Gullane vs North Berwick for Golf
Ten minutes apart on Scotland's Golf Coast sit two villages that golfers argue about all the way home. Gullane stacks three links on one great hill, with No. 1, a Scottish Open host, at the top and Muirfield along the road. North Berwick answers with a single immortal card: the West Links, played since 1832, home of the Redan and the most copied par 3 on earth. Here is the head to head, with our verdict up front.
Photograph: Rob R., via Google
Our verdict
For the single round you will retell forever, North Berwick wins. The West Links has run along the same shore since 1832 and plays like nothing else in golf: stone walls crossing fairways, the beach in play, the Pit and its wall at the 13th, and at the 15th the Redan, the most imitated par 3 in the world, copied on great courses from Long Island to Melbourne. On 2026 visitor days the green fee is 220 pounds in March and 320 pounds from April to October, and it sells out months ahead because there is only one of it.
For the base and the breadth, Gullane is the pick. One village green feeds three true links stacked up Gullane Hill: No. 1, a par 71 of 6,873 yards first laid out in 1884 that hosted the Scottish Open in 2015, won by Rickie Fowler, and again in 2018, with Nos 2 and 3 giving the trip its easier mornings, and the club publishing seasonal 2026 rates across all three. Muirfield sits at the end of the lane and Luffness New next door. The honest answer for most trips: sleep in one village, play both, and let the argument continue at the nineteenth.
The head to head
| Gullane | North Berwick | |
|---|---|---|
| The golf | Three links on one hill: No. 1 the championship test, Nos 2 and 3 the sporting companions | One course, the West Links, among the most original in the world |
| History | Golf on Gullane Hill since the 19th century; No. 1 completed in 1884 | The West Links has been played since 1832, among the oldest active courses anywhere |
| Championship pedigree | No. 1 hosted the Scottish Open in 2015, won by Rickie Fowler, and again in 2018 | The Redan 15th is the most copied hole in golf; Open qualifying heritage and a permanent place on every architecture pilgrimage |
| Par and yardage | No. 1 plays par 71 at around 6,873 yards from the visitor tees | Par 71, with the card defined by walls, the beach and the Redan rather than raw length |
| Indicative green fee | Seasonal 2026 rates published by the club across Nos 1, 2 and 3 | 220 pounds in March and 320 pounds April to October on 2026 visitor days |
| Access | Visitor times across all three courses most days; No. 1 books furthest ahead | Visitor days sell out months ahead in season; book the moment dates firm up |
| The village | Quieter, golf first, with Muirfield at the end of the lane and Luffness New next door | A lively seaside town with beaches, the harbor, restaurants and the Bass Rock view |
| Getting there | About 35 minutes east of Edinburgh | About 40 minutes east of Edinburgh, with a direct rail line into the town |
Indicative 2026 visitor figures from club sources, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking. Check Scotland tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Gullane if
You want a golf first base with depth: three links from one doorstep, a Scottish Open course as the anchor, easier tee times across Nos 2 and 3, and Muirfield within walking distance for the trip's set piece. The village is small and quiet, which is exactly the appeal, and Edinburgh is barely half an hour when the rest day calls.
Pick North Berwick if
You want the round itself, plus a proper town around it. The West Links is on every shortlist of the world's most original courses, and North Berwick's beaches, harbor and restaurants make it the better base for mixed groups and families. The single tee sheet is the constraint: secure the West Links date first and build everything else around it.
Or play both, obviously
No serious East Lothian trip chooses between villages ten minutes apart. The classic structure: base in whichever suits the group, open on Gullane No. 2 or No. 3 to learn the turf, take No. 1 and the West Links on the prime days, and aim the week at a Muirfield Tuesday or Thursday if the ballot of dates allows. Dunbar, Craigielaw and Archerfield fill any gaps. Tell us the dates and we will sequence the tee sheets properly.
Plan your Golf Coast trip
Tell us which village feels like home base, whether Muirfield is on the list, and roughly when. One concierge handles the West Links date, the Gullane times and the costs, to the head, with no obligation.
Gullane vs North Berwick questions
Is Gullane or North Berwick better for golf?
They answer different questions. North Berwick has the single greater course: the West Links, played since 1832, home of the Redan and one of the most original rounds in golf. Gullane has the better base for volume, with three links on one hill including No. 1, a Scottish Open host in 2015 and 2018, plus Muirfield along the road. Ten minutes apart, most trips simply play both.
How much does it cost to play Gullane and North Berwick?
On 2026 visitor days the North Berwick West Links is 220 pounds in March and 320 pounds from April to October, while Gullane publishes seasonal 2026 rates across its Nos 1, 2 and 3 courses, with No. 1 the premium ticket and the other two markedly gentler on the budget. Treat all figures as indicative and always confirm directly before booking.
What is the Redan hole at North Berwick?
The 15th on the West Links, a par 3 to a green angled away behind a fronting bunker, named for a Crimean War fortification. It is the most copied hole in golf architecture, with Redan versions at hundreds of courses worldwide including several of America's greatest, and playing the original is a large part of why golfers make the North Berwick pilgrimage.
Can you play Gullane No. 1, North Berwick and Muirfield in one trip?
Yes, and it is the classic East Lothian week. The three sit within ten minutes of one another, so the sequencing is about tee sheets rather than driving: secure the West Links visitor date and a Muirfield Tuesday or Thursday first, slot No. 1 around them, and warm up on Gullane Nos 2 or 3. We arrange exactly this regularly.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts, access and fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.