North Berwick's West Links: A layout for true connoisseurs of the game

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Golf has been played on the fields around the Scottish capital of Edinburgh since at least 1575 and possibly even earlier. The small county of East Lothian, located immediately adjacent to the city, is where much of golf's early history took place.

North Berwick's West Links- an historic layout and a treat, overlooked by too many visitors

The West Links 1st green has views across the small town of North Berwick

North Berwick's Redan Hole - The most imitated in golf

Old Stone walls, the beach, blind holes, this course knows every trick in the links handbook

With Bass Rock on the horizon and a burn at your feet, concentration is the key to success

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Here you will find Musselburgh Old Links, host to 6 British Open Championships between 1874 and 1889. This was home to the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, the oldest golf club in existence, until it moved to nearby Muirfield in 1891. Dunbar at the eastern end of the county, also lays claim to age and records show that golf was played here as early as 1616.

There is in all a 20-mile stretch of magnificent coastal linksland that runs from Musselburgh in the west, to Dunbar in the east, with a dozen excellent links courses located between. Longniddry, Kilspindie, Luffness New and the trio of links at Gullane are all well worth playing, but if time is a problem and only one fits your schedule, make it North Berwick's highly esteemed West Links. Play this course and you will have discovered one of golf's most important layouts that helped shape the game as we know it today. Yet despite its rich history and enviable ranking as one of Scotland's top ten courses, most visitors still overlook this gem.

There are those who think that if the British Open had started on the east coast of Scotland in 1860, rather than the west, then Musselburgh would have been the automatic venue, but the championships would have soon moved to the far superior West Links at North Berwick.

Those less accustomed to traditional links golf may not agree. Good traditional links golf demands a course with character and something of an independent nature. It must have a streak of cunning, a dash of wiliness, a touch of eccentricity and an extra large helping of charm. If it comes with good looks as well, that's just a bonus -- and the West Links has it all.

North Berwick is a true and classic links of the highest order. There's good reason why it is used as a qualifying course when The Open is held at Muirfield and why two of its holes -- the 14th and 15th, are the most mimicked by golf architects the world over, a practice that has gone on for the best part of a century.

The 15th, "Redan" has proved to be especially tempting to these folks and it has inspired a host of look-alikes around the globe, including a good number on this side of the Atlantic. Strong resemblances of the Redan hole appear at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles (the 4th); Seminole in North Palm Beach (the 18th); Shinnecock Hills (the 7th and 17th) and at Brookline Country Club (the 12th). You'll find Redan look-alikes at this year's Ryder Cup venue, Valhalla in Louisville (the 16th) at Poppy Hills in Monterey (the 15th) and at Ocean Links in Newport, R.I (the 3rd) and there are many more.

The original North Berwick saw the first light of day in the early 1700's as a 6-hole layout and was extended to 18 holes in 1877 by architects unknown. It enjoys a wonderful location, overlooking The Firth of Forth Estuary with impressive Bass Rock in the foreground and magnificent seascapes all round - this is the way you dreamed every Scottish links would look.

The strong character of the course is apparent from the beginning with three opening par 4's that test and tease, just to see if you are up to the challenge that lies ahead, an eclectic mix of hazards, tests and obstacles that require the mastery of every club in the bag - but the reward will be a golfing experience to be found nowhere else.

There are blind holes and drives across stone walls that cross fairways; there are burns to avoid and shots to be made over the bay and skirting the beach. There are gullies to steer clear of and greens perilously perched on the edge of the course that seem about ready to slip into the sea.

Be wary of the greens, all of which are slanted seaward, some at a frightening angle. The bunkers that guard them can be so deep that the errant golfer who has the misfortune of finding one, literally vanishes from view while attempting to correct the error.

Add to all of this the ever-present though fickle wind that seemingly changes direction and velocity on a whim and you have the great West Course at North Berwick. Most fall in love with it and a few will hate it, but nobody leaves without a very strong opinion, one way or the other. There is no question that it's not only tough and tougher than most, but if you are up to it, I can promise you will certainly not have a boring round. The experience on this, one of Scotland's most impressive links courses will be exhilarating and totally memorable.

For some ideas on how to include North Berwick's mighty West Course on your Scottish golf trip, click here.

©2008 David Brice / Golf International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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