East Lothian trip advice needed

[Garush34]

If your not bothered about playing the best courses in the area and just want to enjoy yourself and have a good game, then I'd go for the Glen, Gullane 3 and Longniddry. Or go for the deal of Gullane 3 and 2. I really enjoy the glen, not everyone's cup of tea but it is a nice course. Gullane 3 is the shorter of the 3 but still a great course and again very enjoyable. not played longniddry but heard good things. Gullane 2 is a great course too, some interesting holes and longer than 3 if you want bit more of a challenge that way.

 

[patricks148]

North Berwick, is never a £160 course. IMHO. Its was in great condition, great location(if you like towns), friendly but course wise nothing special, very gimmicky in places and very compact, also its history isn't amazing for instance never held what I would could a major event (like walker cup/ryder/open etc) IIRC. I would say a £75 course.

Gullane No1, really enjoyed, held big tournaments, welcome excellent, history there, great condition, nice variety of holes. Would recommend for sure. And would like to play No2 course(No 3 course would have to be a course that you get for cheap and bolt on as the 2nd 18 holes you play on the same day you play 1 or 2, to make it worth paying for me)

Muirfield out of budget.

Personally for that kind of money, I would rather play somewhere with better value for money, Links :- Saunton/Burnham Berrow/St Enodoc/Trevose areas or Royal Portcrawl/Pennard areas or healthland ones of Notts/Sherwood or Ganton/Alwoodley or Beau/Enville. All cheaper and nicer courses and some with much fuller history(if that is your kind of thing). There is also the choices like Belfry, Celtic Manor.

Either way, have a cracking trip.

but TBH none of the top courses (in scotland) are worth what the going rate is now but its being driven by the Overseas visitor buck... Dornoch for the Full fee is £180 this year, less than 10 years ago it was £60, my own club is £160 i think this year, as much as i love (ed) the place really and truthfully its £60 or £70at best... even Scottish residents are getting priced out now

 

[IanM]

And mentioning Celtic Manor/Belfry in the same breath as the others you listed???????????? ........ 5 day forum ban!

 

[Deleted member 23270]

but TBH none of the top courses (in scotland) are worth what the going rate is now but its being driven by the Overseas visitor buck... Dornoch for the Full fee is £180 this year, less than 10 years ago it was £60, my own club is £160 i think this year, as much as i love (ed) the place really and truthfully its £60 or £70at best... even Scottish residents are getting priced out now

I agree with you about Nairn, £60/70 tops.

 

[rudebhoy]

Now you are talking... it's 20 years since I was there and I am too scared to look up the current price..........................but I would pay it!

£270. Fortunately it's fully booked from may onwards!

 

[IanM]

If you are travelling to the area, you have to play Muirfield once in your life... there is always next year! Carvery lunch was worth the drive itself!

 

[Deleted member 21258]

If you are travelling to the area, you have to play Muirfield once in your life... there is always next year! Carvery lunch was worth the drive itself!

The winter rate at Muirfield isn't bad, iirc it was about £100. (carvery is £30, that's isn't cheap either ). Top notch condition, layout, history experience.

but TBH none of the top courses (in scotland) are worth what the going rate is now but its being driven by the Overseas visitor buck... Dornoch for the Full fee is £180 this year, less than 10 years ago it was £60, my own club is £160 i think this year, as much as i love (ed) the place really and truthfully its £60 or £70at best... even Scottish residents are getting priced out now

I struggle with fees when I think the course is not a great layout. I tbh care more about layout than condition. I do swallow that green fees are going to be higher for Open venues/Ryder Cup venues etc due to tourist market. I think NB is in top 100 world, but how, I don't know tbh and I don't really care if it has the most copied hole and stuff like that. I wish to enjoy playing the course with a great layout. If it has a castle then all the better

Muirfield can understand how it is £270 for instance, whether you are willing/able to pay it/or its to much is another matter.

 

[Italian outcast]

4 of us planning a trip in June, 2 nights accom and 3 rounds of golf.

We've had a couple of quotes from YGT, but they seem pretty pricey -

Option 1 is to play North Berwick, Craigielaw and Kilspindie, staying at Craigielaw
Option 2 is to play North Berwick, Gullane 2 and Glen, staying at Ducks, Kilspindie House

Both are coming out around £450 which as I said seems a bit rich. I've had a look at the normal green fees for the above courses, North Berwick is £160, the rest are around the £60 mark. So we could save £100 by swapping NB out for a start.

We have never played up there before and don't know the courses. I'm tempted to cut out the middleman and arrange everything ourselves, so looking for recommendations for the best value for money courses and some decent accomodation with a good choice of pubs/food within walking distance.

We are all fairly high handicappers, and not desperate to play the absolute best courses, so VFM and fun/enjoyable are the main criteria.

All suggestions welcome!

Personally if its VFM and you're not desperate to play the absolute best courses i'd suggest Gullane 2 and 3 and the Glen at North Berwick - Though all 3 are actually good for most - I would drop 'North Berwick' itself
I'd suggest staying in North Berwick itself somewhere for pubs/food within walking distance - From what I understand you're a bit isolated @Craigielaw or the Duck

 

[patricks148]

If you are travelling to the area, you have to play Muirfield once in your life... there is always next year! Carvery lunch was worth the drive itself!

i think the carvery is a bit of a rip off now esp if you are paying, you get treated much better as a members guest, esp with the portions as much as you like with the beef as a Guest, one measley slice as a visitor , though you can eat as much as you like of the starters and desert

 

[patricks148]

The winter rate at Muirfield isn't bad, iirc it was about £100. (carvery is £30, that's isn't cheap either ). Top notch condition, layout, history experience.



I struggle with fees when I think the course is not a great layout. I tbh care more about layout than condition. I do swallow that green fees are going to be higher for Open venues/Ryder Cup venues etc due to tourist market. I think NB is in top 100 world, but how, I don't know tbh and I don't really care if it has the most copied hole and stuff like that. I wish to enjoy playing the course with a great layout. If it has a castle then all the better

Muirfield can understand how it is £270 for instance, whether you are willing/able to pay it/or its to much is another matter.

like anything its subjective, Kingsbarns for instance, i don't know how that is rated as it is as... don't get Jacko started on course ratings in the GMtop100

 

[rudebhoy]

Personally if its VFM and you're not desperate to play the absolute best courses i'd suggest Gullane 2 and 3 and the Glen at North Berwick - Though all 3 are actually good for most - I would drop 'North Berwick' itself
I'd suggest staying in North Berwick itself somewhere for pubs/food within walking distance - From what I understand you're a bit isolated @Craigielaw or the Duck

Craigielaw looks about 20 minutes walk into Aberlady. Aberlady itself looks to have 2 pubs and a curry house? Not exactly rocking I guess, so staying in NB might be a better shout ...

 

[Grant85]

Personally would want any East Lothian trip to include North Berwick.

Seen a lot about it and playing it in a couple of weeks. Genuinely more excited about this than playing the Old Course.

However would have no issues with organising myself and sorting out a guest house or Air BnB direct. I know there's a slight risk that you end up with extra hassle or a poorer standard of place, but for 3 nights, it's worth it and you will learn a fair amount to plan a future trip.

 

[Deleted member 23270]

Personally I would fork out to play NB. It is one of the most 'fun' courses I've played. Even if you have a shocker you will walk off with a smile on your face.

 

[Grant85]

With regards cost, I agree a lot of the places are silly money now and I'd be hard pressed to justify paying them. No doubt I'll get to them eventually, but if you are budget conscious then £180 is a lot for a game of golf. My rule of thumb is that anything that is less expensive than the Old Course is just about ok as a lot of the top 100 places could pretty much charge anything and make more money for doing fewer rounds (i.e. Old Course, Turnberry, Muirfield, Troon, Dornoch, Carnoustie, NB etc). Remember in America it's impossible for a lot of guys to even get near a lot of their top 100 courses as the are so private, so they are generally amazed to come over here and tick off half a dozen in a 1 week trip.

To see the fees for the likes of Kingsbarns, Muirfield, Troon etc at £250+ is crazy. Obviously it's partly supply and demand and partly marketing strategy that courses are reassuringly expensive and American's will not be too excited to cross the Atlantic and play a £60 or £80 course. Even if a lot of these are actually great!

I also have a point where I enjoy a course much better when I play it a 2nd or 3rd time. i.e. I don't just want to tick off a course for the sake of it. So paying £250+ to play an Open Venue, when in my heart of hearts know it won't be a regular thing isn't too appealing to me.

Ultimately if you are with mates and got reasonable course and conditioning, then probably won't matter much where you play.

 

[HamiltonGuy]

It’s worth noting us Scots do get deals on a lot of these. We played kingsbarns last week 50% of the normal rate for SGU members

 

[KenL]

It’s worth noting us Scots do get deals on a lot of these. We played kingsbarns last week 50% of the normal rate for SGU members

What did you pay? Would love a game there, although risky given how poor the weather can be at this time of year.
I didn't think it was open this early either.

 

[KenL]

Just had a look at KB website, advertised times from end-March at crazy prices.

Hilarious when you look at the FAQs page.

"Is there a freephone number from USA?"
"What is the time difference from USA?"
Pretty clear who they see as their customer base!

 

[pendodave]

Craigielaw looks about 20 minutes walk into Aberlady. Aberlady itself looks to have 2 pubs and a curry 7house? Not exactly rocking I guess, so staying in NB might be a better shout ...

I wouldn't stay anywhere else (NB). It's a really nice place

 

[dronfield]

Been to the area golfing a couple of times, mainly to play Muirfield (winter deal). Also played Gullane No2 and Longniddry which were both excellent, and also The Glen (least favourite but still worth a round).
We stayed in North Berwick on one trip and at the Premier Inn Musselburgh for other.

 

[IanG]

It’s worth noting us Scots do get deals on a lot of these. We played kingsbarns last week 50% of the normal rate for SGU members

North Berwick also has a 50% rate at specific weekday tee times for SGU members. Not sure if it is on the SGU site yet but it is on the NBGC website.