Longniddry is a small coastal community about 12 miles east of Edinburgh. Being on the Edinburgh-North Berwick train line makes Longniddry an ideal bedroom community for the capitol city. There isn’t much in the village except access to the Firth of Forth via the Longniddry Bents. The 134-mile-long foot and cycle path, John Muir Way, passes through the bents on its way to North Berwick and eventually terminates in Dunbar, the birthplace of John Muir. Muir was a 19
th century environmentalist who as a boy immigrated to Wisconsin with his family. At university he became interested in botany, geology and zoology which eventually led to the creation of Yosemite National Park and being a co-founder of the influential Sierra Club.
Longniddry is also home to the 1921 designed HS Colt course across Links Road from the bents. In fact, parts of three old holes abandoned on the Bents side of the road are now part of the John Muir Way…which seems somehow appropriate. I am uncertain as to when the three holes were lost, but I suspect Philip Mackenzie Ross re-routed two holes for safety reasons when repairing the damage from vegetable growing during WWII. The short 6
th was possibly re-routed later, perhaps by Donald Steel, again for safety reasons. Braid too had a say in the evolution of Longniddry when he worked on the course in 1936. I wish I knew more about the history of Longniddry, but to some degree it doesn’t matter. What we have now is fine parklandish course with some tendencies toward links in that Longniddry plays firm.
The map indicates a long, narrow, rather cramped property. Measuring 106 acres, Longniddry can't be accused of wasting space.
The course is bit like a three act play. 1-4 tend toward the long and difficult, but more open. 5-10 are through a wooded area. 11-18 are back to the main part of the property, but have a more varied approach to the architecture than 1-4.
The opener looks and feels like classic Colt. A right-front knob (no need for sand) hides the severe drop-off to the right and rear of the green.
Sandwiched between the 1st & 2nd is a practice ground...rather unfortunate.
Another attractive green-site.
Swinging left, the brutally long third takes no prisoners. We come to the par three account on the lovely 4th. The four bunkers look like a spear tip pointing at the tee. There is a bit of room to kick the tee-shot onto the raised green.
More to follow.
Ciao