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Home Scottish Links Golf The Basics Detailed information AFSD - how to determine the real length of a golf course Helpful Websites Platinum Page Upscale golfing products & services Aberdeen & Grampian Highlands Royal Aberdeen, Cruden Bay... Ayrshire Royal Troon, Turnberry, Prestwick... Just east of Edinburgh Scotland's Golf Coast Castle Park Craigielaw Dunbar Gifford Glen Gullane Haddington Kilspindie Longniddry Luffness New Muirfield Musselburgh Musselburgh Links North Berwick Royal Musselburgh Whitekirk Winterfield Northern Highlands Royal Dornoch, Brora, Nairn... St. Andrews area Other golf courses Machrihanish, Pitlochry... Links Lite Great links golf for the not-so-great golfer Donate What others say |
Royal Musselburgh Golf Club © Scotland's Golf Coast (the East Lothian area) is teeming with golf history. Royal Musselburgh Golf Club is a part of that history and is at the west end of the famous stretch of great and historic golf courses on the Golf Coast. The Old Club Cup, which has been awarded at Royal Musselburgh Golf Club since 1774, is the oldest trophy still competitively played for in the world.
The world's fifth oldest golf club Royal Musselburgh was designed by the famous Open champion and one of Scotland's greatest golf architects, James Braid. Royal Musselburgh Golf Club is a picturesque parkland golf course kept in good shape and is a good play--especially when you are coming into the home stretch on the last five holes. These are a terrific bunch of imaginative golf holes starting with the 13th, the most difficult hole on the golf course. Then comes the short par 3. At only 149 yards it sounds easy but it's named "The Gully Hole" so it's easy to figure out what you'll be hitting over! From the tee you can't see what the hole has in store. Better that you can't, since you have to carry over a 30 foot gully to a small green with hungry bunkers guarding the front. Take aim and fire away and hope the wind is your friend. If you come through that hole unscathed, don't let down your guard because you are about to tackle the second most difficult hole on the course, the 15th--a dogleg left, 440 yard par 4 with an undulating fairway and a green not visible from the tee. The 16th is a good looking par 3 with steep, deep bunkers in front of the green and the green itself a plateaued challenge. If the flag is in the back of the green, give it plenty of club because that's where the plateau is and you don't want to be on the lower part of the green trying to figure out the break and the speed. The 18th needs a tee shot of at least 238 yards--more often than not into the wind--to clear the slope in the center of the fairways and give you a look at the green. A sliced second shot can have you bouncing your ball off the clubhouse and having to hit your approach with a gallery of kibitzing golfers looking on.
And speaking of clubhouses... Royal Musselburgh Golf Club clubhouse, dating back to the 12th century, is magnificent.
This course is worth a play, especially since the price is so reasonable. (Check out their website for the latest green fees.). A parkland course kept in good shape, it is a fair and testing layout and one that has a few surprises in store for the unwary golfer. Score early on the easy outward nine because the last part of this course will give you all you can handle. Just west of Prestonpans on the B1361. Watch for the sign. It's easy to miss. Golf Nook Scotland rating -- a solid PAR. www.royalmusselburgh.co.uk *For What to Do ALL Day, please see the Scotland's Golf Coast area. |
