Championship VenueLinks Classic

Gullane (No. 1 Course)

Gullane, East Lothian · Designed by Evolved 19th century · Est. 1884

Gullane has three links courses, and No. 1 is the grandest — a classic completed in 1884 that climbs over Gullane Hill, a 200-foot volcanic mound above the East Lothian coast. Golf has been played on this turf since the 1600s, and the greens here are rated among the very best in Britain.

The course's glory is the view. From the 7th tee, high on the hill, the great golf writer Bernard Darwin reckoned the panorama one of the best in golf: Edinburgh and the Forth bridges away to the left, the Firth of Forth and the hills of Fife straight ahead, Gullane beach and Muirfield off to the right. It plays to par 71 over just under 6,900 yards, climbing out and tumbling home, and it hosted the Scottish Open in 2015 and 2018.

Gullane sits in the middle of the richest golf coast in Scotland — Muirfield is a mile away, North Berwick just along the shore — and it is far more accessible than its famous neighbour.

Holes worth knowing

17th (par-4) — from a tee high on Gullane Hill, the view takes in Edinburgh, the Forth bridges, Fife across the firth and Muirfield below. Bernard Darwin called it one of the best views in golf; the hole itself tumbles downhill toward the sea.

Highlights

One of the great views in golf from the 7th tee
Greens rated among the best in Britain
Two-time Scottish Open host (2015, 2018)

Good to know

→From the 7th tee, take a moment for the view before you play — it is one of the most celebrated panoramas in golf.
→Gullane has three courses (Nos. 1, 2 and 3); Nos. 2 and 3 are excellent and far easier to book, so you can build a full day here.
→The village of Gullane is compact and welcoming, and Muirfield is a mile away — this is the beating heart of the East Lothian golf coast.
→Edinburgh is 40 minutes west; the greens here are among the best you will ever putt on, so give them respect.
→Gullane No. 1 climbs Gullane Hill for one of the great panoramas in golf, over the Forth to Fife; the village has three courses, good pubs and the Michelin-starred Chez Roux at Greywalls beside Muirfield.

Visitor Information

Getting There

40min drive

Common questions

What is so special about the view at Gullane No. 1?

The course climbs Gullane Hill, a 200-foot volcanic mound, and from the 7th tee near the top the panorama is one of the most celebrated in golf — the great writer Bernard Darwin rated it among the very best. You can see Edinburgh and the Forth bridges, the Firth of Forth and the hills of Fife, and Gullane beach and Muirfield below.

How many courses are there at Gullane, and can I get on?

Three — Nos. 1, 2 and 3. No. 1 is the grandest (and a two-time Scottish Open host, in 2015 and 2018); Nos. 2 and 3 are excellent and far easier to book, so you can build a full day. Gullane sits at the heart of the East Lothian coast, a mile from Muirfield.