Dunbar Golf Club

Golf has been played in and around Dunbar since the early 17th century, but the Golf Club wasn’t formed until 1856, with 15 holes initially that were then extended to 18. Old Tom Morris altered and lengthened the course in 1894, and in 1923 Ben Sayers and James Braid were brought in to advise on bunkers, which resulted in sixty-one new additions.

Located just 30 miles east of Edinburgh along Scotland’s Golf Coast, Dunbar East Links (as it is officially known) has held many national and international golf events and has been an Open Championship Final Qualifying course.

Dunbar Golf Course overview

Laid out on a narrow strip of land with the best holes hugging the rocky coastline, views across the North Sea to Bass Rock are fantastic. Dunbar’s first 4 holes play back and forth close to the clubhouse before heading out like a traditional links course. The back nine comes back right along the coastline making for a much more spectacular second half.

At a little over 6500 yards, it is not a long course by modern standards, however, it is built upon those good old-fashioned virtues of club selection and shot-making, with the inevitable wind demanding accuracy and judgment. Consistently ranked amongst the top 40 courses in Scotland, Dunbar is a highly recommended inclusion in any itinerary when visiting East Lothian.

Signature hole

The 432-yard par-4 14th hole is considered the signature hole at Dunbar. A slight dogleg left, the longer hitters can try and cut the corner, however, most will opt for the right side of the fairway and avoid the bunkers. This will give you a good look at the right to left sloping green, with club selection being crucial into the prevailing wind. At the very least, just enjoy the stunning views back down to the old boathouse with Bass Rock on the horizon.

Did You Know?

Dunbar hosted the first PGA Championship (European Tour equivalent to THE PLAYERS Championship) in 1968, which is now contested each year at Wentworth as the Tour’s flagship event.