THE GLEN GOLF CLUB - 15 POINTS
North Berwick. One of the spiritual homes of the game. A town that lives and breathes golf and has gained a reputation around the world as one of the must-visit places for any real golf fanatic.
The vast majority of players will visit the West Links in North Berwick before moving on to another of East Lothian’s stellar attractions, missing The Glen golf course, just the other side of this golf-mad town. Known affectionately as the ‘East Links’, The Glen is where many of the locals play. It’s not on the same scale, or in the same class, as the West Links, but you will find a very pleasant course that will give you a delightful experience – especially on a sunny day.
East Lothian is renowned for the magnificence of its links courses, but The Glen provides a slightly different challenge. The course starts in the town itself but on the very first hole you will see a vast hill in front of you to be conquered with your approach shot. Once you’re up there (and believe me, it is a pretty steep climb) you are rewarded with a wonderful view.
For the next 16 holes you play along the cliffs and shelves, with the coast always in view. You are more elevated here and it could reasonably be said that the views are even better than those of the illustrious West Course.
The Glen starts and ends in the town of North Berwick
This is not really true links land. Because the course is set on the cliffs, the ground has more earth in it than sand and the turf has more of a parkland feel. Having said that, there are linksy moments and certainly the design makes great use of the seaside views.
The course in its current form was designed by James Braid and Ben Sayers and opened in 1906, although golf had been played over the land for some two hundred years before that. The course was built to cope with the demand that was flooding into North Berwick due to the success of the West Links.
This is not a golf course that will beat you up too hard. You will generally find width off the tee, and forgiving rough should you stray too far. As is the case with many shorter Scottish courses it is around the green that the fun will really start. There are some lovely subtleties in the shape of some of the greens and this is a course where a good short game will be key to scoring well.
Wind will be a factor here; it is unlikely you will get a still day. The prevailing wind is from the west, which means you need to make your score on the way out. However if you have an easterly then the real challenges come early on. We played from the white tees and the course is a 6,275 yard par 70. So, while it’s short, it’s no pushover. There are two par 5s, four par 3s and the res are 4s.
The par 4s are similar in length at around 340-380 yards, although in reality, with the wind blowing, they can play much longer or shorter. Only the 8th and 17th are over 400 yards. This means that you have a lot of holes where you can open the shoulders and try to get it pretty close, but with the wind blowing you will need to use most clubs in your bag.
The par 3s are a rather curious mix. Three of the four are over 180 yards so you will be needing a long club to get on or around the green. The short hole is the much photographed 13th ‘Sea Hole’. From the white tees this is a blind par 3, over a hill and down hill to a green with water long and to the right. The wind can make this anything from a rescue club to a wedge. It’s definitely something of a novelty hole!
The course brings you in along the cliffs, providing great views out over the East Lothian coastline, with trouble usually on the right. That is a characteristic of the course of the course as a whole. Like St Andrews, this is a course for the hooker rather than the slicer!
The 18th tee is high on the cliffs before you descend down the hill back to sea level. It’s another really fun hole, with some similarity to the 18th at the West Links just along the road.
I think the key to enjoying The Glen is probably to manage your expectations. Come to enjoy the views and have some fun and you will have a great day. It’s a really memorable place for a round of golf!
BOOKING THE COURSE
The Glen is one of the most welcoming clubs you’ll find. There is nothing at all pretentious about the place. Green fees are very reasonable. At a time when many clubs are jacking up prices to ridiculous levels, The Glen is keeping things sensible.
In the summer you can play for £75 in the week and £95 at the weekend. There used to be good twilight deals so hopefully they will come back soon. In the off-season the prices drop to £45 in the week and £55 at weekend. This is fantastic value, as good as anything you will find.
You can do everything online by following this link to the website.
Prices correct as of August 2023.
TOUR TIPS
A golf trip to East Lothian has a huge amount to offer. The courses are great, playable all year round and close together. Basing yourself in North Berwick is a good idea as there is a good range of pubs and restaurants in town and it's easy to get to Gullane, Muirfield, Dunbar and others from there. And make no mistake, this is a real golf town - no-one will blink at the site of a group carrying their clubs into a pub for a post-game pint.
The Marine Hotel overlooks the 16th hole of the West Links (and the kids’ course) so is a really great setting. It’s not 5 star luxury and is quite pricey if you book directly with the hotel, so hunt around for deals. From there it's a short (10 minutes) walk into town. There is a plethora of guest houses in the town itself which will probably offer better value for money and of course, Airbnb. You won't find it hard to buy a drink - there are plenty of pubs - and you'll get a good steak in The Grange in the centre of town. If you want to go a bit more swanky the Italian, Osteria, is a good choice. For a little more cheap and cheerful then try Zitto on Quality Street or The Herringbone on the High Street.
When it comes to other courses to play then Muirfield, North Berwick and Gullane 1 are the very top drawer and but you could happily add Renaissance, Archerfield (not cheap though!), Gullane 2 or 3, Dunbar, Luffness or Craigielaw - all within a few miles drive. The list goes on and on!
CONTACT DETAILS
The Glen Golf Club
Tantallon Terrace,
North Berwick,
East Lothian,
EH39 4LE
Phone: 01620 892221
E-mail: enquiries@glengolfclub.co.uk
Web: https://www.glengolfclub.co.uk/
