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North Berwick (West), Scotland |
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North Berwick Golf Club
Beach Road
North Berwick
East Lothian
EH39 4BB
Scotland |  | Unknown |  | Martyn Huish |
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 | +44 (0) 1620 892135 |  | 24 miles east of Edinburgh |
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Golf Club Website
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 | Contact in advance |  | Chris Spencer |
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The West Links at North Berwick Golf Club is an immensely enjoyable golf course, located on the Firth of Forth with stunning sea views across to Craigleith Island and Bass Rock. The equivalent of Turnberry’s “Ailsa Craig”, Bass Rock is a huge volcanic lump, rising up over 300 feet from the Firth of Forth. It’s the closest seabird sanctuary to the mainland and home to 80,000 nest sites; approximately 10 per cent of the world’s population of Atlantic Gannets stay here.
This is a course that is extremely close to the origins of golf. It’s the thirteenth oldest golf club (founded in 1832) and the third oldest course in the world still playing over its original fairways. Only St Andrews (Old) and Musselburgh (Old) are more senior.
The original architect is unknown. We do know that North Berwick started out in life as a 6-hole course and was extended to 18 holes by 1877. Around the turn of the 19th century the course was stretched out to a little over 6,400 yards. There are two reasons why North Berwick is such an enjoyable course: 1) the land is raised above sea level, affording those excellent views 2) it has a superb collection of holes, a number of which have been replicated at other courses the world over.
The 15th is one of the world's most famous holes. It’s a par 3 measuring 190 yards, called “Redan” (a military term meaning “guarding parapet”), and is the most copied hole. Bernard Darwin referred to this hole in his book, Golf Courses of the British Isles: “a beautiful one shot hole atop a plateau with a bunker short of the green, to the left, and another further on to the right, and we must vary our mode of attack according to the wind, playing a shot to come in from the right or making a direct frontal attack".
One of the many beauties of North Berwick is that you can play the course without being punished brutally by penal rough. They like a round to take no more than three hours and consequently, the rough is kept relatively short to speed up play. It’s not the longest links course in the world but it’s sheer fun and a unique experience to boot. You’ll need to negotiate stonewalls, deep bunkers, all kinds of humps and hollows and burns. You’ll need to hit blind shots and you’ll need to hit shots out over the beach. Fantastic stuff.
  It’s not often that we thank politicians, but in this case, we should take our hat-off to golf mad former Prime Minister Arthur J. Balfour, immortalised as “The Golfour” by Punch magazine. He was once captain of North Berwick and took every opportunity to popularise golf.
According to golf historian Archie Baird, Balfour once said: “a tolerable day, a tolerable green and a tolerable opponent supply, or ought to supply, all that any reasonably constituted human being should require in the way of entertainment. With a fine sea view in front of him, the golfer may be excused if he regards golf, even though it be indifferent golf, as the true and adequate end of man’s existence.”
So, what are you waiting for? If Arthur liked North Berwick, then surely you will too. | |
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If the above course review article is not accurate, let us know by clicking here |
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 |  | | Average Reviewers Score: |   | | | Not just a golf course but a true golfing experience! Huge welcome from Malcolm and the best and most sympathetic marshalling I have come across. The facilities in the clubhouse have been undated and do not let the club down. Of course part of the mystique of the course is it's history and associations with former greats golfing and non golfing . However the course transcends this and the history does not seem to weigh as heavily, as say, St Andrews and in it's own right scores hugely as a unique,tricky, interesting and pleasurable round of golf. Most, if not all, the holes are memorable- from the deceptive first with the beach in too close proximity to the last with shades of even more famous courses. Of course in between there will be personable favourites - for me - the drive at the second, the redan out and in; the pit (a truly unique hole which you have to play to understand) and the really tricky 17th. |
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| 20 May 2013
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| | We continued down the narrow roads to North Berwick Golf Club. The hailstones for the first 3 holes made me question my sanity and the sky looked about as friendly as a bull to a red rag. As is typical in that part of the world, the weather changed every 20 minutes and you start counting rainbows just as soon as you begin guessing when to put back on the Gortex. This golf course is so significant and its global reputation is almost unparalleled. CB MacDonald and Seth Raynor created a par 3 Redan hole at every course they ever built, and the original sits along the land of the 15th at North Berwick. Click here to read Fergal’s full article, “in pursuit of a dream”. |
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| 10 November 2012
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| | simply the best course in the lothian/borders area !...I have been lucky to play it on several occasions and also the gullanes, both archerfields, renaissance, dunbar, roxburgh, goswick & muirfield. (controversial, i know, when comparing to muirfield which is a fantastic course too!)...but north berwick is such fun...all the staff are so welcoming...i cannot think of a weak hole...and the last 6 holes are my favourite in golf..you cant help but have a thoroughly enjoyable day out on the west links...be it sunny or raining sideways...if you are playing well or are struggling (perhaps playing your second shot on 2nd or 3rd hole from the beach)...a must for any east lothian golf trip...dont forget to complete your day by getting fish & chips from one of the chippies in north berwick town...RD |
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| 06 September 2012
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| Response: | | | BGD | 06 September 2012 | | It has been three years since I played North Berwick (I have a review posted below) and have played many fine golf courses in Scotland and the US since then. When I think back on all the courses I have played, and there have been many great ones, I think I had more fun playing North Berwick as any of them. It's a wondderful golf course. I would add that I think Macrihanish is in the same category. |
| | | I am an american (apologies), but I have been fortunate enough to play in the UK many times over. North Berwick is the epitome of all I love about Scotland and golf. It is not the best course in the UK (Royal County Down, Muirfield?), not the hardest (Carnoustie, Lytham), and not the most beautiful (RCD), but it may be the most memorable. I find my mind always returning here. I have played here with friends, family and also the local plumbers and carpenters. I have just returned from playing at the National and Shinnecock, but the original Redan is still the best. For me, this is the most enjoyable walk along the sea in the world. |
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| 21 August 2012
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| Response: | | | Cal | 30 August 2012 | | I, too, have played courses all over Britain and Ireland. I, too, am an American who greatly prefers links golf in the British Isles to American golf. Just curious, though: why are you apologizing for being an American? |
| | | I don't think there's a course that is more fun to play in the UK and Ireland. North Berwick has always been one of my favorites, and it was well received and enjoyed by our group of 8 Golfers on our recent trip to Scotland. North Berwick is challenging yet playable, quirky while also holding true to all the fret qualities of classic links golf. The greens have the perfect amount of slope to make them a challenge without being indecipherable. There are three great one shot holes, including the justifiably famous Redan hole at 15. However there are many great holes including the wonderful combination at 13 and 14 of Pit and Perfection. Of all the holes, however 17 may be the best, requiring a precise drive and approach to a difficult sloping green. Par is well earned here. This is a great course. We were warmly welcomed at both he starters hut and the pro shop, and I would encourage everyone to play here if they have the opportunity . Richard Smith. Knoxville, Tennessee. USA |
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| 11 August 2012
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| I played the West Links at North Berwick on an East Lothian trip that included playing Muirfield and Gullane No.1 plus visiting both courses at Archerfield and staying 2 nights at the course view located Marine Hotel at North Berwick, a great couple of golfing days. Our play at NB was the last of three rounds and the first thing I have to say it is that West Links is the nicest of the three, not only due to the piece of land but also because of the variety of the golf holes, as you have almost every kind of hole you can imagine. The day started with breakfast at the Cub House with thegolf Secretary, the building is really old fashioned and traditional, and offers you plenty of the history of this fantastic golf course. Play was suposed to be at 10am,  but a dense fog that left almost no visbility made us tee off at 11, with sharp times to continue our trip so we had to really rush. The fog lasted for 2 holes in our round, during 3rd a soft breeze cleaned the air and we had the best sunny day you can possibly ask to play golf with some stron wind in the back 9. Holes 1-18 have a similar layout as The Old Course at St Andrews, but both of them are shorter and there is a level change between green 18 and tee 1st towards 1st green and 18th tee. 3rd hole shows the first special feature: a 1m tall wall corsses the fairway reaching 275 yards from the tee. I loved 7th, a great down hill short par 4 where you have to play short of a stream before a 80yds approach. Par 3 10th with elevated tee is one of the nicer holes. Par 4 13th with another wall going parallel to the fairway which you then have to fly for the green is other of the special features of this jewell. And last 4 holes in my opinion are the best part, starting on Redan 15th par 3, unique double green for 16th, tough 2nd shot on 17th and drivable 18th were a small slice will lead on a broken glass on one of the many cars parked there. My golf was great that day but a short second putt for birdie missed at 18th left me a little sad. The views the course offers have are as good as Turnberry, Kingsbarns or Castle Stuart, but those big rocks give it a little nicer touch. The course was in great condition, so the overall experience was as good as you can ask. And the city has so good gastronomic options that visiting the Saltire and missing this part its a big sin! |
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| 13 July 2012
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| I couldn’t believe it when I checked my old notes to find out it had been all of six years since I last played here. A few things had changed - including a wonderfully refurbished old clubhouse (check the notes from the original secretary of 1832 displayed in the entrance hallway) - but then a lot had stayed exactly as I remembered it, not least of which was the warm welcome from the caddie master, starter and professionals.  Talk about being made to feel a member for the day! As to the course, my last review from December 2004 mentioned the relatively bland nature of holes 4 to 9 – was I on some sort of hallucinogenic drug when I wrote that? What a brilliant stretch, including two cracking par threes at holes 4 and 6 and a tight, slightly doglegged par five at the 9th with some lovely bunkering down the right side of the fairway. Holes 13 to 17 are simply fantastic; each and every one a unique, semi-eccentric celebration of all that’s good about playing traditional links golf. If you don’t feel exhilarated playing these natural, lie of the land holes that tumble across some very uneven ground then I suggest you’re already clinically dead. Many reviewers remark on North Berwick’s exceptional value for the green fee paid. Well, what about paying 35 quid on a decent winter’s day like today, playing from proper tees and putting out on green velvet carpets? Now that has to be an absolute bargain for a course that currently stands within the Scottish Top 10 rankings. Just shows there’s great winter golf to be had for a very modest outlay if you look hard enough. Jim McCann. |
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| 30 January 2012
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| | A truly great golfing experience. A beautiful victorian town, with jaw dropping views across the water towards Fife. Truly magical and ticks every single box |
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| 20 November 2011
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| My favourite course on a recent trip to Scotland, and possibly more of a treat to play than Turnberry. The starter at North Berwick like so many other Scottish courses has the natural ability to make everyone feel welcome and get you on  your way without feeling nerves. The wide open first fairway is a contributory factor too. The course is an out and back links where the best holes are found nearer to the clubhouse: the weakest holes being round the turn in my view. Given the universal acclaim in which the course is held the following will sound silly, but it makes you wonder why more courses cannot be designed this way: in harmony with the land, with great variety, full of innovative features that work, with options aplenty from the tee and around the green. Of course the excellent views to the town, Bass rock and the sea elevate the course beyond what most courses can offer. To come back to the clubhouse in the dying rays of a beautiful sunset made it that bit more special. |
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| 14 September 2011
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| | Played here last week, very friendly welcome on arriving at the club. Starter also very welcoming too. What a wonderful challenge my partner and I thorougjhly enjoyed the course, some very memorable holes and the greens were in tip top condition. Would reccomend to all. |
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| 13 September 2011
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| | Truly a weird golf course. I love the unique features, but I don't think all would. 15 gets all the acclaim, but 16 green maybe the best I've ever seen. It is a must play, just to see if this is your style of golf. |
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| 13 August 2011
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| | I have a funny feeling that after I throw my clubs in the shed for the very final time the golfing memory that will linger with me longest is of my day at North Berwick West Links. Why? Because the course is wondefully natural, challenging (but not cruel) and quirky. The setting is gorgeous. The clubhouse has an air of traditional class without a sniff of pretension. The lunch was great value and the staff (Starter, Clubhouse Manager, Bar and Catering staff) were EXCEPTIONALLY welcoming. If you don't enjoy your day out here seek urgent medical attention. Derek, Edinburgh, March.
PS I would pay the green fee to play the 16th 18 times - in the hope of getting at least one par! |
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| 26 March 2011
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| | one of the favourite courses, cant wait to play it again! |
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| 23 August 2010
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| I had waited many years for my chance to play this course and it finally happened on Friday 16th July 2010. The similarities with the Old Course at St Andrews are many. The opening hole being situated close to the town centre, the double fairway of 1 and 18 making it very wide, the path to beach that cuts across the same fairway similar to Granny Clark’s Wynd, the smaller version of the valley of sin in front of the 18th green, the straight out and back routing of the course, all leads to you knowing that this is a special place rammed full of history of the game of golf.
The course was in magnificent condition having recently hosted the Amateur Championship along with Muirfield.
You are welcomed onto the first tee by the starter Sam Fox. No not the ex-page model, but an imposing and friendly man that gives you a briefing about how to play the course and a bit of history before you hit what is an imposing tee shot despite the width of the first fairway. The beach on the right is in your eyes all the time and the shot reminded me of the first at Machrihanish. I managed a four iron down the middle into a VERY strong wind and I was off!
Most of the front nine was played into this gale. This was the day for those that remember that play was suspended at the Open itself due to high winds. No such luxury for our fourball. The first three holes are special with the third being very difficult and playing well over the par of 4. The wall is first encountered here. Having had a lesson recently on how to play the boring low punch into the wind I was glad I had as I managed to go in a respectable number including a birdie on the 8th. 4,5 and 6 are tough holes playing longer than they appear even into the wind and the 7th is a very nice hole the burn catching me out. Back to back par 5’s for 8 and 9. The 8th being a beautifully crafted hole with a risk and reward option on the drive either side of the bunkers. The back 9 was back wind and proved just as hard.
The 10th was way shorter than the card even with the wind. I hit 8 iron and cleared the lot, it should have been a wedge! The 11th yielded another birdie after hitting a lifetime bunker shot from the left hand side greenside bunker that towers above you as can be seen on the photo on the web site. I managed to hole the shot and screams of joy were loud to say the least. The 13th I have to be honest I still don’t know if I like it or not. The wall cuts across immediately in front of the green and no matter how you play the hole the shot into the green is VERY difficult. What makes it doubly hard is that it has to be the smallest narrowest green I have encountered on a top class course. The photo does not give you the full sense of scale. Perfection follows and is a world class hole. Short but perfectly crafted with the sea waiting for anything long. Redan follows and the history does get to you. Yes it is hard to hit the green. My favourite back 9 hole then follows the 16th with the gully in the green. You could have fun setting the pin all year with this one. A tip though. If you have to putt through the valley IT IS A DEAD STARIGHT PUTT!! This is because of the design of the valley making it look like you need to read the putt with great care. It throws the ball one way then the other and it come out on the line you intended. Brilliant! Congratulations to m playing partner Phil who holed a monster from off the green here as well. The closing holes are just as good and the 18th gives a great view especially of the buried pro shop, visit and see what I mean.
In conclusion a great course in superb condition with a friendly welcome and clubhouse. I head a great day and to score under 90 in the conditions with THAT bunker shot will liv with me forever. If you call yourself a golfer simply play it!….AW |
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| 01 August 2010
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| I played at North Berwick on the West Links on a crisp, sunny December afternoon and the course was in superb condition as you would expect from such a fabled course. The layout of the town, clubhouse and adjoining 1st and 18th fairways is St Andrews-esque and on the first tee I could tell that I was about to have a round of golf somewhere that is a bit special.
I've heard a few people criticise the opening hole but I quite enjoyed it. Anything right is on the beach and given it is only 328 yards long an iron may be the smart play here, particularly when the fairway is so wide. The green is perched up on a hill from the fairway level and this makes precision vital in the approach shot. The second hole is one of the best on the course and is a great "how much do you dare to bite off" hole with the drive having to cross the beach to land on the fairway. The one saving grace is that if the golfer finds the beach and the tide is out, then they can play the next shot from the shore. No matter how much of the corner is cut off the approach is still quite lengthy, adding to the difficulty of the hole. Number 3 also runs alongside the shore however this time an old wall must be first aimed at from the tee then cleared with the approach to land safely on the green. At 464 yards and the S.I # 1 hole this is another close examination to start off a round on the West Links.
The 4th is a nice par 3 that takes the course back inland and is very well laid out with a number of bunkers protecting the two tier green. The 5th is a mid length par 4 with the greens main protection coming in the form of hollows to the left and back - which my ball unfortunately came to rest in and made the chip back very tough indeed. The 6th hole is a short par three played across a large gulley and is anything short here is likely to roll back into the bunker built into the hillside - this hole is reminiscent of the 14th at Royal Musselburgh although the gulley is a little more severe there than at North Berwick and there is more danger in the form of bunkers on the West Links. The 7th, "Eli Burn" was another one of my favourites here with, as you may expect, a burn running in front of the green where the flag was tucked right at the front, bringing the water into play. At 354 yards a fairly decent drive is required to leave a short iron into the green. The 8th is one of the more straight forward holes at North Berwick and as a par 5 of under 500 yards it offers a reasonable chance of a birdie if the numerous bunkers on the hole can be avoided. The 9th is a fine tactical par 5 where the left side of the fairway offers the shortest route to the green but with OB on the left it also is the more dangerous path. A duo of fairway bunkers also make the golfer think about positioning their approach more than they otherwise might.
The sea comes back into view after the turn from the elevated 10th tee where the green is surrounded by five bunkers at the front and sides - longer is definitely better on this hole. The 11th tee is also elevated and with the wind at my back, and a favourable bounce or two, I was able to reach the bunker to the front left of the green in two which was no mean feat given the hole stretches to 550 yards. Although this good work was ruined when my next shot went through the sloping putting surface and found the cavernous bunker at the greenside. The Eli burn must be flown on the 12th, but due to its close proximity to the tee it doesn't really come into play on this slight dog leg of a hole. The 13th is one of North Berwick's quirkier holes with a wall guarding the front of the green, and with the flag tucked directly behind it any approach shot was difficult to get close to the pin. My absolute favourite on the course however, the 14th "Perfection", is a superb hole. The green cannot be seen from the tee, or even the second shot here and the target post provides the only indication of where the approach shot should be played to. The ridged fairway makes the approach all the more difficult to the flattish green which once again reunites the golfer with the beach.
The famous "Redan" is next and the extreme slope of the green makes holding the green a difficult task, particularly as most of the danger is not visible from the tee. Again, being longer rather than short here is preferable. The wall we encountered on the 3rd hole must again be cleared from the 16th tee but isn't really in play on this hole, unfortunately the OB all up the right hand side is and will catch any sliced drive. A burn crossing the middle of the fairway is just the right distance from the tee to suck in any tee shots and a decision must be made to either lay up or try to go over it from the tee. The green complex is another aspect that makes the West Links that little bit different from all the rest and the putting surface is split into to upper levels with a small swale in the middle, making landing the approach on the right side of the green all the more essential. The 17th green is positioned adjacent to the 1st green and a couple of decent strokes must be made to reach the elevated green in regulation although accuracy is again paramount here as the approach could quite possibly fall off either side of the hill if over or under hit. Like the 1st, the 18th has an extra wide fairway and at under 300 yards from an uphill tee box should be near enough driveable, particularly if there is a favourable wind. The bunkerless green lies infront of the grand new clubhouse and while it may not be the strongest finshing hole it offers golfers of all levels the chance to finish on a high.
The clubhouse has been renovated in the last couple of years and the facilities are exceptional inside while still retaining a classy feel befitting of such an historic golf club. I have to say that it was a real treat to play the West Links and I can't wait to return to play this truly outstanding course with it's fine views of Bass Rock and beyond. As a pamphlet that I picked up in the clubhouse quoted "To golfers everywhere, North Berwick is at least a name; the fortunate are those who know its charms at first hand" - a sentiment I wholeheartedly endorse. DM |
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| 10 March 2010
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| | Played this and Gullane No 1 in same day and definitely feel North Berwick had the edge, better views and loved some of the quirkier holes. From a links perspective second only to Royal St George's that I have played |
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| 21 September 2009
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| | We walked out the door from our comfortable accomodations at the Belhaven Hotel, across the verdant lawn to the first tee at North Berwick where we were greeted by Mr. Fox the starter who thanked us for coming (and helping to pay the bills), gave us a brief description of the course and told us that we would enjoy it immensely. We did. After a gratifying par on number 1, I had the dubuious pleasure of playing my second shot on number 2 from the beach. The course was everything I had hoped it would be: superbly conditioned, quirky in spots, and one of the best courses I have ever played. There is no bad hole, but the holes coming in are superb. From 13 in, including the famous Redan and number 16, The Gate, with a green unlike any other, it was great fun. Even the seemingly mundane 18th, so remininscent of the last at The Old Course, provides even the average golfer a chance to drive the green and have a putt for an eagle. One unusual note: The clubhouse permitted one to enter wearing golf shoes, a first in my experience playing in Scotland. But hats and cell phones were still off limits, thankfully. I recommend this course without reservation. |
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| 15 September 2009
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| | To reiterate the other reviews, this is a great golfing experience - it's one of the oldest links on the planet and the holes reflect that. On the whole they follow the topography and give you challenges that a 'designed' course won't. We were lucky to be joined with a member who gave us some invaluable advice. If you don't enjoy playing this course you should take up another sport - no need to compare with other more recent local courses, this is unique from seeing Ben Sayers' shop to chipping over a wall and putting through a ravine. What are you waiting for ? |
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| 10 August 2009
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| | I'm glad I played this course. We were going to play twice at Muirfield but changed our plans. The first and last holes are pretty funky, but the rest of the course is very, very good. The hole before the Redan is outstanding, and the hole with the wall in front of the green was totally unique. Great views. Great course. Would love to play it again someday. ANDYMAC |
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| 24 July 2009
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| | A course which is great fun and great value. We played it on a very blustery day and by the time we reached the 12th we were playing in torrential rain and a near gale-force wind. Still, I loved the place. Sure, one or two holes are 'mickey mouse' (the 13th, with the wall, for one) but when the green fee is so reasonable that simply adds to the charm. We played Muirfield and Gullane No 1 on our trip and I think North Berwick was the most memorable of the courses. |
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| 21 May 2009
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| | Very natural, very memorable and an enjoyable golf course. I received a warm welcome in and around the clubhouse prior to playing which is always welcome especially after a long journey and starts the experience correctly. A visit to the starters hut is compulsory and this too adds to the North Berwick fun. The opening hole is not too long but with an approach to a high green, a par 4 is received greatly. It would be easy to write a short story about every hole but the front-9 pick-out best bits for me are the drive at the 2nd (don’t go right), the approach to the 7th (watch the burn) and the drive on the 9th (tight down the left side and bunkers around the landing point in the fairway). The back 9 starts with a great little par-3 and then a par-5 with plenty of trouble from the tee and towards the green. The stretch from the 13th just has to be played ….. a short par-4 with the green over a wall, another par-4 with a hidden green by the coast, the famed par-3 15th which is one the classic Scottish short holes, the 16th is a great driving hole and the approach to the 17th green will test most players. The last hole gives everyone a good birdie chance as the hole is less than 300 yards but as I often say, never think short means easy. Overlooking the final green is the majestic clubhouse which has recently been invested in heavily but has not lost the charm that would have existed here for decades. One of the great links courses and a must play. |
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| 20 January 2009
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| | A real old fashioned 9 out and 9 back golf course in excellent condition with fast and true greens. There are a couple of holes that are a bit mickey mouse - due much to modern equipment and the ability of an average golfer like me to drive the Par 4's.
Clubhouse very welcoming and good food. |
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| 25 September 2008
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| Response: | | | adam wade | 07 July 2009 | | i'd like to know which of the par 4's you can drive apart from the 18th? i've played this course twice and personally its the best course i've ever played and i've played the Belfry, Forest of Arden, Woodhall Spa and a few others around North Berwick. |
| | | My brother and I played here in Sept. of 2006 and loved the course. We were very fortunate to play with a local who grew up playing the course. We basically had a caddie as far as knowledge of the course, he was great and told us numerous wonderful stories. We visited the clubhouse with him after our round and were treated like Kings. If there was one course I could join and play for the rest of my life it would be here at North Berwick. |
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| 13 August 2008
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| | We made our second tip to Scotland this year. As evidence of the high opinion we have of North Berwick...it is the only course we made an effort to play again this year. Tons better than Gullane and a much more interesting course than Muirfield. If you have one day in East Lothian, play North Berwick! |
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| 21 July 2008
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| | The all round experience at North Berwick was excellent from the friendly and attentive service in the clubhouse through to the brilliant course.
A very enjoyable day |
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| 29 August 2007
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| | Although we didn't get to see much of the views until late in the back nine due to the mist, what a tremendous course, not long but miss the fairway or under estimate the greens and it will be a big score. The condition was outstanding and the clubhouse and pro shop staff couldn't have been more helpful. We will be back soon. Don't miss this course it is certainly in my Top 10. |
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| 22 June 2007
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| | Brilliant little course. Yes it is very quirky but that simply adds to the charm. I sat in the clubhouse thinking that every serious golfer should play this course as they are likely to come across two or three holes that they may not see anywhere else in the world. There are a couple of relatively bland holes early doors but overall this is one of my most memorable golfing experiences. Yes the course is relatively short, no they don’t grow the rough particularly long but that doesn’t matter one bit, North Berwick is all about fun, fun and for those of a serious disposition….FUN! |
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| 18 September 2006
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| | I can't say that North Berwick West is perfect - the first hole is kind of hokey - but it's as much fun that a person could have playing golf and not worry about his/her score. The inward half in particular has some wonderful, unique holes, including #13 (The Pit), and #14 (Perfection). I've heard the comment that an architect would get strung up for designing holes like some at North Berwick West, but then again, is having a stone wall guarding a green any different than #17 at Sawgrass? |
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| 19 August 2006
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| | Played North Berwick on the 7th August 2006. Great course, fantastic views and the greens were in great condition. The staff were very friendly and made us feel really welcome. At £60, felt it was great value compared to its illustrious neibhour Muirfield. I have played in excess of 30 courses in the top 100 and for views this course is among the tops for me. |
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| 09 August 2006
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| | What an excellent course this is! Ok it's quirky and occasionally a bit silly (the 1st, anyone) but an awful lot of super holes. The 9th is one of the finest holes in Scotland and there are many other delights. Play here as often as you can but watch out for the cars at the 18th! |
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| 04 February 2006
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| | Returned 18 months after playing in the summer to tackle the course in the winter this time - what a delight and pleasure to play on a day when the wind might have been in your face on the way out but the sun strove to break through the low lying clouds. Greens were in lovely condition, the only pity being the fact that mats were in play (even when your ball was in the semi rough!) and the 13th green ('Pit') was out of action. The bar service upstairs had improved dramatically from last time and we were able to order some food without any problem after our round. The caddiemaster at the front door was very attentive and if there is a friendlier starter in Scottish golf then I have yet to meet him - take a bow, Sam Fox! Well worth the half green fee for playing in low season. Jim McCann |
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| 15 December 2005
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| | If I was allowed to play one more round of golf in Scotland, I would choose the West Links at North Berwick without hesitation. This is a somewhat bizzare, quirky links that most players fall in love with.
The first hole is dominated by a steeply banked creek that crosses in from the Firth. 2 and 3 are hard against the ocean and quite a challenge. The course turns inland, but the holes remain interesting. The back nine brings you back along the ocean, with high dunes and rough dominating the scene. #13, Pit, is probably the most unique hole I've ever played. The green is squeezed in between the ubiquitous wall that runs through the course and a high, steepley banked dune. Into the wind this may be the hardest 365 yard hole I've ever played. #14, Perfection, calls for an exhilirating shot over a hill to a green that sits down near the water. #15, the redan hole, is justifiably famous, but 16, with a bizzare split level green, is almost as unique.
The course is fun to play. There are significant challenges and enough of the quirkiness that makes links golf such a challange and a unique adventure. |
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| 19 November 2005
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| | Pass up Gullane and go to North Berwick! A great layout with many types of holes. The rough is penalizing, but not as much as Gullane. The front 9 is good, especially the first par 3. The second 9 is fantastic! I can't think of a better 9-hole stretch in all of Scotland. The true out/in layout allows for scoring depeding on wind direction. The day we played the back 9 was down wind and scoring was possible. Number 15 - Redan - is a great hole and very difficult down wind. 18 is eerily similar to the 18th at St.Andrews although it is shorter and more easily driveable. If you play it, remember how much room there is behind and to the left of the 18th green. Hit driver and look to make eagle or tap-in birdie. Great course - I rank it in my top 5 in Scotland. A must play! --Brett Robison |
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| 15 August 2005
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| | Played the course in May 2004 and thought it was a delight to play. The starter could not have been friendlier, which is more than could be said of the catering staff but more of that at the end. I found the greens not up to traditional, slick, links standard (such as found along the coast at Gullane for a warm up earlier in the day) but what they maybe lacked in presentation ,they made up for in layout, with some wickedly sloping surfaces that would take errant approaches a long way from the pin. After three great starting holes along the shore, the remainder of the outward half are pretty bland in comparison as they play in from the coast on flatter terrain. But on the return, and into the wind, the course was fabulous, with the last six holes in particular an absolute joy to play (especially Pit, the 13th with a low wall protecting the green, the golf world famous Redan, the 15th and the last hole which was reminiscent of St.Andrew's Old 18th played from an elevated tee). This is traditonal Scottish links golf at its best. As there was nothing to eat after 6.00pm on a spring evening (the German guy next to me at the bar just about collapsed when the surly barmaid told me the chef had just gone home), this lack of concern for visiting golfers paying 50 quid a time to play would have left a bad taste in the mouth (had there been any grub to be had!). Nonetheless, for golf alone, this is a very enjoyable track to take on. Jim McCann |
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| 24 December 2004
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| | This is thoroughly entertaining golf. Berwick has more than its share of quirkiness (the green at the 13th is sited immediately behind a stone wall, for one example), but the routing is superb and the holes call for a variety of shots. Any trip to the area ought to include a round on Berwick. |
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| 06 July 2004
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| | Some great holes laid in a 9 out 9 in configuration with some playing close to the water, especially the 2nd – a classic bite off as much of the water as you can chew par four. The start is mildly reminiscent of St.Andrews from the first tee with the shared 1st and 18th fairways and the cars down the left-hand side – watch that slice from the 18th Tee. There is also an incredible green on the back nine with a gully actually part of the green – four-putt territory when the green keeper is feeling sadistic. I loved this course. It's the sort of place I could happily play every week for the rest of my life. If you're visiting this part of Scotland make sure you book a tee time here, it easily gives the more famous courses a run for its money. |
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| 23 April 2004
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| | Most enjoyable course in the East Lothian area. Would rather play North Berwick than Muirfield. North Berwick has a fantastic collection of memorable holes and the clubhouse is so welcoming. A delightful, fun golf course. |
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| 22 April 2004
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