First-hand East Lothian guide
The best three-day East Lothian golf itinerary from Gullane
East Lothian works best when you base yourself in a proper golf village and then move around the coast. Gullane is the natural centre: the courses are on your doorstep, the village is obsessed with golf, and everything you need after a round is within a short walk.
Day 1
Gullane No. 1 plus Gullane No. 3
Base yourself in Gullane and start with the village at its best: championship golf on No. 1, then a shorter, fun second round on No. 3.Day 2
Muirfield 36-hole visitor day
If you can secure the visitor day, build the whole trip around it: morning golf, roast lunch, jacket and tie, then the afternoon round.Day 3
North Berwick and Dunbar or Kilspindie
Play North Berwick West Links, then choose Dunbar for a coastal out-and-back test or Kilspindie for charm and a gentler finish.Best base
Why Gullane is the place to stay
Gullane is not just convenient; it feels like a golf village. You can walk to the Gullane courses, eat within a few minutes of the first tee, reach Muirfield almost immediately, and keep North Berwick, Kilspindie, Archerfield, Craigielaw and Dunbar within easy range. It lets the trip feel relaxed rather than constantly car-bound.
Courses to plan around
Six East Lothian courses that define the trip
The strength of East Lothian is variety: elite private-club tradition, playful town links, polished modern facilities, short historic charm and exposed coastal golf all within a compact stretch of coastline.
Gullane No. 1
Gullane No. 1
A proper championship links with world-class views from the third and seventh tees.Explore the course →North Berwick West Links
North Berwick (West Links)
One of the most entertaining back nines in golf, including the Pit, Redan and Biarritz holes.Explore the course →Muirfield
Muirfield
One of the greatest courses in the world, with exceptional routing, par threes and clubhouse tradition.Explore the course →Dunbar
Dunbar Golf Club
A dramatic coastal links that comes alive once you go through the wall and play out along the shore.Explore the course →Kilspindie
Kilspindie Golf Club
Short on the card but full of charm, with a traditional clubhouse and a wonderful opening stretch.Explore the course →Archerfield Fidra
Archerfield Links (Fidra)
A polished private-estate experience with excellent conditioning, facilities and lodging on site.Explore the course →Course-by-course notes
How each course fits into the trip
This is where East Lothian becomes more than a list of famous names. The right route depends on whether you want history, fun, polish, value, coastal drama or a proper bucket-list day.
Gullane No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3
Gullane is the heartbeat of the trip. No. 1 is the favourite: a proper championship links, with views from the third and seventh tees that make you understand why people talk about East Lothian golf in almost mythic terms. No. 2 is strong enough to headline many clubs elsewhere, and No. 3 is shorter but great fun.
North Berwick West Links
North Berwick starts and finishes with generous, confidence-giving holes, a little like the Old Course, but the real joy comes on the back nine. The Pit at 13, played over the wall, is unforgettable. The Redan 15th is one of the most copied green complexes in the world, and the Biarritz-style 16th is another reason the closing stretch is so loved.
Muirfield
Muirfield is the formal centrepiece: one of the greatest courses in the world, with incredible routing and some of the best par threes anywhere. Visitor access is limited to Tuesdays and Thursdays, so build around it early. If the 36-hole day with roast lunch is available, that is the one to aim for. Jacket and tie still matter.
Dunbar
Dunbar is going through routing changes and building a new clubhouse, but the essential appeal remains. Once you go through the wall, the course becomes a wonderful straight-out, straight-back links along the coast. It is called the Pebble Beach of Scotland for a reason.
Kilspindie and Craigielaw
Kilspindie is one of the most charming links courses in Scotland: short on the card, but never something to dismiss. The opening stretch is excellent and the old traditional clubhouse adds to the appeal. Craigielaw is newer and a good introduction to links golf, with strong conditioning, a lovely clubhouse, great practice facilities and a small nine-hole course.
Archerfield Fidra and Dirleton
Archerfield is a polished private-estate complex with a big clubhouse, excellent facilities and lodging on site. Both Fidra and Dirleton are usually in great condition. Fidra is especially varied, with nine holes that feel tree-lined and nine that are much more true links.
Places to stay
Where to stay for an East Lothian golf trip
If the trip is built around Muirfield, Gullane is hard to beat. Greywalls is the luxury choice; The Mallard keeps you right in the village and within easy walking distance of the Gullane courses.
Five-star stay by Muirfield
Greywalls Hotel
The special option. Greywalls overlooks Muirfield and gives the trip a proper old-school East Lothian feel, especially if Muirfield is the centrepiece.Village hotel in Gullane
The Mallard Hotel
A beautiful Gullane base and usually a more accessible choice than Greywalls. The big practical advantage is location: you can walk to the Gullane courses.Food and drink
Where to eat and drink in Gullane
One of the best things about basing yourself in Gullane is how little logistics matter after golf. The Main Course is the standout dinner recommendation, and The Old Clubhouse is an easy pub choice for food and a post-round drink.
Italian by the first tee
The Main Course
The easy food recommendation in Gullane: a lovely Italian restaurant about ten seconds from the first tee of Gullane No. 1.Pub and post-round food
The Old Clubhouse
A strong post-round pub choice for food and drinks. It fits the best thing about Gullane: once you park up, nearly everything is walkable.Practical planning notes
Small details that make the trip work
- Book Muirfield first. Visitor play is normally limited to Tuesdays and Thursdays, so anchor the itinerary around that before filling the other days.
- Do not underestimate short courses. Kilspindie and Gullane No. 3 are short compared with modern championship courses, but both are exactly the kind of fun, strategic links golf people remember.
- Give North Berwick time. The back nine is one of the most enjoyable stretches anywhere, and the town itself is worth not rushing away from.
- Visit the Gullane golf museum if you can. It is attached to the Gullane pro shop and fits perfectly into a village-based itinerary.