North Berwick Golf Club (West Links)

North Berwick Golf Club: the quirkiest great links of all

Few opening tees frame a view like this one. Bass Rock rises black out of the Firth of Forth, the beach curls away beneath you, and the salt breeze carries four centuries of golf. The West Links at North Berwick is old, eccentric and utterly loveable — a course of stone walls, blind shots and cliff-top greens that has quietly shaped the way golf is designed around the world.

North Berwick Golf Club plays over the West Links in the coastal town of North Berwick, East Lothian. Founded in 1832, it is among the oldest clubs on earth, its course measuring 6,509 yards to a par of 71. Home to the original Redan — the most-copied hole in golf — it weaves through dunes and along the shore, beginning and ending in the heart of the town.

Key Details

• Location: North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland
• Length: 6,509 yards (championship tees)
• Par: 71
• Designers: Evolved over time; David Strath (1877 eighteen holes); Ben Sayers (1895 additions)
• Established: 1832 (club); 1877 (eighteen holes)
• Notable Events: Final Qualifying for The Open Championship; The Amateur Championship (2010); British Ladies Amateur (2008)

History and significance

Golf on the North Berwick links is recorded as early as 1605, but the club itself dates to 1832, when 28 members formed The North Berwick Golf Club and played a six-hole course east of the March Dyke. It was progressive for its age, an early admitter of women members, and by the mid-19th century legends such as Old Tom Morris and Allan Robertson were contesting high-stakes matches here.

The course grew westward: land acquired in 1868 introduced the now-famous Redan, and by 1877 an agreement with the Archerfield Estate stretched it to eighteen holes. Ben Sayers added holes in 1895, taking the length past 6,000 yards, and the layout has stood largely unchanged for well over a century.

North Berwick’s influence runs far beyond East Lothian. Its Redan has been copied on courses around the globe, and architects from Charles Blair Macdonald to Alister MacKenzie drew on its ideas — the reason a version of the hole turns up at everywhere from the National Golf Links of America to Augusta National.

Image credits: Featured image: Stuart Shepherd / geograph.org.uk (CC BY-SA 2.0). Body image: Robertaleotta2020 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

The course and how it plays

The West Links is a true old-school links in a loose figure-of-eight, starting and finishing right in the town. The first holes hug the coast before the round darts inland and back, and with eight holes running alongside the sea the beach itself becomes a hazard at high tide. It plays quickly — a round often takes only around three hours — thanks to firm turf and a lack of deep rough.

Character is everything here. Ancient stone walls cross fairways, most famously at the 3rd and 13th, forcing genuine strategic decisions. Deep pot bunkers guard the greens, the sea threatens on six holes, and blind shots test your nerve and imagination. The greens are boldly contoured, from cliff-top perches to sunken hollows, rewarding creativity far more than power.

Above it all is the setting: from almost every tee you look across the Firth of Forth to Bass Rock, with Craigleith and Fidra framing the horizon and the Fife hills beyond. Quirky, beautiful and unlike anywhere else — the West Links lingers long in the memory.

Signature holes

North Berwick is a treasure-trove of famous holes; these are the ones golfers travel for.

Hole 13 (Pit)

A par 4 of around 400 yards that sums up the course’s eccentric brilliance. The approach is played to the smallest green on the links, tucked immediately behind a stone wall — attack from the left and dune and bunker threaten, come in from the right and you must loft a precise shot over the wall to a shallow target. Miss short and a bewildering chip awaits.

Hole 15 (Redan)

The original Redan, and the most imitated hole in golf. This par 3 of about 190 yards plays uphill into the prevailing wind to a green that slopes away from front-right to back-left, wrapped around a deep bunker on the low side. Holding it is a genuine art. Named after a Crimean War fortification, its template has travelled the world.

Hole 16 (Gate)

A par 4 of roughly 378 yards, named for the stone gateway crossing the fairway. The green is one of the strangest in golf — wide but split by a central gully into two humps — so the approach and the putt both demand real precision.

Hole 18 (Home)

A short par 4 of 277 yards that finishes the round with drama in the heart of town. Big hitters can chase the green, but out of bounds right and a “valley of sin” short of the raised putting surface punish the greedy — a tempting, nervy, memorable close.

Why play North Berwick

North Berwick is a bucket-list links for its rare blend of challenge, charm and history. The layout tests every club, with wind, walls and clever hazards demanding thought, while short par 4s and reachable holes keep it fun for every standard. Above all it is original: to play the hole that taught the world about the Redan, on a course barely altered in a century, with Bass Rock over your shoulder, is one of golf’s genuine pilgrimages.

Clubhouse and facilities

The clubhouse, dating to around 1880, is a warm and welcoming place, with a restaurant serving Scottish cooking through the day and cosy lounges with open fires. Visitors are treated as members for the day, and the pro shop stocks the essentials.

Practice areas include putting and chipping grounds by the 1st tee and warm-up nets by the pro shop, with a full-length range a short drive away. Caddies and forecaddies can be arranged, trolleys and hire clubs are available, and the undulating ground means the course is walking-only.

Green fees and booking

North Berwick welcomes visitors to the West Links for most of the week, generally Sunday through Thursday. A single round typically ranges from around £185 in the quieter months to around £320 at peak summer, with reduced rates for juniors.

Tee times are limited and the course is popular, so booking ahead through the club’s bookings office is recommended. For current green fees and tee times, check the official website.

Getting there and parking

North Berwick is one of the easiest great links to reach, with the course right in the town.

• By car: about 25 miles east of Edinburgh via the A1 and A198, roughly a 40-minute drive, finishing on Beach Road in the town centre.
• By public transport: frequent ScotRail trains run from Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick, with the station about half a mile from the course.
• Address & parking: New Clubhouse, Beach Road, North Berwick, East Lothian EH39 4BB. There is no large dedicated car park — street parking nearby fills quickly, so arrive early.

Where to stay

North Berwick town is the ideal base, with the West Links on its doorstep.

Town-centre hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs sit within walking distance of the course and the beach, so you can stroll to your tee time. Nearby Gullane offers more country-house-style options and its own celebrated golf, while Edinburgh, around 40 minutes away, opens up the full range of city hotels for a combined golf-and-sightseeing trip. Summer is busy, so book well ahead.

What to pack

Exposed seaside links golf calls for weatherproofing whatever the forecast. Bring waterproofs, warm layers, a windproof top and a spare glove, plus golf shoes with solid grip for the humps and hollows. A rangefinder earns its place on a course full of blind shots and disguised distances, and a smart top keeps you within the dress code in the clubhouse.

Nearby attractions

Conclusion

North Berwick is proof that great golf need not be tidy or predictable. It is old, odd and joyful — a course of walls and gullies and blind shots that has nonetheless taught the whole game how to build a hole. Play it once, with Bass Rock watching and the town at your back, and you will understand why so many golfers call the West Links their favourite place to swing a club.

Frequently asked questions

Where is North Berwick Golf Club?

North Berwick Golf Club plays over the West Links in the seaside town of North Berwick, in East Lothian on Scotland’s east coast. The course runs right through the town, starting and finishing near the centre, with the Firth of Forth and Bass Rock alongside. It is about 25 miles east of Edinburgh, roughly 40 minutes by car via the A1 and A198, or around 30 minutes by train from Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick station.

What is the Redan hole at North Berwick?

The Redan is the 15th, a par 3 of about 190 yards and the original of the most-copied hole design in golf. It plays uphill, usually into the wind, to a green that slopes from front-right to back-left and is guarded by a deep bunker on the low side, so the ball must be worked in and held on a running surface. Named after a Crimean War fortification, the “Redan” template has been reproduced on courses all over the world.

How old is North Berwick Golf Club?

The club was founded in 1832, making it one of the oldest golf clubs in the world, though golf on the links here is recorded as far back as 1605. The course was extended to eighteen holes in 1877 and added to by Ben Sayers in 1895, and the layout has changed remarkably little in the century-plus since. That long, continuous history — second only to St Andrews over the same ground — is a big part of the West Links’ appeal.

Is North Berwick’s West Links open to visitors?

Yes. North Berwick welcomes visiting golfers for most of the week, and no handicap certificate is generally required, though a smart golf dress code applies and tee times are limited in peak season. The course is walking-only because of its undulating ground, and caddies and hire clubs can be arranged in advance. Check the club’s official website for current visitor days, tee availability and any seasonal conditions before you travel.