The North Berwick Golf Club

West Links, Beach Rd,

North Berwick, East Lothian EH39 4BB

  • Office

    +44 (0)1620 892 135
  • Pro shop

    +44 (0)1620 895 040
  • Fax

    +44 (0)1620 890 312
  • Golf pro

    Martyn Huish (Head PGA Professional), who succeeded his father David in 2009.

About the course

  • The Course:

    18 holes. Seaside links. Gently undulating terrain - easy to walk.

  • Surroundings:

    Coastal duneland.

  • Designer:

    Designer of original layout unknown; later extensions and modifications by Old Tom Morris and David "Davie" Strath (1876), Tom Dunn (1880s), and Ben Sayers Jr and Major Cecil K. Hutchison (1932).

Back
tees
Club
tees
Front
tees
Yards
6420
6033
5751
Par
71
70
74
SSS or slope
71
70
74

Location

Latitude:

56.058829

Longitude:

-2.727216

How to get there:

24 miles NE of Edinburgh

Approaching North Berwick from the west, follow A198 down the hill towards town centre. Bear left direction town centre where the A198 bears off to the right. Immediately after Bass Rock Garage turn left into Pointgarry Road. Golf is immediately on your right.

The North Berwick Golf Club

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.

Est. 1832

North Berwick Golf Club is home to one of the most scenic and enjoyable seaside links courses in Scotland. Also known as the "West Links," golf has been played here for centuries, while nearby Glen Golf Club plays home to the town's "East Links." North Berwick is laid out along the shoreline of the Firth of Forth. From most of its holes, you will enjoy fabulous views onto the Firth, as well as the islands of Bass Rock, Craigleith, Lamb and Fidra.

The Firth provides an immensely scenic distraction as you make your way out-and-back, but it's also responsible for North Berwick's renowned windy conditions, which can vary between a gentle sea breeze and something a tad stronger. Based on a classic shore-hugging open links format, one nine is invariably played into the wind, the other against. The plentiful bunkering and firm fast greens are usually immaculately presented. The rough, you'll be pleased to discover, is generally not too penal, but be careful of stone walls that create an additional hazard on a few of the holes.

The most fun you'll ever have on a golf course, might just come on North Berwick's closing stretch. Among many wonderful holes, the well-bunkered par-3 15th (Redan) has been copied on numerous courses around the world. Much less replicated is the short par-4 13th (Pit), with a wall to clear directly in front of the green. As the Club advises, "don't argue with the wall, it's older than you are." The par-4 16th (Gate) is home to one of the longest, narrowest putting surfaces you'll find in golf, made even more challenging by a deep gully that cleaves the green in two.

If a hard westerly wind is blowing at the wide-open and bunkerless par-4 18th, you might be tempted (momentarily) to aim your tee shot out-of-bounds over the car park, and let the wind bring it back to the fairway - a knee-trembling and possibly expensive strategy. It's just as scary if a hard easterly is blowing! In addition to great tradition and hospitality, North Berwick offers a unique and fun golfing challenge - don't miss it!

List of courses: Home of Golf

Visitors

Who can play and when?

Visitors welcome on weekdays and Sundays.

Must book in advance. Proof of handicap required.

Green fees

Visitor fee, 18-holes in high season (April thru' Oct): £200 (all days).

Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2023].

Other information

Players generally walk this course. Caddies available if requested in advance.

Practice facilities

Good

Did you know?

North Berwick is reputedly the 13th oldest golf club in the world; it is also said to be the world's second oldest continually used links golf course. The club has a long and proud history that has included staging many top level tournaments, including final qualifying for the Open Championship. For more details view Top Golf Tournaments at North Berwick Golf Club.

Published ranking

Scotland's 5th best course (Golf World, 2022).
Britain & Ireland's 10th best course (Golf World, 2022).
World's 30th best course (GOLF Magazine, 2023/24) and 18th best public access course (Golf World, 2023).

Where2Stay

  • The Marine Hotel & Spa4-star

    Cromwell Road, North Berwick EH39 4LZ

    +44 (0)1620 892 406

    Visit website

    The Marine Hotel & Spa is at the heart of the East Lothian golfing coast; the hotel overlooks the 16th green of North Berwick’s Championship West Links course.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      North Berwick; Glen; Muirfield; Gullane (No.1, No.2 and No.3 courses).

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Dunbar; Luffness New

  • The Open Arms3-star

    Dirleton, East Lothian EH39 5EG

    +44 (0)1620 850 241

    Visit website

    Sitting opposite 13th century Dirleton Castle, this long established, family run hotel is ideally located to access the many excellent golf courses in East Lothian.

    • Golf at this hotel:

      No

    • Golf within 5 miles:

      Muirfield; Gullane (No.1, No.2 and No.3 courses); Luffness New; North Berwick; Glen.

    • Golf within 20 miles:

      Dunbar; Royal Musselburgh.

Find a course

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Tournaments

Ryder Cup: Rome plays host to the first ever Ryder Cup to be staged in Italy, with the USA defending golf’s greatest team trophy at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club (Sept 29-Oct 1).

Solheim Cup: also in September, also in southern Europe, the 18th Solheim Cup will be contested at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol, with Europe defending after their surprise win in Toledo, Inverness Club (Ohio) in 2021 (Sept 22-24). 

Who's Who

Céline Boutier: with many successes as both an amateur and professional golfer, Boutier added a major championship title to her impressive résumé at this year’s Evian Championship.

Alex Cejka: buffeted by rain and high winds, especially on the high-scoring final day, Čejka prevailed over Pádraig Harrington in a playoff at Royal Porthcawl, to scoop the Senior Open Championship title.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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