Looking for a golf break? East Lothian might be the answer - good golf, friendly welcome and Edinburgh.
Looking for a golf break? East Lothian might have the answer - good golf, a friendly welcome and Edinburgh close by
A lot of people might not instinctively know where East Lothian is in Scotland. The answer is simple - it's just south of Edinburgh - and the reason it matters is that, for golfers, there is something a little bit special about the region.
You know as much if you take 20 minutes to climb to the top of North Berwick Law, a small but steep hill that overlooks the region.
Turn to the west and you'll see another hill, rising above the Firth of Forth and the distant skyline of Edinburgh. It's the hill over which the three courses of Gullane twist and turn.
Turn east and you might spot the fairways of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, better known as Muirfield, arguably the finest test on the Open rota.
Move a bit further east and, hidden between the trees, are the more modern, but still well-respected, tests of the Renaissance and Archerfield Links clubs.
The golfing landscape is completed when you look down over the town of North Berwick itself, with its beautiful beach and fishing harbour book-ended by North Berwick GC to the north and the Glen GC in the south.
It's an easy to reach part of the United Kingdom, with some great deals on green fees, plenty of good food and accommodation, and the proximity of Edinburgh is a bonus too, offering year round festivals and entertainment.
Here are our highlights of the East Lothian Golf Coast.
The town of Gullane - it's a small but special place if you like the sport of golf. Three courses start and end right in the heart of the town which is full of pubs and cafes in which everyone talks golf. Each of the courses offers a different challenge but all three are great fun and there are some great offers on green fees.
One unique course - North Berwick GC. There are few more enjoyable challenges in golf. The first hole is a short par-four but you have to beware, of both the sea (which is in play all the way down the right-hand side) and the stunning views (which threaten your concentration). There are some brilliant golf holes, some radical designs (the 16th green has to be seen to be believed, with a half-pipe running diagonally through the middle of it), a friendly welcome and a finish in the town that is vaguely reminiscent of the Old Course at St Andrews.
The North Berwick Golf Trail - walk in the footsteps of some of the greats of the game, from the earliest years to the present day, finishing at the Heritage of Golf Museum.
Play on the oldest playing course in the world - at Musselburgh Links. It's only nine holes, but it's an original Open Championship venue and you can hire hickory clubs. A unique and historically intriguing golf course.
Play one of the hidden gems - because there are plenty of them, including Dunbar, Longniddry, Kilspindie and Craigielaw. Courses that are sometimes hard to play in the wind, but always fun and full of character.
Nearby Edinburgh - not just Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Royal Mile. There are also more festivals than you can imagine (International Science, Film, Books, Art, Politics, Jazz and Blues, Storytelling and the world-famous Festival Fringe and Free Fringe). Undoubtedly one of the world's great cities and just 20 minutes away by train.
Watch live professional tour golf - on May 3rd-5th Archerfield Links hosts the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open for the third time, with local girl Catriona Matthew defending her title. In 2013 Muirfield will again host the Open Championship and there are unconfirmed rumours that the Scottish Open might make its way to the Renaissance Club sooner or later.
Great food - there's a superb range, from fish and chips on the harbour in North Berwick to the fine dining of Duck's at Kilspindie, run by golf enthusiast Malcolm Duck.
Enjoy a hot tub and Finnish BBQ - yes, it sounds odd but you can do both things at Garleton Lodge, which has superb views over the whole coast. It's the perfect spot for golf groups with a friendly staff who can organise your golf and accommodate large parties.
East Lothian Golf has a motto: "Eat. Drink. Sleep. Golf." A few days there makes you realise those four words sum the place up perfectly.
For more information go to the East Lothian Golf
website
