Golfers love a Top 100. They love to talk about rankings. What is their Top 5, what is your Top 5. It’s all opinion. A lot might depend on the weather, the score, the company, the scenery, the design, the condition, the welcome and more. On Scotland’s Golf Coast, we have been lucky to have 21 magnificent and varied courses – and now that number has risen to 22 with Goswick Golf Club (an Open Qualifier) joining our offering – but in which positions do they all currently lie. This is your guide to Scotland’s Golf Coast’s Top 100 success.
There are some obvious ones, and some less so. The lists truly highlight the breadth of golf on offer along miles of stunning coastline stretching from the Border all the way to Edinburgh. From a 16-time Open venue to a public links course, there is golf for everyone. Golf for all is a good thing!
Musselburgh Links in Top 100 Fun Courses
Golf World has a fantastic selection of Top 100s. They have naughtily added a Top 200 in certain instances. We won’t complain, as more Scotland’s Golf Coast courses are featured. We are particularly fond of Great Britain and Ireland’s Fun Courses, with four of our courses listed. Musselburgh Old and its 9 historic holes is at No. 81. The shorter, and arguably most beguiling of the Gullane courses, Gullane 3 is at No. 45. Hugging the Forth with its charm and character, is Kilspindie at No. 17. Top of the tree, at No. 1, is the West Links at North Berwick.
North Berwick
It’s important to highlight North Berwick. The West Links seems to ooze history, craft, and warmth. On the one hand, No. 23 in Golf Digest’s ‘World’s Best Courses’, on the other, classed as the most fun. It says a lot. It’s a fun town too, the perfect base for your golfing trip.
Gullane 1, Muirfield and more
Continuing with Golf World, the Best Courses in Great Britain & Ireland under £60 includes Craigielaw and Gullane 3. In the Top UK & Ireland Links Courses list, our four include The Renaissance, Gullane 1, North Berwick and Muirfield. This is when we will gladly accept a Top 200. There are a further six Scotland’s Golf Coast courses – Archerfield (Fidra), Kilspindie, Gullane 2, Luffness, Dunbar, and Goswick. That’s 10 courses in the Top 200. That’s good going and testament to Scotland’s Golf Coast having the greatest concentration of Championship links golf courses in the world! Meanwhile, in Golf Monthly‘s UK&Ireland list, we have three.
Gullane 3 and Craigielaw
A Top 200 in Scotland in Today’s Golfer also sees the wonderful, value for money and stunningly picturesque, Winterfield, as well as Royal Musselburgh and a further 16 Scotland’s Golf Coast courses. That’s 18 in total!!!
National Club Golfer has 13 of our courses in its Top 100 Courses in Scotland, including Longniddry, the Glen, Dunbar and Musselburgh. Not wanting to continue gloating, but Top 100 Courses has 15 of our courses in their list. We will happily shout it loud and proud, that’s 15. Gullane 3 and Craigielaw are the additions to National Club Golfer’s Top 100. Our newest member, Goswick, comes in at No.45 in NCG’s Top 100 Courses in England.
Golf Digest
It is understandable and fully justified that Muirfield is the highest ranked of our courses. 4th in GolfWeek’s Classic GB&Ire courses, 7th in Golf Digest’s World’s Best and 2nd in National Club Golfer’s Top 100 GB&Ire.
Golf Shake’s Top 100s are based on golfer reviews. There are 14 that appear in Golf Shake’s Scotland rankings, whilst in their Official Media Published rankings, five from East Lothian are in, including the ever-popular, Dunbar.
Golf Magazine has Musselburgh Old at number 40 in the Best 9 Hole Courses in the World. And, finally, although not an official ranking, Bunkered has Gifford as one of the best 9 hole courses in Scotland – also shortlisted in this year’s Scottish Golf Tourism Awards – we’d whole-heartedly agree.
Scotland’s No.1 Golf Destination
We have added links to all the lists so you can browse at your leisure. We are proud of Scotland’s Golf Coast’s Top 100 success. Most importantly, we are proud of our hospitality and welcome. Golf in East Lothian means so much to our communities, spiritually, and financially. We look forward to browsing the rankings again next year, when we are sure there will be more to swing about.
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