North Berwick Glen

[Ally Mcintosh]

Hi there... I'm currently trying to organise our annual Ryder Cup type comp for June 2008 to North Berwick (16 people)...

We play three rounds (Fourballs / Greensomes / Singles)... personally, I'll hopefully be getting three other rounds in (two at Muirfield and one at North Berwick West) but I've got to keep the interest for the 16 golfers (many of whom are just looking for fun and variety and have no interest in GCA)... I have one round to be booked at North Berwick and one to be booked at Musselburgh, 9 holes with hickories and 9 without.... the question is:

where should i book the third round? Is the Glens course worthwhile? I was considering either that or another at the main course or possibly Dunbar... I'm not going to Gullane...

...Bear in mind cost, accessibility (the luxury of being near the Marine hotel is one not to be sniffed at) and variety...

A long winded way of asking the merits of the Glens course... ah well...

thanks for any help  

[Darren_Kilfara]

Ally - there was a thread started by Tom Doak about the Glen a few months ago. Try searching the site for it...I think the general consensus was that it's not a keeper. (Dunbar would be a much better option, although if you want to stay slightly nearer to North Berwick, I don't see why you wouldn't consider the #2 or #3 courses at Gullane, both of which are very good value for money. Especially #3!)

Cheers,
Darren

[ForkaB]

I'd play the Glen.  Not as good a GCA standard course as Dunbar or Gullane-1-3, but not that bad and.....

!.  The Glen as a GREAT club
2.  It is within staggering distance of the Marine.

Rich

PS--if you have a vacancy, let me know!

[Ally Mcintosh]

thanks lads...just looked up that thread, darren... remember, most of these are business type golfers who like a bit of luxury... our last few trips have been mainly resort courses (carden park, slaley hall, dalmahoy, the belfry) with a few classics (st andrews, gleneagles)... they know nothing about architecture or even what a good course is other than a course that offers them interesting holes... i'm playing the tradition card this time with north berwick and musselburgh but the third course needs to really offer them some good holes and a comfortable clubhouse

so, question: gullane 2 or gullane 3? do these give a bigger 'wow' factor than the glens or dunbar?

thanks again for your help... i won't ask any more questions

[Brian Phillips]

Ally,

None of the Gullane courses really have any WOW factor apart from when you are at the top on no.1.

Why don't you play somewhere in Edinburgh.  None of them are WOW courses but you will then be in town to..., well, go on the town.

Maybe Tom Doak's Renaisance Club is ready when you arrive? See link:

http://trcaa.com/lodging/

Brian

[Ally Mcintosh]

Why don't you play somewhere in Edinburgh.  None of them are WOW courses but you will then be in town to..., well, go on the town.

Maybe Archerfield might be open by the time you get there?

Brian

cheers brian... we'll be three nights in the marine though... we don't have the energy to go on the town after 18 holes anymore  

we can't get on the fidra and dirleton either... is tom's archerfield gonna let a bunch of part-timers on i wonder even if it is open?

these are funny trips for me because it's always the warm up days where i get to pley the courses i want  

[jeffwarne]

Ally-
You've stated that your friends know nothing about architecture.
My guess is they're going to be bored to tears at Musselburgh unless they have a keen interest in history.
(although most of us here relish that experience)
They'll enjoy North Berwick West and it certainly has a welcoming clubhouse.
You've also stated they enjoy a comfortable clubhouse
Sean states the visitors clubhouse at Gullen is not up to snuff
(frankly i wasn't blown away by ANY of the courses at Gullen either)

I enjoyed the Glen (I thought it had quite a bit of Wow factor even if lacking in pure links and architectural purity)and my nonarchitecturally interested companions loved it. Great views and some great holes.
Also as Rich said it's close and has a great ,welcoming clubhouse-dead on the ocean.
Dunbar is nice as well but I'm not sure your friends would appreciate the difference.

[Ally Mcintosh]

jeff... thank you

this was possibly the response i was looking for (and possibly the one i was expecting - maybe i've wasted all your time   )

i'm a bit worried about the risk in going for musselburgh but i'm going to sell the history and the hickories and the 9 hole lunch with comparing scores should hold the interest... i may yet bin that idea and just go for two rounds on north berwick west

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

My goodness, I can play golf for a week without being an hour from  Greywalls. Muirfield, N Berwick, Gullane 1,2,3, Dunbar, course with great greens next to Gullane. Then you have N Berwick Glen. Doaks new course should be open by then as well. East Lothian is so rich in wonderful golf.

[Jon Wiggett]

Ally,

as already mentioned by several people Dunbar, Gullane 3, Kilspindie (my favourite) are all great courses and dont forget about Luffness New which has some of the best greens in britain condition wise.

[Marty Bonnar]

Kilspindie is a wee gem.

Par 3 to start, seven or eight holes along the shore and a driveable par 4 to finish. Great fun.

...and all with the added benefit that you can peer over the auld dyke and snigger knowingly in the general direction of Craigielaw.

FBD.

[Alfie]

Ally,

DUNBAR...IMO. Although most of the other suggestions (inc Edinburgh) are highly credible too ! Just remember Ally ; You can't please all of the people - all of the time  

OLD MUSSELBURGH will be totally different and just fine, I can guarantee you of that !

Alfie.

[Tom_Doak]

Ally:

The Renaissance Club at Archerfield will open in the spring of 2008, barring any unforeseen calamity; the clubhouse should also be ready to go at that time.

However, I hesitate to recommend it as superior to the others you are considering.  We're about 250 years behind on tradition, for one thing ... although we did unearth bits of an 11th-century castle on the approach to the 17th green.

[Bill_McBride]

... although we did unearth bits of an 11th-century castle on the approach to the 17th green.

If that happened here in the U.S., there would be a two year delay while the archaeologists came in to excavate the area!  Although we wouldn't find anything back to the 11th Century but Native American stuff.  

What happened in Scotland?