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GULLANE NO 1 COURSE VIDEO

Golf grew organically at Gullane, gradually spreading over the ample, open land that surrounds this little East Lothian township. Now as you arrive from Edinburgh all you can see for seemingly miles around, are golf holes. There are three 18 hole courses as part of Gullane Golf Club. Luffness New plays over the same terrain and there’s a children’s course immediately behind the town centre.

But it doesn’t stop there. On the east side of Gullane is Muirfield and next door to that is the new Renaissance Club followed by the two courses attached to Archerfield Links. That adds up to 145 golf holes all with a couple of miles of one another.

Gullane No 1’s 18 holes were established in 1884 although there were many configurations of golf perhaps centuries before this. The present course has hosted many amateur championships as well as being a final qualifying course for the Open when it is played at Muirfield. It’s a long and emphatic test, ideal for big hitters - but only if they can keep it straight. The rough on any of the three Gullane courses is notorious. Gullane Hill plays a principal role in No 1’s design certainly for the first seven holes before the tract swoops down to the shore of the Firth of Forth and you approach this from the 1st.

The 2nd is 380 yards but plays much longer due to a steady climb and the wind that tunnels through the valley. It is a great driving hole with the second shot rising into the declivity with its long, elongated green.

The view standing at the 7th tee is most inspiring with the Kingdom of Fife standing out across the Firth of Forth. Muirfield is visible to the east along the coast. Standing on this tee and facing west, there is a remarkable expanse of golf holes ahead of you making up the fabric of Gullane’s No 1, 2 and 3. The 7th is also a great driving hole. Downhill and usually straight into the wind, it requires two full-blown strikes to cover its 400 yards.

The start of the back nine from the 10th to the 12th is one of the longest consecutive runs in Scotland. You do well to record 5, 5, 5 here. The 10th and 11th are long Par 4’s. The 12th plays along the shore, a Par 5 not easy into the wind while the 13th is a delightful Par 3 to a raised green.

While the temptation for most foreign visitors is to take on Gullane No 1, please make time to play the town’s other two courses No 2 & No 3. Both are shorter but more challenging in many ways with superb greens on all three layouts.



Photographs & text © David J Whyte 2009