Golf Courses in Edinburgh: A Guide for Visitors and Locals

Why Edinburgh for golf?

Edinburgh is one of the finest golf cities in the world, and that is not hyperbole. Within a thirty-minute drive of the castle, you can play links, parkland, and heathland courses that have hosted Opens, amateur championships, and everything in between. The city itself sits on a coastline packed with genuine links turf, while its southern fringes open up into rolling countryside dotted with mature parkland layouts.

Whether you are visiting the capital for a long weekend or you have lived here for decades, there is always another course worth discovering. This guide covers the standout options across the city and its surroundings, with honest advice on greens fees, accessibility, and which courses suit which type of golfer.

What are the best links courses in Edinburgh?

Links golf is Edinburgh's calling card. The coastline stretching east from Leith to North Berwick is home to some of the most celebrated links land in Scotland.

Muirfield (The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers)

Muirfield sits in Gullane, about 25 miles east of the city centre. It has hosted 16 Open Championships, most recently in 2013 when Phil Mickelson lifted the Claret Jug. The course is a masterpiece of strategic design, with its distinctive figure-of-eight routing meaning the wind direction changes constantly.

Visitor access is limited. Muirfield opens to visitors on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and you will need to book well in advance. Expect to pay around £350 for a round. It is expensive, but this is bucket-list golf.

Best for: Serious golfers with a healthy budget who want to play one of the world's great championship courses.

North Berwick West Links

North Berwick is pure, old-fashioned links golf. The par-3 15th, known as the Redan, is one of the most copied holes in golf course architecture. The views across the Firth of Forth to Bass Rock are stunning, and the course has a charm that bigger championship venues sometimes lack.

Green fees sit around £180 to £220 depending on the time of year. The town itself is a lovely base for a golf trip, with good restaurants and a relaxed atmosphere.

Best for: Golfers who appreciate history, character, and a course that rewards creativity over brute force.

Craigielaw Golf Club

Sitting between Longniddry and Aberlady, Craigielaw is a modern links that opened in 2001. It offers a fair but engaging test, with excellent greens and smart bunkering. Green fees are around £70 to £100, making it far more accessible than its neighbours.

Best for: Visitors who want quality links golf without the Muirfield price tag.

What are the best parkland courses in Edinburgh?

If links golf is not your preference, or the east coast wind is howling, Edinburgh has excellent parkland options too.

The Royal Burgess Golfing Society

Royal Burgess claims to be the oldest golf club in the world, founded in 1735. The parkland course on the western edge of the city is beautifully maintained and offers a proper test. Mature trees line generous but well-defended fairways.

Visitor green fees are approximately £100 to £130. The clubhouse is traditional and welcoming, and the whole experience feels like stepping back into golf's long history.

Best for: Golfers who enjoy a classic parkland layout with a sense of occasion.

Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society

Another of Edinburgh's ancient clubs, Bruntsfield moved to its current Barnton location in 1898. The course was redesigned by Willie Park Jr and later tweaked by James Braid. It is an excellent members' course that welcomes visitors on certain days of the week.

Green fees are around £80 to £110. The routing has good variety, and the conditioning is consistently strong.

Best for: Mid to low handicappers looking for a well-kept parkland challenge.

Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club

Located at Craigiehill on the south side of the city, Merchants of Edinburgh is one of the best-value courses in the area. The parkland layout features rolling terrain, good views across to the Pentland Hills, and a design that rewards good course management.

Green fees are around £35 to £50, which is outstanding value for the quality on offer.

Best for: Golfers on a budget who still want a proper test in pleasant surroundings.

Edinburgh golf courses at a glance

Are there any hidden gems worth knowing about?

Gullane No.2 and No.3

Everyone knows Gullane No.1, but the second and third courses at Gullane are terrific in their own right. No.2 is a genuine championship-quality layout at a fraction of the No.1 price (around £60 to £80). No.3 is even more affordable (£30 to £45) and perfect for a relaxed afternoon round with superb views.

Musselburgh Old Course

The Old Course at Musselburgh is recognised as the oldest playing golf course in the world. It is a short, nine-hole layout on Musselburgh Links, and while it is not going to test a scratch golfer, it is a wonderful piece of history. A round costs around £20 to £30, and you can play it in under two hours.

Duddingston Golf Club

Tucked away behind Arthur's Seat, Duddingston is a hidden parkland gem. The course was designed by Willie Park Jr in 1895 and offers stunning views of the Edinburgh skyline. Green fees are reasonable at around £40 to £60, and the course rarely feels crowded.

When is the best time to visit Edinburgh for golf?

The prime window is May to September. Edinburgh's coastal courses are playable year-round, but summer brings the longest days and the mildest conditions. June and July offer daylight until nearly 10pm, which means late afternoon tee times are entirely viable.

Spring and autumn can be excellent too, with quieter courses and lower green fees at some venues. The wind picks up in autumn, which adds another dimension to the links courses along the coast.

Winter golf is possible but bring layers. The parkland courses tend to hold up better in wet conditions than the exposed links.

How do you get around the Edinburgh golf courses?

If you are based in the city centre, a car is the most practical option for reaching the East Lothian courses. The A1 and A198 take you along the coast to Musselburgh, Longniddry, Gullane, and North Berwick in 30 to 50 minutes depending on the course.

For the city's parkland courses, several are accessible by bus. Royal Burgess and Bruntsfield are both within a short taxi ride of the centre.

If you are planning a multi-course trip, consider basing yourself in Gullane or North Berwick. Both towns have good accommodation and put you within easy reach of half a dozen top courses.

Where to stay for an Edinburgh golf trip

For a city-based trip, the New Town and Stockbridge areas offer good hotels and easy access to both the city's attractions and the road east to the links courses. The Dunstane Houses and The Bonham are both excellent mid-range options.

For a links-focused trip, The Marine North Berwick is hard to beat. It overlooks North Berwick West Links and is a short drive from Muirfield, Gullane, and Craigielaw.

Budget-conscious golfers should look at self-catering options in Gullane village, where cottages and apartments offer good value for groups.

Our pick

For the complete Edinburgh golf experience, play North Berwick West Links. It combines world-class links golf, incredible coastal scenery, and a sense of history that few courses anywhere can match. At roughly half the price of Muirfield, it offers arguably as much enjoyment and character. Book ahead, bring a wind layer, and savour every hole.