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| Craigielaw |
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Craigielaw Golf Club © 2006 by Richard & Mary-Alice Jafolla The New Kid in Town It could be argued that East Lothian (near Edinburgh) and Fife (St. Andrews area) have the best concentration of truly fine golf courses in the world. The Fife area with the St. Andrew's Old, New, and Jubilee courses plus the new Castle Course and Kingsbarns, and the Crail twins (Balcomie and Craighead), plus the two St. Andrews Bay Resort courses, and Leven Links, Lundin Links. Don't forget Elie and Scotscraig which are great fun. But the East Lothian area (just east of Edinburgh) counters with the fabulous Muirfield, North Berwick West, and Gullane #1, all of which are not more than 5 miles apart. Plus it has the lesser known but nonetheless highly rated Luffness New, Dunbar, Whitekirk, Musselburgh Golf Course, Royal Musselburgh, The Glen, and the ancient Musselburgh Links (where golf has been played since Mary Queen of Scots traded her crown for a golf hat to play it 1567). Throw in Kilspindie Golf Club, Longniddry Golf Club, Haddington Golf Club and Gullane #s 2 & 3 and the two new courses at Archerfield. Oh, and don't forget that little 9 hole gem at Gifford-and in a very small geographical area you have, for my money, the best golfing area in Scotland. For sheer choice of fine golf and fun golf, these courses are hard to beat. Fife or East Lothian--one is a Rolls Royce the other a Bentley. Take your pick of one area or the other. You really can't go wrong. One would think, then, that with all the old, established courses in the East Lothian area, a new golf course would have to wait its turn to be considered a "must play." Not so for Craigielaw Golf Course in Aberlady, one of the newest courses in Scotland, having officially opened in June, 2001. As far as I am concerned, it was born a "must play." Considering the high quality courses it is competing with, that's quite a compliment, but Craigielaw Golf Course deserves it. Consider this: Craigielaw Golf Club was voted 5th best new course by Golf World Magazine 2005. In addition, it is considered good enough to host the prestigeous 2006 Scottish Amateur Strokeplay Championship and to be named a qualifying course for the 2007 Senior Open Championship. Not too bad for a toddler, eh?
A Quality Course -- From start to finish this is a quality golf course and a fine example of a links layout. Situated next to delightful and compact Kilspindie Golf Course (see separate write-up on Kilspindie) and sharing many of its fine qualities, it bobs and weaves its way around a layout of 6601 yards and a par of 71 off the championship tees. The holes are imaginative, the greens fabulous and the bunkers fearsome. Yet the course is eminently fair. There are no exaggerated penalties for a slightly less than well-struck shot (as there are on certain holes at St. Andrews Old Course, for example), and there is not the exaggerated length of a Carnoustie or St. Andrews Bay Torrance Course to contend with. Hitting both tee shots and approach shots over bunkers, stone walls, meandering streams, and the always formidable rough, there is not one hole I do not thoroughly enjoy. And then, of course, there's always the wind, an integral part of the course and indeed of all links golf. Craigielaw Golf Course certainly has its share blowing off the Firth of Forth. This is not an easy golf course. In fact, the first time you play I'd be willing to bet you won't shoot your handicap--or even close to it. Yet it can be enjoyed by golfers on every level. In August of 2003 Craigielaw hosted the Craigielaw Classic, a PGA Tartan Tour event. One hundred and fifty-six club professionals from Scotland competed for £25,000 in prize money. Of the fifty who made the cut, only 22 were below par after four days! These are among the finest golfers in Scotland and yet over half of them did not break par with the weather just about perfect--clear and sunny with virtually no wind. That says a lot for this fine golf course. Also, in 2007 it was used as a qualifying course for the Senior Open Championship played at Muirfield, The Greens -- Good News & Bad News -- Let me first talk about the greens. They have been constructed and styled to conform to the USGA recommendations but are still prepared along the more traditional lines of Scottish golf to be hard, fast, and true. They are among the best I have ever played. Not only are they in great shape, the waves, wrinkles, ripples, and folds make reading them and putting them truly a game within a game. It's like putting on a huge, green potato chip. The pin placements are diabolically nestled behind fearsome looking greenside bunkers, daring you to aim for them. Also, most of them are crowned, that is they sit atop a mini-plateau so that any ball a bit short or a ball that comes in a bit too hot rolls right off. You are then faced with a delicate chip to get back on the green or a longish putt back up the hill.
Position is Everything -- The greens are difficult to hold for the average golfer if you are coming in from the wrong side. That's why position off the tee is so important. Even some of the local pros have trouble. You'll need to hit a high approach shot with lots of backspin to have any chance of the ball staying on the green--lots of luck if the wind is behind you and you are far away from the green. Or forget it if you come in low and hot. I would like these greens a lot better if they were slowed down a bit to give mid-handicappers like myself a chance of holding them. An Auspicious Start -- The opening hole gives a preview of what's in store for you on this fine first hole giving you a bit of a challenge but allowing you a bit of a warm-up at the same time. . You have a choice of hitting a long carry over two fairway bunkers for an easy approach to an elevated green or you can play safe and hit a more accurate shot to the right of them but flirting with long rough and bringing greenside bunkers into play. Or you can lay up left and approach the green at its greatest length. Since the green is one of those crowned ones, there is a tendency for any ball that comes in even a little bit hot, to run off the side. How brave do you want to be on the 1st hole? Are you sure you brought your game today? That's what this golf course asks on every hole.
The 4th is rated the toughest hole. It's a 583 yard par 5 monster with a stone wall running up the entire right side and fierce rough on the left. There is a fairway bunker 250 yards from the tee and two more 213 yards from that one. Devious, n'est ce pas? Wait, that's not all! The stone wall does not run parallel to the fairway, it actually cuts into the fairway at an angle thus narrowing the fairway the closer you get to the green. Not tough enough for you yet? Okay, the green is a severely inverted saucer shape and is guarded by three bunkers and is one of those humpy-bumpy greens so even if you get on in regulation there's no guarantee of a two-putt. One more thing, I forgot to mention that when he prevailing wind is in your face it can make the 583 yards play more like 650!
Even the 9th, which has a stroke index of only 17, is challenging if you're not a long hitter. On the 9th tee you are facing the most fearsome looking bunker 222 from the championship tees and 200 from the blues and right smack in the middle of the fairway. It's wide and deep and mean looking. You could swear it has teeth. It has long grass growing out the sides of it and just around the edges like hair out of an elderly gentleman's ear. It just dares you to try to drive over it. "Go ahead, make my day," it whispers. Long hitters can hit over it--especially if the wind is behind. If you can't carry it you can play left or right of it. But if you drive right there is a good-sized bunker ready to gobble up any slight fade and very long rough on the left ready to make any excessive draw disappear. You can lay-up and face a 130 yard iron into a huge elevated green surrounded by 4 more bunkers. It's really a terrific hole and is typical of the inspired layout of this course. I can't understand why it's not rated higher.
One of the things I really love about golf in Scotland is that the architects use whatever is available with a minimum of gimmicks. This course is like that. There are stone walls--who knows how old they are, but one gets the impression they've been here since kilts were invented--that weave in and out of many of the holes. When they run directly across the fairway where a shot should land, the architect merely takes a portion of the wall down. The rest of the wall stays up to add to the hazard of errant drives. If the wall does not interfere with any shot, it is left standing undisturbed. The 149 yard 6th is like that. You have to hit over heavy rough and a stone wall, so there's absolutely no chance of topping the ball and rolling onto the green. On another hole, the 5th, the green is wedged between two stone walls that form an angle of about 60 degrees where they meet behind it. It's this kind of design that make a course not only challenging but also a lot of fun.
By the way, when you play take the opportunity to talk to the starter, Gordon McLanachan. He's full of information about the course and, in fact, about all of the courses in the area and most of the courses in Scotland. In addition, he is one of the most gracious people you will ever meet. When I was here in 2001, I bent over to get my golfbag out of the car and pulled a muscle in my back. I was in agony but I wanted so much to play the course that I gave it a try. I could swing the club without pain but I could not bend over to putt (just as well, the way I putt!). I did play but only lasted 15 holes. Gordon was very solicitous that day. When I returned to play the course in 2002 he not only remembered me, he asked how my back was! The entire staff is like that--friendly and knowledgeable. They will take time to talk to you and help you in any way they can. It's a great place to play golf.
A Great Golf Membership OpportunityAt twice the price I would recommend this course. At £55 a round it's a no-brainer and one of the best bargains in the area. It's an exceptionally fine course and as it matures I predict it will be regarded as one of the best in the area. I feel the next time the Open Championship comes to Muirfield, Craigielaw will be one of the qualifying courses. Some of my all-time favorite courses are in this area--Muirfield, North Berwick, and Gullane #s1 and 2. Now Craigielaw Golf Course solidly takes its place among them.The Golf Nook rating -- a solid BIRDIE. Clubhouse - It's new and it's beautiful. Utilizing an existing centuries-old stone barn, the architect has created one of the best clubhouses in Scotland. It's fully licensed to serve food and drink throughout the day. Many of the locals come here to have lunch or a snack during the day. Saturday night dinners are exceptional--as is the staff--exceptionally friendly, that is. And the views are terrific--sunsets are breathtaking. Eric Grandison Golf School - If your game is in need of anything from a total rebuilding to a tune-up, there is a fine golf school on grounds with plenty of practice targets, short game area, bunkers and greens to work with. You can find out more details about private lessons or corporate golf clinics on their website www.ericgrandison-golfschool.com The full driving range is available to all golfers, not only those in the golf academy. The cost is £3 to £5. Some Final Thoughts -- As with most Scottish golf courses there are few yardages marked on the course. Craigielaw Golf Course has only one and that's 150 yards from the center of the green. So it's a good idea to get yourself a yardage book before you go out. It's quite a good yardage book and costs £3. And, unlike those awful Strokesaver books, this one actually fits in your back pocket and gives you meaningful information! Buggies (electric carts) are available as are trolleys (pull carts). Club rentals are also available: Full set of Callaway clubs for men & women . Rates: Weekdays: Round - £55 Day - £75 Weekends: Round - £75 Day - NA Scorecard
Directions: Between the towns of Longniddry and Aberlady on A198, just west of Aberlady. Miscellaneous Notes -- In the summer of 2003 another course opened at Craigielaw--The South Links. It is only a 6 hole layout of 714 yards but you can play 6, 12 or 18 holes. It is a fully maintained miniature and a perfect spot to hone your short game or just warm up for the championship course. It is included in your daily fee for the big course Professional staff: Derek Scott, General Manager - 01875 870818 Jonathan Porteous, Professional Mike Jamieson, Assistant Professional Pro Shop: 01875 870803 Starter: Gordon McLanachan Tel: 01875 870800 Address: Craigielaw Golf Course Aberlady, East Lothian EH32 OPY Scotland Tel: 01875 870801 Fax: 01875 870620 E-mail: info@craigielawgolfclub.com www.craigielawgolfclub.com One final word...the Craigielaw Clubhouse Restaurant has good food, good service and unbeatable views. Open during the daytime every day, and also Saturday evenings. (Bookings are required for Saturday evenings. Tel: 01875 870801) _______________________________________________________________________ What To Do All Day Kilspindie and Craigielaw Golf Courses are both in Aberlady, a gem of a little town. If you are starting out from either of these two courses, you have an enjoyable list of options for the day. Aberlady is a picturebook "must walk" village. Park the car and amble along the main street (the A198) running through the village. You'll see an information sign telling about the high points of the village, from one end to the other (about a 5 minute walk if you don't stop). But by all means do stop and look at everything. The architecture, the gardens, the church, the little lanes leading to evermore charming houses and gardens--investigate and relish it all. And, of course, if you're hungry keep in mind the charming Old Aberlady Inn, which you can't miss once you are in the village. (I also mention it under places to eat.) Even if you don't eat there, walk along the little alleyway to the left of the inn as you face it, and look at their garden terrace. It's so inviting you just might decide you are hungry after all! Aberlady Bay Nature Preserve -- Just east of Aberlady, on the A198, you'll see a small car park on the north side of the road. Usually several cars are parked there, and you'll see the fairly long wooden footbridge leading out across the wetlands. What a great place to walk, with long vistas across the Firth of Forth and the Gullane golf courses on the hills to your right. Signs along the path explain the birds and animals that live in or visit the Preserve. Aberlady Bay Nature Preserve is simply a wonderful place to hike about, enjoy the views, and become educated at the same time. Bring your lunch, and be sure to take you litter with you when you leave. Myreton Motor Museum -- If you are fascinated by all kinds of motor vehicles as I am, you can head for this museum, which is right near Aberlady. You'll see the signs for it on the A198. You'll also see it on your Ordnance Survey map. Craigielaw Clubhouse Restaurant -- Always keep in mind that you can eat at the clubhouse at any of the golf courses. The beautiful new Craigielaw clubhouse is an architectural gem, incorporating the old stone barn and walls into the structure for a most pleasing effect. Aside from the visual impact of the facility, you'll have an enjoyable dining experience with stunning views over the golf course and the Firth of Forth. All this for good prices and a laid-back ambience where you can relax and never feel rushed. The restaurant at Craigielaw Clubhouse is open to the public every day, and Saturday evenings by reservation only. |
