Muirfield Golf Club
The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers call Muirfield their home, one of the best links courses in the British Isles. Muirfield has hosted several Open Championships, and the club is steeped in history and tradition.
Old Tom Morris originally designed the layout, but subsequent improvements by Harry Colt, Tom Simpson, and Martin Hawtree have made it even better.
Muirfield, like many Scottish courses, is laden with tradition and regulation. The world’s oldest golf club, The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, was founded in 1744 in Leith, moved to Musselburgh, and is now based at Muirfield in East Lothian. Golfers may take in panoramic vistas of the countryside and the beaches and Firth of Forth on this classic course that brims with charm and beauty. Muirfield’s decision to reject female golfers as members has cost them the opportunity to host the Open Championship in the future.
North Berwick West Links Course
A challenging links course with stunning ocean views and plenty of sand traps and trees to keep you off the fairway. North Berwick West Links is the site of one of the most often imitated golf holes and is home to the final qualifying round for the Open Championship, making it the thirteenth-oldest club in the world.
The ‘Redan’ 15th hole is a par 3 with a diagonal green and a large, hidden gully front right that you must carry while avoiding the bunkers.
Archerfield Links Golf Club
The golfing atmosphere at Archerfield Links Golf Club is modern and welcoming. Archerfield, in East Lothian next to Gullane, hosts the Paul Lawrie Match Play and the Prostate Cancer UK Scottish Senior Open. You can have a thrilling time on either course. Fidra Links is a fast-running 18-hole course surrounded by pine trees. In contrast, Dirleton Links, a coastal course that has hosted golf for over a century and is favored by Master Players like Gary Player and Ian Woosnam, is a more difficult option thanks to its deep bunkers and sweeping fairways.
Gullane
Gullane, one of Scotland’s finest golf courses, first opened its gates in 1884. You can count on a superb lie, come rain or shine, on one of the finest areas of golfing turf in the East Lothian area.
With its smooth greens, pot-bunkers, and knee-high rough, Gullane No. 1 is a must-play on any East Lothian golf vacation.
Dunbar Golf Club
Dunbar is a traditional out-and-back links course on what is known as “Scotland’s Golf Coast.” The views of the North Sea and Bass Rock from several of the holes that run alongside the coast are spectacular.
While golfing is possible year-round on Dunbar’s immaculate greens, players face the weather with little shelter.
Kilspindie Golf Club
Located in East Lothian close to the Firth of Forth, Kilspindie is one of the world’s 40 oldest golf courses. Only three of the par four holes are longer than 400 yards, making this a relatively short course by today’s standards.
Despite its short length, Kilspindie is true links golf at its finest and attracts many visitors every year.
Gifford
The beautiful scenery and therapeutic qualities of golf are a big part of its appeal, especially in Scotland. The Gifford Golf Club is a welcoming nine-hole course not far from the Lammermuir Hills. The possibility of a hole-in-one increases in probability from the moment you hit that first thrilling drive up to the club. However, this is far enough away from the golfing elite that you may work on your swing without fear of ridicule.
Longniddry Golf Club
Although the 18 holes at Longniddry were originally planned out on the Earl of Wemyss’s estate by the legendary golf course designer Harry Colt, the course has undergone several upgrades and modifications since then.
Longniddry has no par 5s, but the wind can make more than half of the par 4s longer than 400 yards difficult.
Bruntsfield Links
Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, the world’s fourth-oldest golf club, has preserved the game’s finest customs and traditions for generations.
Bruntsfield’s ideal parkland environment is somewhat hilly and highly tree-lined, making it a unique golf experience compared to the other ‘links turf’ courses.
Dalmahoy East Course
The Pentland Hills provide a beautiful backdrop for this James Braid-designed golf course, which is set among a thousand acres of woodland parkland.
Even though the East course’s fairways are relatively large, successful play requires a blend of brute force and a precision short game, earning it the moniker “The Beast.”
Royal Musselburgh Golf Club
The Old Club Cup, the oldest tournament still played for, dates back to 1774 and is contested for on this James Braid design.
The course is not the longest along the East Lothian coast, with only a few pars 4 holes over 400 yards, but length is not as important as accuracy and position off the tee.
Craigielaw Golf Course
Many excellent links courses may be found along the coast between Musselburgh and Dunbar, and a new one opened there in 2001. Despite being such a young course, Craigielaw has already garnered international notice by hosting the Scottish Amateur Strokeplay (2006) and the Senior Open qualification (2007).
While Craigielaw’s length gives it an advantage over some of the older links in the area, the course’s challenging greens and the seemingly never-ending supply of deep bunkers make a solid short game more important than ever.
