7 Day Scotland East Coast Golf Itinerary
A full week on the greatest stretch of links coast on earth. This seven day route runs from the East Lothian coast east of Edinburgh, through North Berwick, Gullane and Muirfield, across the Firth of Forth to the Kingdom of Fife for Kingsbarns, the Old Course and Crail, and finishes with the brutal grandeur of Carnoustie in Angus. Seven days, seven of the finest links in the world, and only one change of hotel. Here is the trip, with indicative 2026 green fees and drive times.
Photograph: Carnoustie Golf Links, via Google
Who this trip suits
This is the full east coast links pilgrimage, the trip for the golfer who wants the famous names without rushing, and who treats a week of links golf as the holiday itself. The east coast of Scotland packs more world class courses into a short span than anywhere on the planet, and with seven days you can take in the East Lothian cluster east of Edinburgh, the riches of Fife around St Andrews, and the Open venue of Carnoustie up in Angus, while still leaving room for a rest day, a clubhouse lunch and an evening of whisky. It suits a serious golf group or a couple for whom the golf is the point, and it flexes easily, trading a marquee name for a hidden gem when the budget or the Old Course ballot demands it.
Two decisions shape the week, the Old Course and Muirfield, both allocated rather than simply sold. Enter the St Andrews ballot or apply well ahead, book a Muirfield visitor day months in advance, and keep strong alternatives in your pocket for each. Aim for May to September for the firmest turf and the longest light, set up in two comfortable bases, East Lothian then St Andrews, and the rest of the seven days falls neatly into place.
The 7 day plan
North Berwick, West Links
Open in East Lothian with the most charming links in the country, a Victorian original of stone walls, blind shots and the famous Redan thirteenth that has been copied around the world. It is golf as invention, played hard by the beach in the centre of a seaside town, and the perfect, characterful start to the week. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 320 pounds in peak season; book ahead.
Gullane Golf Club, No.1 Course
A short drive along the coast brings you to Gullane Hill, where the No.1 course climbs to one of the great views in golf, the Forth, the Edinburgh skyline and a dozen courses laid out below. A recent host of the Scottish Open, it is firm, fast and exposed, a proper test in the wind with a glorious run home. Indicative 2026 green fees are around 325 pounds; the No.2 and No.3 courses offer fine value alongside if time allows.
Muirfield, Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers
Complete the East Lothian trio with the most revered of them all, Muirfield, home of the world's oldest golf club and host of sixteen Open Championships. Its two concentric loops and fearsome bunkering make it the purest strategic test on the coast. Visitors are admitted on limited days, typically Tuesday and Thursday, with handicap limits and a tee time booked far in advance, so secure it early and keep Gullane or Dunbar as a backup. Indicative 2026 fee from around 325 pounds.
Kingsbarns Golf Links
Cross the Forth to Fife and open the second half of the trip with the great modern links, a Kyle Phillips design from 2000 that runs for nearly two miles along the North Sea with the water in view almost throughout. A walking course where a caddie earns the fee, it is the most expensive round of the week at an indicative 486 pounds in peak 2026, and worth every yard. Book the tee time the moment the season opens.
Old Course at St Andrews
The heart of the trip and the home of the game, played over the Swilcan Bridge, the Road Hole seventeenth and the closing walk up the eighteenth into the grey town. The Old Course is allocated by advance application and a daily ballot rather than simply paid for, so treat a confirmed time as the real prize and keep the New or Jubilee as a backup. Indicative 2026 green fee around 355 pounds.
Crail Golfing Society, Balcomie Links
Take the pressure off after three marquee days with one of the oldest golf clubs in the world, on an Old Tom Morris links wrapped around a rocky point at the eastern tip of Fife. Balcomie is pure joy, short, scenic and played with the sea on three sides, and at an indicative 140 pounds it is a reminder that the best of Scottish golf need not cost the earth. A relaxed, glorious day twenty minutes from St Andrews.
Carnoustie Golf Links, Championship Course
Finish with the toughest of all the Open links, Carnoustie, an hour north over the Tay in Angus, where the closing stretch of the sixteenth, seventeenth and the Barry Burn at the eighteenth has broken more champions than any in golf. Brutal, fair and unforgettable, it is the grand finale the week deserves. Indicative 2026 green fee around 300 pounds; play the tougher tees only if your game is up to it.
Green fees, drive times and logistics
| Round | Indicative 2026 fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| North Berwick West | Around 320 pounds | East Lothian base; book ahead |
| Gullane No.1 | Around 325 pounds | 10 minutes from North Berwick |
| Muirfield | From around 325 pounds | Visitor days, typically Tue and Thu; book months ahead |
| Kingsbarns | Around 486 pounds | About 90 minutes from East Lothian; walking course |
| Old Course, St Andrews | Around 355 pounds | By ballot or advance application |
| Crail Balcomie | Around 140 pounds | 20 minutes from St Andrews |
| Carnoustie Championship | Around 300 pounds | About an hour north of St Andrews |
Green fees and drive times verified indicatively in June 2026 from course and ranking listings; they vary by season and change without notice, so always confirm current rates and availability directly before booking. Seven rounds on this route total roughly 2,200 to 2,400 pounds per golfer in peak season. Find a links hotel base.
When to go and where to stay
Play the trip between May and September for firm turf, long daylight and the best chance of dry links weather, accepting peak fees and busy tee sheets, or take the April and late September shoulder for lower prices and fewer crowds. Base the first three nights in or around North Berwick or Gullane for the East Lothian rounds, then move to St Andrews for the rest, where the town puts you minutes from the first tee and within easy reach of Kingsbarns, Crail and the run up to Carnoustie. A hire car or a driver makes the short hops simple, and Edinburgh airport is barely an hour from either base. With a full week you can also build in a rest day around St Andrews to walk the town, the cathedral and the beach, or to slip in a value links such as the New Course or Scotscraig.
Plan your east coast links week
We hold the marquee tee times, navigate the Old Course ballot and the Muirfield visitor days, match the two hotel bases to the golf, and arrange transfers so the seven days run smoothly. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
East coast Scotland itinerary questions
What is the best 7 day golf itinerary on Scotland's east coast?
Spend three days in East Lothian east of Edinburgh for North Berwick, Gullane and Muirfield, then cross to Fife and Angus for Kingsbarns, the Old Course at St Andrews, Crail and a grand finish at Carnoustie. With a week you can include the marquee names and still leave a rest day, changing hotel just once. Always confirm current tee times and fees directly before booking.
How much does a 7 day east coast Scotland golf trip cost in green fees?
Seven rounds on this route add up to roughly 2,200 to 2,400 pounds per golfer in green fees alone in peak 2026 season, led by Kingsbarns at around 486 pounds and the Old Course at around 355, with Crail a relative bargain near 140. You can lower that by swapping a flagship for a nearby value links or by travelling in the shoulder season. Indicative figures, always confirm current fees directly before booking.
Can you play Muirfield as a visitor?
Yes, on limited visitor days. The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers admits visitors on certain days, typically Tuesday and Thursday, with handicap limits and tee times booked well in advance, and the sheet is often full months ahead. Indicative 2026 visitor fees run from around 325 pounds. Keep a strong nearby alternative such as Gullane or North Berwick in case a time cannot be confirmed.
When is the best time for an east coast Scotland links trip?
May to September brings the firmest turf, the best weather and the longest daylight, which is also peak season for fees and tee sheets. The April and late September shoulder is cheaper and quieter, at the cost of shorter days and more variable weather. Book the marquee tee times as far ahead as you can. Always confirm current seasonal rates and availability directly before booking.
Related
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Indicative green fees and drive times verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.