Golf in East Lothian
Scotland's golf coast, a 30 mile run of links from Muirfield and the quirky North Berwick West Links to the three Gullane courses and the Tom Doak designed Renaissance Club. The courses, the season, the costs and how to build the trip.
Photograph: Kilspindie Golf Club, Nicolas, via Google
Why golf in East Lothian
East Lothian markets itself as Scotland's Golf Coast, and the claim holds up. In a 30 mile stretch east of Edinburgh, between Musselburgh and Dunbar, sit roughly 21 courses across about 18 clubs, almost all of them genuine links and several of them among the best in the world. This is the densest, most walkable links cluster outside St Andrews, with a championship pedigree that runs from Muirfield, one of the great Open venues, to the Renaissance Club, the modern home of the Genesis Scottish Open. You can base in one town and play a different links every day for a week without driving more than twenty minutes.
What sets the coast apart is the quality across the price range. Muirfield, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, is the flagship, but the visitor experience is just as rich at the town links of North Berwick, whose West Links is a riot of stone walls, blind shots and the original Redan 15th, and at Gullane, where three links climb the hill above the village. Add Dunbar, Luffness New, Craigielaw and the two Archerfield courses and the result is a destination that rewards the serious links pilgrim and the first time visitor in equal measure, half an hour from a capital city and its airport.
How to think about an East Lothian golf trip
The Gullane cluster
Muirfield, the three Gullane links and the Renaissance Club sit within a couple of miles of one another, the strongest concentration of golf on the coast and the natural base for a links week.
North Berwick
A classic Scottish golf town with the wonderful, eccentric West Links, the Glen course on the headland above and Archerfield's two modern links just along the shore.
The wider coast
Dunbar, Luffness New, Craigielaw, Longniddry and historic Musselburgh stretch the choice along the shore, all well within a short drive of Edinburgh and its airport.
The courses that matter
Muirfield
The flagship, home of the oldest organised golf club in the world and one of the fairest tests in the Open rota, with its distinctive clockwise outer loop and counter clockwise inner loop. It has crowned champions from Nicklaus to Faldo and Mickelson. Visitors are welcome on set days by arrangement, traditionally with a foursomes round in the afternoon.
North Berwick West Links
One of the most charming and copied links in golf, a parade of stone walls, blind shots, a beach carry and the original Redan, the par 3 15th that has been imitated on great courses the world over. Quirky, historic and enormous fun, it is many a traveller's favourite round on the whole coast.
Gullane No.1
The senior of the three Gullane links, climbing Gullane Hill for some of the finest views in Scottish golf, out over the Firth of Forth and back across the coast. A regular qualifying venue and a co host of the Scottish Open, with the gentler No.2 and No.3 alongside for a full day of links.
The Renaissance Club
The modern member of the cluster, a Tom Doak design carved through coastal woodland and dunes that has hosted the Genesis Scottish Open every year since 2019 and returns again in 2026. A private club with limited visitor and resort access, it is the contemporary counterpoint to the ancient links around it.
Archerfield and Dunbar
Archerfield's Fidra and Dirleton courses bring two modern links and a smart hotel base to the North Berwick end of the coast, while Dunbar, an old club whose links runs hard along the rocky shore to the east, is one of the most underrated and atmospheric rounds in the county.
Craigielaw and Luffness New
Craigielaw, a Donald Steel links from 2001 with its own hotel, has quickly become a popular trip base, while neighbouring Luffness New is a pure, firm and fast traditional links much loved by purists. Together with Longniddry they fill out a week without a weak round among them.
Clubs, founding details and host events verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
Best golf courses in East Lothian Check tee time availability
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| June to August | Long daylight, firm links, the warmest spell | Peak links season, book the marquee courses well ahead |
| May and September | Settled, quieter, good value, firm turf | The connoisseur's choice, excellent conditioning and space |
| April and October | Cooler, more changeable, shoulder rates | Good value links golf for the hardy, pack layers |
| November to March | Short days, wind, winter greens possible | Off season, lowest prices, limited daylight |
East Lothian is one of the driest corners of Scotland, but this is links golf, so wind and a passing shower are always part of the deal. The Genesis Scottish Open lands in July at the Renaissance Club.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Town links green fee | Around £80 to £150 | North Berwick, Dunbar, Luffness New, Craigielaw in summer |
| Flagship green fee | Higher, top of the range | Muirfield, Gullane No.1, the Renaissance Club |
| A links week, all in | Around £1,800 to £4,500 per person | Hotel, five rounds, car hire, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 summer season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Winter and shoulder rates are much lower. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
East Lothian is the easiest links destination in Scotland to reach, barely half an hour east of Edinburgh and its international airport, which takes direct flights from across Europe and North America. The whole coast strings along the A198 and the A1, with the Gullane cluster, North Berwick and Dunbar all within a 25 minute drive of one another, so a hire car turns the trip into a string of short hops between first tees. The train from Edinburgh runs to North Berwick and Drem for those who prefer not to drive, and Edinburgh itself is close enough to add a city night or two at either end of a golf week.
Where to stay
For the strongest concentration of golf, base around Gullane or North Berwick, where you are within a few minutes of Muirfield, the Gullane links, the Renaissance Club and the West Links. Gullane and Archerfield offer smart hotel and lodge stays beside the courses, while North Berwick gives you a proper Scottish golf town with restaurants and a sea front. Craigielaw and the Marine hotel in North Berwick are popular group bases, and Edinburgh is close enough that some visitors stay in the city and drive out each morning. Pick one base and spoke out across the coast.
Plan your East Lothian golf trip
Tell us your group, your dates and the courses on your list, from Muirfield to the town links, and we will sort the tee times, the base and the order of play. One concierge costs the trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
East Lothian golf questions
How many golf courses are there in East Lothian?
Roughly 21 courses across about 18 clubs along a 30 mile stretch between Musselburgh and Dunbar, including Muirfield, the North Berwick West Links, the three Gullane links and the Renaissance Club. It is one of the densest concentrations of quality links golf anywhere.
Can you play Muirfield as a visitor?
Yes, on set days, usually Tuesdays and Thursdays, by prior arrangement and with a handicap certificate. Tee times are limited and booked well ahead, and a foursomes round in the afternoon is part of the tradition. Always confirm access directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in East Lothian?
May to September, with the long daylight of June and July and the settled spells of May and September the best of it. The coast is among the driest in Scotland, but pack for wind and the odd shower. The Genesis Scottish Open is held here in July.
How much does golf cost in East Lothian in 2026?
Indicative 2026 summer green fees run from around £80 to £150 at the town links, with Gullane No.1, Muirfield and the Renaissance Club at the top of the range. Winter and shoulder rates are much lower. Always confirm directly before booking.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Clubs, founding details and host events verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.