North Berwick West Links
Few courses are loved the way the West Links is loved. A links from 1832 played over the same wild coastal ground ever since, it runs out along the Firth of Forth past stone walls, burns and blind shots to the original Redan, the most copied par 3 in golf. It is short, strange and utterly charming, the course that architects make pilgrimages to and that ordinary golfers leave grinning.
Photo: North Berwick Golf Club via Google, contributor Rob R.
The verdict
The West Links is the most endearing great course in Britain. It does not overpower you with length or polish; instead it charms and ambushes you with the kind of natural, quirky golf that has all but vanished from the modern game. Founded in 1832, it is one of the oldest courses in the world still played over its original ground, and it wears those years lightly, with stone dykes running across fairways, a beach in play, shared and tiered greens and blind shots that no committee would dare build today.
It suits the travelling golfer who values character over championship muscle, and it belongs on any East Lothian itinerary alongside Muirfield, Gullane and Archerfield. Walk the West Links once and you understand why so many of the world's finest holes, the Redan above all, were copied from this strip of Forth coast. It is golf at its most joyful.
The West Links at a glance
- Founded
- 1832
- Evolution
- Old Tom Morris era
- Type
- Links
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- 6,506 yds
- Green fee
- Around £320
Founding year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and course databases; the West Links plays around 6,506 yards, par 71. The course grew from six holes in 1832 to a full eighteen by the late nineteenth century, the era of Old Tom Morris and David Strath, rather than to a single named architect. The green fee is indicative, around 220 pounds in March and around 320 pounds in the April to October peak in 2026. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The West Links is a collection of originals, and three holes in particular have earned their fame. The 13th, the Pit, is a short par 4 whose green sits tucked behind an ancient stone wall, so the approach must be flown over the dyke and stopped quickly on a green that falls away beyond. It is the sort of hole that makes you laugh and curse in the same breath.
The 15th is the Redan, the most influential par 3 ever built. Around 190 yards to a green that sits up and turns away from front right to back left, guarded short left by a deep bunker, it rewards a running shot fed in from the right rather than a flag hunting carry. Copies of the Redan appear on great courses across the world, but this is the one they were all drawn from.
The 16th completes the set with one of golf's most bewildering greens, a long, three tiered surface split by a deep swale that can leave you putting up and over a ridge to a flag you cannot see. Add the beach and the wall in play earlier in the round and the constant Forth wind, and the West Links gives you a stretch of golf you will be retelling for years.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A members club that welcomes visitors through the season, typically Monday to Thursday and on Sundays, with Fridays and Saturdays largely for members |
| Green fee | Around 220 pounds in March and around 320 pounds in the April to October peak in 2026 (indicative) |
| Booking | Book well ahead, especially for summer; tee times at this famous links go early |
| On the day | Walking course; caddies can be arranged in advance; a warm, traditional clubhouse in the heart of the town |
| Getting there | In North Berwick itself, about 40 minutes east of Edinburgh, with a direct train to the town |
| Best months | May to September for the firmest turf and longest days, though the wind is never far away |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from the club; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with North Berwick Golf Club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
North Berwick is the perfect base, a handsome seaside town with hotels and guest houses within walking distance of the first tee, so you can play the West Links, wander into town for lunch and be back out for an evening nine in the long summer light. It also puts you minutes from Gullane, Muirfield and Archerfield for a full East Lothian week.
For a grander stay, the wider Lothian coast and Edinburgh are close enough to combine city and links, while Archerfield's lodges offer a self contained luxury golf base a short drive west.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near North Berwick.
Stay and play in East Lothian
We arrange North Berwick alongside Gullane, Muirfield and the rest of the East Lothian coast, secure the tee times before they fill and sort a North Berwick base and the transfers. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
North Berwick questions
How old is North Berwick West Links?
North Berwick Golf Club was founded in 1832, which makes the West Links one of the oldest courses in the world still played over largely its original ground. The links grew from six holes to a full eighteen by the late nineteenth century, and many of its most famous holes, including the Redan, date from that period of expansion.
What is the par and length of North Berwick West Links?
The West Links is a par 71 of around 6,506 yards from the back tees, a modest length by modern standards. Its defence is not yardage but its wild, natural terrain: stone walls, burns, blind shots, shared greens and the ever present Firth of Forth wind.
What is the Redan at North Berwick?
The 15th, the Redan, is the original of golf's most copied template hole. It is a par 3 of around 190 yards played to a green that sits up and at an angle, tilting away from front right to back left and guarded by a deep bunker, so the smart shot is run in from the right rather than flown at the flag. Versions of the Redan appear on courses all over the world.
How much does it cost to play North Berwick West Links?
Indicative 2026 visitor green fees are around 220 pounds in March and around 320 pounds in the April to October peak season. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Can visitors play North Berwick West Links?
Yes. The West Links welcomes visitors through the season, typically Monday to Thursday and on Sundays, with Fridays and Saturdays largely reserved for members. Book well ahead for the summer months, as tee times at this famous links go early.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Founding year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.