North Berwick Golf Club

Originally founded in 1832, North Berwick Golf Club is the 13th oldest golf club in the world, although it did take time for the full 18-hole West Links course to fully evolve. The final major extension to the course was in 1932, stretching it to over 6500 yards which is what is enjoyed to this day.

Regularly ranked in the top 10 best courses in Scotland and top 50 in the world, the West Links at North Berwick is an unforgettable experience along Scotland’s Golf Coast and only a short drive from the country’s capital city Edinburgh.

After successfully navigating your way through Home, the aptly named 18th hole, make yourself comfortable in the clubhouse which dates back to 1879.

West Links Course overview

The West Links at North Berwick Golf Club is a par-71 measuring just over 6500 yards. A classic links situated east of Edinburgh along Scotland’s Golf Coast, the course starts in town and stretches along the Firth of Forth shores on land raised above sea level, providing breathtaking coastal views and of the surrounding Fife Hills.

Unlike so many punishing links courses, North Berwick is not too long and prides itself on its fast play, consequently the rough is kept relatively short. Instead, its defence is all kinds of humps and hollows and burns, deep bunkers and stonewalls.

Be sure to look across to Bass Rock, a huge volcanic rock rising over 300 feet from the Firth of Forth, where approximately 10% of the world’s population of Atlantic Gannets live.

Signature Holes

The stretch of three holes from number 13 to 15 are what the West Links is best known for. The 13th is called ‘Pit’ and is a short par-4 requiring an imaginative shot to a sunken green behind a wall. 14 is called ‘Perfection’ and as the name suggests, requires two perfect shots to hit the green. Be sure to look across to Bass Rock which is home to one of the world’s largest gannet populations. ‘Redan’ is the name given to 15, which is a testing par-3 with a vast hidden gully at the front right of the large, steeply sloping green.

Did You Know?

North Berwick also has a 9-hole par-3 children’s course called The Wee Course, which was established in 1888 as the ‘Ladies’ Links’. Green fees are kept to a minimum to encourage children to take up the game, and adults are also allowed to play it…but only if accompanied by a child.