Archerfield Links

[kconway]

Has anyone played at Archerfield Links??

[John Chilver-Stainer]

I had the opportunity to view Archerfields with the owner Kevin Doyle about 10 days ago. The last time I saw the course was just after seeding about 3 years ago - this time I was quite impressed.

The Fairways and Greens are pure Fescue, the Fidra Course has come on well and the Dirleton has not quite fully matured yet.
Both courses are now full of revetted bunkers. The Gorse and Broom have grown in extensively as well as the wispy rough. The Greens I saw are generally lightly raised and have enough movement to make choices with the approach shot. Often a small revetted bunker sits at the front middle of the green with ground approaches available at the sides.

Congratulations to the owner Kevin Doyle who with his designer DJ Russel has produced another high quality links course in East Lothian. However it is an exclusive club course, the only way to get on being as a members guest.

Unfortunatly I didn’t have time to play or view all 36 Holes and can’t judge the playability - some of the fairways appeared narrow and do not have the undulations one is used to on the East Lothian Courses. But my general impression was very positive and I can’t wait to have a go.

Any course set between Muirfield and North Berwick can only ever be third best, anywhere else and Archerfields would be a leading light.

Here a few pics caught in bad light - not all came out

[Philip Gawith]

 I have played the Dirleton and 9 holes on the older Fidra course. I far preferred the Fidra course which I thought had a nice character through the trees in the first few holes. It later opens up but did not feel like an out and out links.

The Dirleton suffers from a lot of rather mundane mounding between the fairways and some unattractive/brutal rough. The latter will probably be dealt with over time as the course is still very young, but I am not sure the mounding will ever be too appealing!

It is quite an impressive development overall with a huge clubhouse. Tom Doak's Renaissance Club is next door and that is more likely to appeal to GCA folk.

[Niall C]

I played the Fidra course for the second time on Friday having played it once before a number of years ago. Certainly it was long enough ago that I couldn't remember a lot of the detail. However it is evident that a fair bit of work has been done in the interim including a new par 3.


As before I enjoyed the course although the back nine is different in character to the front nine and far less appealing. It does appear that work is ongoing with quite a bit of tree removal. Not sure whether that is due to the recent storms or with a view to providing more building plots  . However what was a bit disappointing was some ugly containment bunding that is being introduced to several of the holes. Unfortunate to say the least.


Anyone know who is doing the work ?


Niall