longniddry - 15 POINTS
In recent years, East Lothian has styled itself ‘Scotland’s Golf Coast’. With such great courses in the area as Muirfield, North Berwick and Gullane, few would argue. However, what makes East Lothian extra special is the depth of golf in the region. Courses like Kilspindie, Dunbar and Longniddry would all be worthy additions to any trip to the area.
You pass through Longniddry on the main road out from Edinburgh, about 10 minutes before getting to Gullane. However, as there is no sign of it from the road, you would be forgiven for not realising there is a Harry Colt course hidden among the houses.
When you do find the club you will see that Longniddry is a members’ course. That isn’t to say they don’t welcome visitors - they’ll be more than happy to see you - but most playing here are locals. You will see young and old, male and female, great golfers and very average ones all enjoying the course at Longniddry. That means that the course is set-up for all to enjoy. It isn’t too tight and the bunkers aren’t too punishing but there is plenty to keep you thinking as you go round.
The scorecard is unusual. You might think you’re in for a gentle round when you see that it’s a par 68. However, there are no par 5s on the course and it plays at 6,052 yards from the yellow tees and 6,271 yards from the whites. From the back tees, 8 of the par 4s are over 400 yards. That slightly worried me going into the round. I like variety in a course and would like to have a par 5 here or there, but when I was out there it actually didn’t bother me. The ground was running fast so it didn’t seem a slog and there was a really good variety in the holes to keep me interested.
The course has evolved significantly over the years. Colt laid it out originally in 1921 and James Braid was involved in some tinkering too. However, the most fundamental change came in 1945 when Philip Mackenzie Ross was brought in to repair the course after the war and to remove 2 holes close to the beach after a lady had been killed by a ball due to the proximity of the course to the public. The par 6th hole was rerouted too, to move away from a road deemed another danger.
The course is unusual in that it plays as a combination of links land and parkland. The first three holes are rather open before moving into an area with more trees and elevation - however, the ground still runs pretty fast, retaining a links feel. The fourth hole is a a long uphill dogleg to the left and then you come back down the hill on the 5th. Plenty of variety there!
The long par 4 5th holes is a un uphill dogleg left
I really enjoyed the next few holes. The 7th to 10th holes are across the road towards Edinburgh and run through a more wooded area, with trees on both sides of the holes. They served to frame the holes and don’t come into play too much.
The 7th-10th holes run through the trees just back from the coast
The course slowly opens up again as it comes back east. The last third of the course is a lot more open and while it doesn’t have some of the drama of that middle section, you are rewarded with some lovely views to Edinburgh and beyond.
The closing holes at Longniddry are over more open ground.
The finishing hole is a long par 4,usually played into the prevailing wind, with a menacing bunker in front. But like the rest of the course, the ground should run fast and a finishing par won’t be beyond the abilities of most players.
The conditioning was very good and there were plenty of greenkeepers working hard on the course when I was there which was great to see. If I had a niggle, it would be around the first couple of holes. The 1st and 2nd have a practice ground between them which means that any ball a few yards off the right hand side of either fairway finds itself surrounded by those being hit on the range. I’m not convinced this adds to the experience, and made for a slightly bewildering opening!
However, that is splitting hairs. Longniddry is a really pleasant golf course and, while it won’t beat you up, you will have to plot your way through the trees and the bunkers carefully to score well. You’ll come away from a round here having had a few tests and some good memories. That’s well worth the very reasonable green fee!
BOOKING THE COURSE
The course welcomes visitors 7 days a week, although times are limited at the weekends. You can book online here. Green fees range from under £40 in the winter to £100 in the summer when you book directly with the club and they have plenty of offers on the site. I booked using Golfnow and paid £43 in April which was good value.
Prices correct as of August 2023.
TOUR TIPS
East Lothian is blessed with many courses to mix and match to make up a trip for a few days. Muirfield, North Berwick and Gullane 1 are the very top drawer and but you could happily add Renaissance, Archerfield (not cheap though!) or Gullane 2 or 3, Dunbar, Luffness, The Glen, Kilspindie or Craigelaw. The list goes on and on!
There are plenty of options for accommodation around the East Lothian area and a lot will depend on the kind of trip you want.
North Berwick is the centre of Golf Coast and has a good selection of pubs and restaurants as well as places to stay. The Marine Hotel is the largest hotel in town and has a wonderful setting, overlooking the famous 16th hole at North Berwick. It is currently being refurbished under new ownership and expectations are high for its reopening. Beyond that, North Berwick has many B&Bs and plenty of Airbnb options which are worth checking out. They’ll all be very used to visiting golf parties so should be able to assist.
Gullane is the golf capital of East Lothian really, but it is a smaller place than North Berwick. There are two high end hotels here - Greywalls, overlooking Muirfield, and the Bonnie Badger in the middle of the village. Both are fairly expensive options with upmarket restaurants and bars but there are plenty of places for rent in the village as well. While not as big as North Berwick, Gullane has a good selection of places to eat and drink in the village and no-one will blink if you turn up with your golf clubs. The Main Course, directly opposite the first tee at Gullane 1, and where you’ll always get a warm welcome, is my number 1 pick in town!
Aberlady is another option to consider. It’s smaller again but is home to the Duck’s Inn. This is very much a hotel that caters to the golf market. You can hear owner, Malcolm Duck, talking all things East Lothian golf on this podcast.
If you are happy to stay more rurally then you will want to consider Garleton Lodge - a boutique hotel a little inland. It comes very highly recommended by those who’ve stayed - check out these Tripadvisor reviews.
CONTACT DETAILS
Longniddry Golf Club,
Links Rd,
Longniddry
EH32 0NL
Tel - 01875 852141
Web - www.longniddrygolfclub.co.uk
