Duddingston

Duddingston Golf Club is a proper parkland layout, despite sitting just a few miles from the very centre of Scotland’s capital city.

In Gaelic, the word Duddingston translates to ‘sunny side of the hill’, and the course’s location on the side of Arthur’s Seat, explains why!

The venue was the home of Ronnie Shade – a four-time winner of the Scottish Amateur and four-time Walker Cup star. His father helped redesign the course in the 1960s.

Visit Duddingston’s website here.

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The land in which Duddingston sits on, which is part of an old deer estate, was the scene of the encampment of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s cavalry – prior to the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745.

150 years later, the Insurance and Banking Golf Club set up the course, with the help of Willie Park, on the Duddingston Estate.

The club was the home of Ronnie Shade – widely known as Scotland’s greatest amateur golfer. A four-time Walker Cup star in the 1960s, he also won the Scottish Amateur in four successive years and was a three-time winner of the Brabazon Trophy.

His father, John, had a hand in updating the layout at Duddingston in the 1960s, while Ronnie was at his pomp.

Duddingston sits on gently undulating parkland, above the city, with views of Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat. Shade’s changes in the 1960s extended the course, taking it back towards the 6,500-yard mark. It’s a good old-fashioned course; one where you have got to drive it well in order to score strongly. Along with tree-lined fairways, you will see the Braid Burn meandering into several holes.

It is a solid opening hole to get you on your way at Duddingston - a par 5 of 495 yards, and one that moves from right to left. To reach the green in two, your drive must be down the right side of the fairway to provide you with the best view of the putting surface. The Braid Burn works its way down the left side, but only the worst drives should find it. The first of the par 3s plays over the Braid Burn. It is only 165 yards, but is usually played into the prevailing wind. Anything long of this green with leave an awkward up and down, while there are sand traps on either side. The 3rd is the first par 4 on the course, and at 410 yards, it is a brute. The hardest hole on the front side, avoiding the bunker on the left of the fairway is key. Two more traps guard the green, which has another steep run off behind it.

The 4th is a par 5, with scoring ultimately depending on the wind. With wind behind, many will be able to reach the downslope to propel a tee shot forward. That could leave just a short iron in for your second. If the wind is in the opposite direction, though, then it is a true three-shotter, especially with the Braid Burn cutting across the fairway with 80 yards to go. The 5th is only 335 yards, but with trees left and a pair of bunkers right, there is plenty of danger to be found. The 6th is a long par 3, one of more than 200 yards, and with the burn on its right. Four bunkers guard the putting surface. A par is a great score on the 6th.

The fairway on 7 cambers from left to right, so a drive bouncing in the middle of the short grass could easily find its way into the trees down the right side. At 375 yards, it is not the longest par 4, but the 7th definitely has its dangers. The 8th is the longest of the par 5s at 535 yards, and also the most difficult. This is thanks to the Braid Burn running across the fairway, which means longer hitters will have to lay up short of it. From there, the seven bunkers on route to the green means you have to be precise with your lay up. The front nine at Duddingston closes with a gentle par 4, one of just 315 yards. Avoiding the fairway bunkers will give you the best chance of birdie, with the green and the fairway separated by the ever-prominent burn.

The back nine begins with a par 3 from an elevated tee box. It is 180 yards, but plays less than that thanks to its downhill nature. Six bunkers surround the green. 11 is the Stroke Index 1 on the course, and at 435 yards, and moving from left to right, you can understand why. The tee shot has to be strong on this par 4, especially as it is often into the prevailing wind. Most will be happy with a bogey here. 12 is also a dog-leg par 4 of more than 400 yards. This time, moving from right to left, the quintet of bunkers on the inside corner either need to be avoided or carried, depending on your distance off the tee.

13 then moves back to the right, with bunkers on either side of the fairway. At 412 yards, it is one of the longer par 4s at Duddingston, and therefore requires a solid drive, and no laying up off the tee. The 14th is the shortest hole on the course – a 150-yard par 3, which plays over the Braid Burn to a shallow green, with sand on either side. 15 is only 315 yards, but it is a sharp dog-leg right, so accuracy is the key off the tee rather than distance.

The 16th, ‘Arthur’s Seat’, is one of the trickier par 4s. It might be less than 400 yards, but it is one of the narrowest holes on the property. Two large trees sit around 40 yards from the green, and can easily be in the way if you’re not in the right spot on the fairway. The penultimate hole is the last of the par 5s at Duddingston. At 511 yards, and playing as a slight dog-leg left, it is a birdie chance thanks to the fairway cambering down the left. Any tee shot down the right side will find its way back to the centre. From there, it is just a trio of bunkers that sit in front of the putting surface. The final hole is named after the great Ronnie Shade, and it is another that requires an accurate tee shot. The Braid Burn makes one final appearance, running in front of the green, so make sure to take enough club to get over it!

Where is Duddingston Golf Club located?

Duddingston Golf Club is situated on the eastern side of Edinburgh, but only three miles from the centre of the Scottish capital city. The course is just to the southeast of the famous Holyrood Park, with Duddingston Loch just west of the venue. The A1, which runs from the city along the east coast of Scotland and south into England, is also within a few miles from Duddingston.

Edinburgh Airport, the biggest and busiest airport in the country, is within a half-hour drive of Duddingston, with daily flights to a wide range of destinations. Edinburgh Waverley is the closest train station, located at the heart of the city. Trains run from Edinburgh Waverley towards Aberdeen, Glasgow and London among other locations.

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

Duddingston is one of a number of golf courses that sit in and around the city of Edinburgh. The Musselburgh (Monktonhall) and Bruntsfield Links are both within eight miles of Duddingston, sitting on either side of the Scottish capital. The gems of the East Lothian coastline, including the likes of Muirfield, The Renaissance Club and North Berwick, are all within a 25-mile drive to the east.

What golf facilities does Duddingston Golf Club offer?

Duddingston does not just have an 18-hole course to offer; there are also some great practice facilities. The Edinburgh venue has a full-length practice area with matted tees, along with a short game area with bunkers. There is also a putting green located next to the clubhouse for those finishing touches before taking to the course.

What are the green fees at Duddingston Golf Club?  

The price of a green fee at Duddingston Golf Club 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 Duddingston, visit their website here.