DUNBAR GOLF CLUB - 16 POINTS
Dunbar is a lovely Scottish links, never too challenging but never a pushover, and the setting is really gorgeous.
East Lothian is blessed with some tremendous golf courses, with Gullane at the epicentre. If you are spending any length of time in the area I would thoroughly recommend making the trip to Dunbar, just 30 minutes east along the coast. At Dunbar Golf Club you’ll not only get a warm welcome at the friendly, old-school, pro shop but you’ll find a lovely golf course which will neither beat you up nor be a pushover. A great addition to any trip.
The first three holes (and the18th) are all set back from the coast on land separated from the rest of the course by a wall. This wall continues to run down the right hand side of the course as it heads out. Unusually, the first and second holes are both par 5s and this section has a different character from the rest of the course - a bit less linksy and you don’t have the wonderful views of the sea you get from the rest of the course. While some have criticised this, saying it takes away from the true links nature of the course I would tell them just to get over it! So many courses built today are too formulaic and having some idiosyncrasies just adds to Dunbar’s charm.
Having said that, there is no denying that when you go through the wall to the 4th tee there is something exhilarating about realising you have 14 holes of pure links golf to come. Through to the 11th hole you will be on the inland side of the land, with the principle hazard being the wall along your right.
These holes aren’t built on a huge piece of land - it’s bounded by the water on one side and the wall on the other - so the outward holes are often cheek by jowl with those coming in. You do need to keep your wits about you. As a result you won’t find a huge amount of rough on the holes at Dunbar - instead you have to worry more about a really wild one sailing over the wall or into the water.
On this course, you will normally need to make your score on the front 9. The prevailing wind is behind you going out (while Dunbar may be the sunniest town in Scotland, it’s rarely dead calm) and none of the par 4s are over 400 yards. Getting the ball a long way down these holes will help, but keeping it in play will bring a greater reward!
For a bit of quirk, the 6th is probably the pick of the lot. The wall is hard up against the right hand side of the hole so you will be inclined to keep left from the tee, but the right gives you the best angle over the burn into the green. I was too far right with my approach and had to hit one off the wall, ricocheting to a few feet for a very unlikely par. Great fun.
The wall is tight up against the holes on the front 9 at Dunbar.
However, the course takes a turn in more ways than one as the front nine comes to a close. The 10th is a 200 yard par 3 and then you turn back towards the clubhouse and the town. The 11th is a 460 yard par 4 that plays along the Firth of Forth, into a good 2 club wind on the day I played. Two bunkers lie in wait for your tee shot and if you avoid them you will probably still need everything in the bag to get to the well protected green.
Even if you safely navigate 11, you’ve got to do it all again at the 12th. Only three yards shorter than the 11th you are really hard up against the water here, so anything right risks danger. Only first time players will aim for the green for their long approach short in case they get wet. Regulars know they should aim well left and shape it in or try and get up and down. I can only imagine what these two holes play to par in a regular medal. It won’t be pretty!
The 13th is another quirky par 4 with a blind approach shot into a sunken, sloping green.
The sunken 13th green at Dunbar needs multiple plays to master!
I’m a bit of a sucker for a coastal golf hole with a view and the 14th delivers in spades. Another long par 4, with an old boathouse and the Bass Rock behind - heaven.
While still a test, the difficulty level does come down a notch for the remaining holes, but all the way to the 17th green you are entertained with gorgeous views and fun holes.
The 18th goes back across the wall and while, in some ways, it is a shame not to have a grandstand finish on the coast, you still have to concentrate, with the wall providing the hazard on this lengthy closing hole.
I really enjoyed my round at Dunbar. It’s no wonder this course has hosted several prestigious events - The Scottish Amateur Open, the British Boys Championship, and final Open Qualifying. While the length means professional events probably couldn’t be held there now, it would be a great place to be a member. The conditioning is invariably excellent, the welcome is warm and the golf course has a lot to keep you entertained. It’s hard to argue with all of that!
BOOKING THE COURSE
The Dunbar website is good and includes plenty of information on how to book a tee time and what to expect at the course. There’s good use of video and photography as well as lots on the history.
You can book tee times directly on the site, although if you can’t find the time you’re looking for I’d recommend giving them a call to see if they can still accommodate you.
Dunbar has quite a range of green fees. It starts at £55 in the winter and goes up to £155 on a weekend morning in the summer. However, there are lots of different options in between, as well as day tickets, so have a look at the website and see what works best for you.
Prices correct as of July 2023.
TOUR TIPS
A golf trip to East Lothian has a huge amount to offer. The courses are great, playable all year round and close together. Basing yourself in North Berwick is a good idea as there is a good range of pubs and restaurants in town and it's easy to get to Gullane, Muirfield, Dunbar and others from there. And make no mistake, North Berwick is a real golf town - no-one will blink at the site of a group carrying their clubs into a pub for a post-game pint.
The Marine Hotel overlooks the 16th hole of the West Links (and the kids’ course) so is a really great setting and is due to reopen after a refurbishment in 2021. From there it's a short (10 minutes) walk into town. There is a plethora of guest houses in the town itself which may offer better value for money and of course, Airbnb. You won't find it hard to buy a drink - there are plenty of pubs - and you'll get a good steak in The Grange in the centre of town. If you want to go a bit more swanky the Italian, Osteria, is a good choice. For a little more cheap and cheerful then try Zitto on Quality Street or The Herringbone on the High Street.
Another option is to stay in Gullane. You have the advantage here of being able to walk to a whole host of courses. There are rooms (although quite pricey) at the Bonnie Badger as well as Greywalls hotel. The Main Course is a very nice Italian restaurant in the heart of Gullane, where you’ll always get a warm welcome, and you’ll get a good pint at either the Bonnie Badger or the Old Clubhouse.
When it comes to other courses to play then Muirfield, North Berwick and Gullane 1 are the very top drawer but you could happily add Renaissance, Archerfield (not cheap though!), Gullane 2 or 3,The Glen, Dunbar, Luffness or Craigielaw - all within a few miles drive. The list goes on and on - East Lothian pretty much has it all!
Erik Anders Lang visited Dunbar and was clearly enamoured with the course. You can watch his film on youtube here -
CONTACT DETAILS
Dunbar Golf Club
East Links
Dunbar
East Lothian
EH42 1LL
Phone: +44 (0)1368862317
E-mail: secretary@dunbargolfclub.com
Web: https://dunbargolfclub.com/
