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Golf around Edinburgh   

Being based near Edinburgh has it's advantages if you are a keen golfer.

The Scottish Capital provides the ideal location for resident and visiting golfers wishing to play at a variety of golf courses as there are literally dozens to choose from on the city's doorstep...

The M8, M9 and A90 motorways also provide speedy access to a host of Golf Clubs based in secluded parts of Central Scotland's vast countryside before linking up with the golf tourist friendly cities of Glasgow, Perth, Dundee, Inverness and Aberdeen...

The A1, A7 and A68 main roads also provide easy access to Golf Clubs south of the Capital stretching to the heart and perimeters of the Scottish Borders uncovering some proverbial 'hidden gems'...

We're adding a link to Traffic Scotland to help touring golfers on their road travels... this is an invaluable guide when the motorways are busy or under maintenance...

There are indeed some 'great value' golfing venues to be found that are suitable for golfers of all abilities, many no more than an hours car journey from Edinburgh city centre.

We would like to recommend the following Golf Clubs because of their excellent facilities, fairness of the challenge they present to all golfers and their convenient locations for the travelling golfer setting out from Edinburgh.

Edinburgh...30 mins approx..

Starting off from Edinburgh's city centre..

Prestonfield, Liberton, Craigmillar Park, Mortonhall, Duddingston, Kingsknowe, and Murrayfield Golf Clubs are all within 4 miles of the city centre.....

...only a ten minute taxi ride if you don't drive....

On the city's boundaries, the prestigious  Dalmahoy Golf and Country Club, Swanston New Golf Club, Newbattle Golf Club, near Dalkeith, Broomieknowe Golf Club near Bonnyrigg, and Glencorse Golf Club, just outside Penicuik, are all worth a visit...

Borders....1 hour to 90mins approx...

Just a few miles up the road from Glencourse, on the other side of Penicuik, West Linton Golf Club is located on route to the Scottish Borders where Peebles, Coldstream, Duns, Eyemouth the Woll Golf Club and the spectacular Goswick links are some of the more popular choices.

East Lothian......1hour or less..

The Golf East Lothian website provides detailed information about all the county's Golf Clubs but here is a quick review with direct links to our favourite recommendations....

East Lothians 'golden golf trail' or 'cradle of golf' starts in Musselburgh at the eastern end of the Edinburgh Road...

Musselburgh, 'the honest toun', has three historic golf courses that are 'must plays'...

The Musselburgh Golf Club at Monktonhall, the Royal Musselburgh on the fringe of Prestonpans and The Old Course, the historic 'Open' Championship venue which now shares it's domain with Musselburgh racecourse....

The 7th green at the Royal Musselburgh...a tremendous East Lothian 'must play' parkland venue..

Other East Lothian 'favourites' that are guaranteed winners are Longniddry, Kilspindie and Craigielaw that adjoin each other at the Aberlady Bay nature trail.

Luffness New, Archerfield Links, next door to The Renaissance and Muirfield,  an Open Championship venue, are all in the higher price range and lie on the perimeters of  the tranquil town of Gullane.....

Gullane Golf Club has three superb courses and particularly fast greens that are always kept in supreme order and are playable in any weather conditions all year round.

Kilspindie offers spectacular views over the Firth of Forth......

Venture down the coast and more spectacular views await at two fantastic courses at North Berwick, namely the West links course and The Glen on the east side of this popular town.

Both these courses offer stunning views over the Forth and the Bass Rock.....

Dunbar's championship course and  it's shorter but exciting neighbour Winterfield are also very welcoming venues.

Heading back northwards on the A1 towards Edinburgh again, Haddington Golf Club is a friendly wee Club and further along the winding countryside roads leading to the central Scottish Borders the best nine hole 'golfing gem' in Scotland can be found at Gifford Golf Club.

Gifford's small but very friendly clubhouse provides excellent catering services and it's very handily situated for a mid round refreshment.

Just a couple of miles along the road Castlepark Golf Club has a super 18 hole challenge which is well worth experiencing.

The north east coast....between an hour and 90mins...

Back to Edinburgh...the A90 motorway via the Forth Road Bridge provides speedy access to Fife where there are an abundance of golf courses to choose from...

Before crossing the Forth Road Bridge, Baberton Golf Club with its spectacular views and Turnhouse Golf Club are also popular choices...

Here are a few Golf Clubs that we can highly recommend heading northwards to Fife and Perthshire..

After crossing the Forth Road Bridge and heading along the east coastal route of Fife you will discover Aberdour, Burntisland, Leven Links, Lundin Golf Club, Charleton, Anstruther, a really challenging 'fun' nine hole course...

Anstruther's quaint harbour town is also famous for being the location of  the home of the Scottish  'fish supper!'

Nothing beats a nice bite to eat after a good game of golf...

Keep driving up the A917 coastal road and  you to arrive at the spiritual home of Scottish golf  .... St Andrews!

The coastal route around the East Neuk of Scotland maybe takes a bit longer to negotiate than the main motorway but some of Scotland's nicest traditional small towns and villages are well worth stopping off at to take a break on a golf  'touring' car journey....

The Crail Golfing Society at Balcomie Links and the exclusive Kingsbarns, reckoned to be one of the best golf courses in the world, should not be missed if you are a 'links' golf  enhusiast!

Some other courses in the Kingdom of Fife we can vouch for are.... The Forrester Park Golf Resort, near Dunfermline. a relatively new course which has great potential, Kirkcaldy Golf Club, Balbirnie near Glenrothes, Ladybank near the A92/A91 roundabout and the Bruce and Montgomery courses at the Kinross Golf Resort.

West Lothian.....45mins approx...

On the west side of Edinburgh the A720 city bypass meets up with the M8 and M9 motorways.

The busy M8 motorway heading west towards Glasgow has exits to West Lothian where Deer Park near Livingston,  Bathgate  Pumpherston and Harburn near West Calder are all very good value.                                                                              

Harburn is easier accessable from the A702 not far past Dalmahoy and Ratho Park Golf Club, another popular parkland course is also on this route.

North west......1hour to 90mins approx..

There are many Golf Clubs ideally situated only a few minutes from the M9..

Kingsfield Golf Centre, West Lothian and Linlithgow Golf Clubs are only a short distance from each other near the M9 with Falkirk Tryst, Glenbervie and Stirling Golf Clubs also easily accessable from the motorway...

As you travel  north eastwards towards Clackmananshire, Braehead , Alloa, Tulliallan and Muckhart are based in  beautiful countryside settings.

The M9 curtails near Dunblane New Golf Club, probably one of the best strategically placed in Scotland as it is directly linked to motorways heading in every direction.

A warm reception is always guaranteed from staff members and Dunblane New is worthy of it's ideal location on the Scottish golf map.With five challenging Par3s and a great finishing Par5 this is definitely a big favourite of ours.

Just outside Dunblane the A9 heads north eastwards into Perthshire via the awesome Gleneagles Golf resort offering facilities that cater for any level of golfing ability......the atmosphere is breathtaking and the scenery spectacular...

North....90 mins 2hrs approx..

If you have got a bit more time for travelling northwards we highly recommend Murrayshall's Par73 Championship course which has a lovely mix of long and short holes and has wonderful putting greens.

A potential 'sleeping beauty' of a Golf Club, just a wee bit off the radar, is Taymouth Castle, situated on the banks of Loch Tay. This one is going through redevelopement at the moment but promises to be a major attraction when it is completed.We think that Taymouth will be well worth going the extra few miles for when it reopens.

The nearby 18 hole Aberfeldy and the 9 hole Mains of Taymouth, formerly known as Kenmore, are nice alternatives for the many visitors to this popular holiday ownership resort.

With around 60 'great value' Scottish golf courses within a two hour drive from Edinburgh, Scotland's Capital, why not start planning your next golfing adventure now....

For reliable reviews on all Scottish golf courses including the major championship ones that are just out of our reach we are providing 'links' to a selection of interesting and informative Scottish regional golfing websites in our next feature...

Scottish Golf destinations...

Gleneagles has its own stunning atmosphere...