East Lothian

[Jon Byron]

Just played two quick rounds in Scotland on my way to London on business - and it was so fantastic I wish I could play every remaining round of golf in my life in Scotland! Need to play more soon!

[Bill_McBride]

Which course(s)?   So much great golf in East Lothian!

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

One of the easiest and nicest places to play 4 or 5 great courses without trying hard or doing anything special. Well except for Muirfield which doe stake a bit of planning. I love Gulane 1,2,3, North Berwick, Muirfield and Dunbar. Luffness New is great too.

[Niall Hay]

Muirfield, North Berwick and dinner at Greywalls is a great day. 

[Wayne_Kozun]

Don't forget The Renaissance Club, and then for historical fun there is Musselburgh Old Links, although I think technically that might be Mid Lothian.

[Bob_Huntley]

Muirfield, North Berwick and dinner at Greywalls is a great day. 

Niall,

Is Greywalls still open to the public at large?

Bob

[Simon Holt]

Bob,

Greywalls has been open to the public again for the last 3 summers now.  In 2009 they tried to sell it as the whole house or nothing.  It didn't really work so a management company now runs it for the owners.  The Roux family dynasty run the restaurant.

Simon

[Jon Byron]

And what about Glen Golf Club? Looks nice also. Is it available for visitors?

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Greywalls is a special place. It did set the tone that made me really fall for East Lothian as a wonderful destination for a golfer. My first room overlooked the 10th tee at Muirfield and the facility also had a window with the same view. What a way to start ones day.

[Jon Wiggett]

And what about Glen Golf Club? Looks nice also. Is it available for visitors?

Jon,

The Glen is a plesant course and is available for visitors but with so many better and available courses to play it should not be on your list until atleast the low 40,s

Jon

[Doug Siebert]

Greywalls is a special place. It did set the tone that made me really fall for East Lothian as a wonderful destination for a golfer. My first room overlooked the 10th tee at Muirfield and the facility also had a window with the same view. What a way to start ones day.

This reminds me of staying at the Rusacks, where our window overlooked the 1st and 18th at TOC.  No better view in the world for a golfer!

[Dub_ONeill]

My perfect day last year was 36 at Muirfield (with lunch, of course) followed by drinks in the garden and dinner at Greywalls.  Second place was Gullane 1 and 2 followed by dinner at La Potiniere on the main drag in Gullane.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Doug and Dub, all three are days and nights I have lived and enjoyed. You guys are living right. Rusacks is not much room wise when it gets hot but the views from those best of rooms and the bar are golf travel/living at their best.

[Dub_ONeill]

The view over North Berwick to the beach from a room at the Marine Hotel isn't too shabby either.

[Doug Siebert]

Doug and Dub, all three are days and nights I have lived and enjoyed. You guys are living right. Rusacks is not much room wise when it gets hot but the views from those best of rooms and the bar are golf travel/living at their best.

I've never had what I'd consider a really "nice" hotel room in Scotland or Ireland, with the exception of Turnberry.  But I honestly don't care.  When I'm traveling (whether golfing or not) all I want is a comfortable bed with clean sheets, and a clean bathroom.  I'm not there to spend time in the hotel room, all I do there is shower and sleep.  Since "hot" in Scotland means 75 degrees, I can't imagine even a third floor room like we had there would ever get so warm that an open window in the evening wouldn't quickly address the issue...

I still remember being at this nice little place in the little town (can't remember it's name) just outside Zion national park in Utah a couple years ago.  My girlfriend and I were there to hike the Zion Narrows - great, great experience for anyone who ever gets out that way!  Anyway, when we were checking in, there was a guy there complaining that his room didn't have a TV

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Doug keep traveling and your day will come. I started bring battery powered fans with me after a week at the Rusacks in the 80's with zero air circulation in the hotel room. The hotel had 3 fans and they were grabbed early.  I have spent maybe 10 to 15 nights now where the fans made sleep workable where it was not in a hot room. I love it when i get lucky like on trips to Rusacks, TOC Hotel or Turnberry. The room at Greywalls was small but the view and memories of the morning constitutional looking at Muirfield are grand and never will go away. I do agree with you in principle for on golf trips it is up early and home late. But when it is light at 5 in the morning you do get a bit of time to watch the beautiful world outside before the golf day begins.

[Tony_Muldoon]

The view over North Berwick to the beach from a room at the Marine Hotel isn't too shabby either.

Shift 100 yards to the west and you are talking about the view one member of this discussion group calls home. Sadly not me.

I do have this for a week in August.

http://www.northberwickholidayhomes.co.uk/property-details.aspx?PropId=P1172


I would be interested in seeing peoples top 10 in the area.

(Sadly to date I’ve only played 3 courses   Muirfield, Mussleburgh Old, N. Berwick)

[Dan King]

If spending time in East Lothian, try to make the point to get out to Dunbar. It's a step below the big courses, Gullane, North Berwick and Muirfield. However, it has much less of a touristy feel to it and you should have no trouble playing two or three rounds there on a summer day. Not only is Dunbar the birthplace of John Muir, but it also the home of Belhaven Brewery.

Cheers,
Dan King

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.
 --John Muir

 

[Tony_Muldoon]

Value for money?
http://www.golfeastlothian.com/golfpass.asp

top 35?
http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/area.asp?id=242 

[Sean_A]

If spending time in East Lothian, try to make the point to get out to Dunbar. It's a step below the big courses, Gullane, North Berwick and Muirfield. However, it has much less of a touristy feel to it and you should have no trouble playing two or three rounds there on a summer day. Not only is Dunbar the birthplace of John Muir, but it also the home of Belhaven Brewery.

Cheers,
Dan King

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.
 --John Muir

 

Dan

I think Dunbar is in the same class as Gullane #1.  Neither are great, so why pay the fee for Gullane? 

Ciao

[Dan King]

Sean Arble writes:
I think Dunbar is in the same class as Gullane #1.  Neither are great, so why pay the fee for Gullane?

I love Gullane.  It might be because it was the first course I played on my first trip to Scotland, but the years have never diminished my love for all three Gullane courses, as well as the town. There is no way I could go to East Lothian and not play the Gullane courses.

What is there to dislike about Gullane other than the green fees?

Cheers,
Dan King

"I also wish this volume to be regarded as a offering of gratitude on my part for all the kindness extended to me by this county since my adoption as one of her sons, now wellnigh twenty years ago, and specially for the sunshine and joy imparted to my life by the pursuit of the gentle and fascinating pastime with which East Lothian has always been associated."
 --John Kerr

[Jon Byron]

Thanks for all the insight  - and I will DEFINITELY play Dunbar when next in Scotland!

[Sean_A]

Sean Arble writes:
I think Dunbar is in the same class as Gullane #1.  Neither are great, so why pay the fee for Gullane?

I love Gullane.  It might be because it was the first course I played on my first trip to Scotland, but the years have never diminished my love for all three Gullane courses, as well as the town. There is no way I could go to East Lothian and not play the Gullane courses.

What is there to dislike about Gullane other than the green fees?

Cheers,
Dan King

"I also wish this volume to be regarded as a offering of gratitude on my part for all the kindness extended to me by this county since my adoption as one of her sons, now wellnigh twenty years ago, and specially for the sunshine and joy imparted to my life by the pursuit of the gentle and fascinating pastime with which East Lothian has always been associated."
 --John Kerr

DK

Nothing is wrong with Gullane, its just that it does't do a lot for me.  Mind you, with all the courses around East Lothian and not very far astray from there, and with N Berwick ALWAYS a given for at least one day, and Muirfield being the DADDY draw. its hard to stand out.  Unfortunately, for me anyway, Gullane doesn't stand out as in any way exceptional.  That being the case, the green fees reflect quite ordinary value and that isn't my bag.  I do recall liking #3 the best, but I must say (and this is unusual for me), given its type of excellent strategic design, it is too short for many people. Its too easy to ignore the design and blast balls around it. 

Mind you, I just looked up Dunbar's green fees, they have sky rocketed since I was last there!   

Ciao

[Simon Holt]

One day when I have a good amount of time I will write and post my tips for a trip to East Lothian.

The more I play Luffness the more I really like it.  Tom Dunne and I played there a couple of months ago and while I was pointing out all the features it helped uncover even more.  Its not cheap but worth a look if you are there for a while.

Kilspindie is fun and cheap is thats your remit- it has a few strong 3s and one very strong short 4.  The Glen has outstanding views and is reasonably priced; you wont see much outstanding GCA.

North Berwick is a given, the back 9 on Gullane No. 2 is some of the best stuff on the hill for me.

All the accommodation has been booked up for the Open next year for months now.  4 bedroom houses in North Berwick are going for upwards of £8000 for the week!  Stay in Edinburgh and get the train folks.