Golf in East Lothian

Muirfield in East Lothian is the venue for the 2013 Open Championship. It will be the 16th time that Muirfield has hosted the tournament and the first occasion since 2002 when South African Ernie Els clinched the Claret Jug after a dramatic play-off.

Long regarded by top professionals as being one of the 'fairest' courses on the Open rota, Muirfield is the home of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, the world's oldest golf club, formed in the mid-18th century.

East Lothian, 'Scotland's Golf Coast', has an array of excellent golf courses. North Berwick is a course steeped in tradition. It is a classic links layout and its 15th hole - Redan - is a memorable par 3 that is one of the most copied holes in golf, the sloping green set diagonally to the tee with bunkers flanking either side. 

Gullane boasts not one, not two but three fantastic golf courses. Gullane No.1 has hosted many top tournaments and is regularly used for Open qualifying. Gullane No.2 was created at the tail-end of the 19th century to accommodate the increasing number of golfers wishing to play on the links at Gullane. Gullane No.3 is the shortest of the three courses.

Archerfield Links Golf Club has two outstanding 18-hole courses: the Dirleton Links and the Fidra Links. Archerfield also offers the ultimate golf coaching experience in the form of TPEGS (Tour Pro Experience Golf Schools).

Golf has been played at Dunbar for more than 150 years. The course occupies a thin strip of linksland beside a rocky beach and is also used as an Open qualifying venue.

Longniddry is a pleasant mix of links and parkland with spectacular sea views from many of the holes. Musselburgh has a long association with the game of golf. It has been suggested that Mary, Queen of Scots golfed here in 1567. The current Musselburgh course was designed by James Braid in the 1930s.

A good way to discover some of the fine golf courses of East Lothian is with the East Lothian Golf Pass.