Braid Hills

The Braid Hills Golf Course is one of Scotland’s finest public offerings, and it is all within just a few miles from the centre of the Scottish capital.

Don’t be fooled, the course was not designed by James Braid. It is set out over Braid Hill. However, the man himself did often test his own game across the course.

Although it is not the longest layout, at less than 5,900 yards, expect a stiff challenge with gorse, breeze and much more to accompany the glorious views you will encounter at Braid Hills.

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As with many venues in Scotland, the history of Braid Hills dates back to the late 19th Century, with the club being founded in 1893.

Bob Ferguson, three times a winner of the Open Championship, along with Musselburgh club-maker Peter McEwan, were the men to design the 18-hole layout across Braid Hills.

To this day, it remains a public course, owned by Edinburgh Leisure (one of six courses in the city). Thanks to this, it is one of the best public courses in the country.

Braid Hills offers the best chance for views of Edinburgh's landmarks. Starting in the west with the airport, your eye at various points can take in Edinburgh Castle, Arthur's Seat, North Berwick Law and over the Forth to Fife. Unlike most courses in Edinburgh, here mature trees are replaced by tonnes of gorse, so if you go in May when it's in bloom you will be greeted by an ocean of yellow lining the fairways. Because it is set down on rolling land you always encounter lots of sidehill lies, the greens are fairly small with big drop-offs, and there is frequently a little breeze. It is brilliant fun - including a few blind tee shots where you have to hit the ball over markers.

It is a course that begins in a very gentle fashion, arguably with four birdie chances to kick off. The opener is a 340-yard par 4 with a wide fairway to get you on your way. The green is large and square, a nice target for your first approach of the day. The 2nd is the shortest hole on the course at just 125 yards, with the 3rd then another short-ish par 4. It plays as a slight dog-leg right, but with plenty of space out to the left on the tee shot. The 4th is driveable at just 260 yards. However, with large gorse on the right of the green, along with smaller chunks to the left, is it worth it?

The first of three par 5s on this Par 71 layout comes at the 5th. It is 520 yards, and it is also offers up the first sign of sand. A total of seven bunkers are in play down this long hole, before you come to the Stroke Index 1. That is the 425-yard par 4 6th, which has one of the narrowest fairways on the course, pinched in by gorse on the right side. The green is behind that, as the holes moves round to the right. A par is a great score here. The 7th has a quirky fairway, one that is split in the middle by gorse. Choose your side, and stick to it! It is only 350 yards, so again, driver might not necessarily be the play.

The 8th is another short par 4 at just 310 yards. Again, though, with gorse all around, it is safer to find the wide part of the fairway before then working out the distance for your approach to hold the shallow, but wide green. At 185 yards, the 9th is one of the tougher short holes on the course. Anything long or right of the surface will find itself in trouble, with gorse as the backdrop. The back nine begins with back-to-back par 5s, the last two at Braid Hills. 10 is the longest hole on the property at almost 550 yards, and anything left will find itself on the road. However, there is a generous fairway to find from the tee. The green is guarded by a pair of bunkers, and gorse all around.

At 515 yards, the 11th is shorter, but arguably more testing. It has a narrower landing zone, and the hole moves from left to right. Avoid the fairway bunker with your tee shot to provide yourself with the best angle if you fancy taking the green on with your second. 12 is another good scoring opportunity – another par 4 of less than 300 yards. Three fairway bunkers are the danger, but considering driver isn’t necessary, this shouldn’t be too difficult. The 13th is the longest of the par 3s. Playing 205 yards, and with a pair of bunkers in front of the surface, it is a tricky short hole. Like 7, the 14th also has two sides to the fairway, with gorse down the middle. The left side of the fairway is wider, but it requires a longer drive to reach the short grass. The right side gives a slightly better angle to the green, but it will be a longer approach.

The closing stretch at Braid Hills begins with the 345-yard par 4 15th. Again, there is a generous fairway, especially with the 8th fairway out to the right as well. No bunkers by the green, this is a proper ‘green light’ flag to attack. 16 is shorter, at just 310 yards, but it is much tighter off the tee. Gorse comes in on both sides to narrow the fairway, but driver is not needed, once more. The last of the par 3s comes at 17, a 160-yard shot played to a triangular-shaped green. It is one of the shallower greens on the course. That comes before the final challenge, the 260-yard par 4. If your round has gone well, do you take it on with driver and run the risk? It’s worth it, as you won’t find a flat bit of fairway before the putting surface!

Where is Braid Hills located?

Braid Hills is one of several venues in and around the city of Edinburgh. In fact, the centre of the Scottish capital city is just four miles to the north of Braid Hills by road. The A720 – the City of Edinburgh Bypass – runs around the south of the city, and is just a mile or so from the entrance to the golf club.

Thanks to its proximity to the city, Edinburgh Airport – the country’s biggest and busiest – is the nearest international airport to Braid Hills. The golf club sits just ten miles to the southeast of the airport. Slateford is the closest train station to Braid Hills, less than two miles from the club. Trains run through Slateford between Glasgow Central and Edinburgh on a regular basis.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?

Two other venues in Edinburgh – Bruntsfield Links and The Musselburgh (Monktonhall) - are both within 10 miles of Braid Hills. Outside of that, the likes of Glenbervie to the west, and then Kilspindie, North Berwick, and the rest of East Lothian’s glorious golfing landscape are within 30 miles.

What golf facilities does Braid Hills offer?

Although it is not technically at the golf club, to the east of the property sits the Braid Hills Golf Centre, which has a full-length, covered driving range, along with an American Golf shop. There is also a short game area on the side of that, including a chipping green with six bunkers, and a putting green.

What are the green fees at Braid Hills?

The price of a green fee at Braid Hills changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.

For more information on current green fees at Braid Hills, visit their website here.