Dunbar

Dunbar Golf Club has been around for almost 175 years, having been founded back in 1856.

It is a challenging links course with stunning scenery, situated within yards of crashing waves from the North Sea.

Dunbar has been a Regional Qualifying venue for the Open Championship, and is not just a test for professionals, but for amateurs as well!
 

Visit Dunbar's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.
 

1856 saw the founding of Dunbar Golf Club, making it one of the oldest courses on the NCG Top 100s: Great Britain & Ireland list. Golf in the town goes back much further than that, with the Dunbar Golfing Society dating back as far as 1794.

There have been five iterations of the golf course at Dunbar. The first course featured 15 holes, with an 18-hole layout being opened in 1880.

Old Tom Morris made changes in 1894, with James Braid then making more alterations a century ago. Braid's layout from 1924 is the one that remains today, with the course being extended to just shy of 6,600 yards in 2008.

Having struggled through the two World Wars, Dunbar and the Dunbar Castle Club merged in the late 1950s. Since then, the club has been host to Final Qualifying for the Open Championship on several occasions, as well as a multiple-time host of the Scottish Amateur Championship.

A big construction project is currently underway at Dunbar as well, with planning permission approved for a new nine-hole course, practice range, golf academy and clubhouse building. This will be shaped on land to the side of the current second hole.
 

Out in 37, home in 34, Dunbar Golf Club certainly has a different look to its scorecard. It measures just shy of 6,600 yards as a par-71, and with strong sea breezes that you’re never quite sure which direction they’re blowing in, it plays a lot longer at times. Starting inland, before working its way along the coastline throughout the majority of the back nine, it is a course to enjoy, even if you don't quite conquer it the first time you play!
 

Uniquely, Dunbar Golf Club starts with two par 5s, and the two most inland holes on the property. They can both be seen as reachable in two for the longer hitters, especially the opener at just 474 yards. The first has a burn in front of the green to catch any shots that aren’t hit perfectly, while the returning 2nd hole measures at 540 and with the prevailing wind usually at the back.
 

The 3rd is the first par 3 on the property, and has out of bounds all down the left and long. Several bunkers guard the green, while the clubhouse watches on from your left. The 4th only measures 353 yards, but with out of bounds right and the North Sea left, it is the narrowest hole on the course. The 5th is a short par 3 at just 147 yards, playing from an elevated tee but with swirling winds off the coast, club selection is vital with runoffs into bunkers at every angle. 
 

A wall and out of bounds run down the right side of the fairway at both 6 and 7, with the former also seeing you encounter two burns - one in front of the tee and one in front of the putting surface. The wall is more in play down the 7th, a hole that dog-legs to the right around the wall. A tee shot of 240 yards off the back tees will be enough to get you to the corner on 7. The 8th hole is more gentle. At 380 yards, there is no wall to contend with, but the four fairway bunkers might pose an issue. The 532-yard par 5 9th brings the front nine to a close. Once again, there is out of bounds down the right to take any errant tee shots. Find the downslope with your second, though and you can take some yardage off your third...

 

The back nine starts with a par 3 measuring at more than 200 yards, with the 11th then featuring the rocks, beach and crashing waves down your right. At 460 yards, it is one of the longer par 4s at Dunbar. Get used to the sound of the waves, as you will be dealing with the North Sea on your right for the next hour or so. The 12th follows the same path, with a blind tee shot, and if you aim slightly right, you’ll be fishing your ball out of the North Sea. Find the marker post and you will be on dry land.

 

The green on 13 sits in a little hollow, so anything only slightly awry should still catch a piece of the putting surface. The 14th is one of the standout holes at Dunbar, coming in at more than 430 yards, and once again, playing with the waves crashing into the rocks on your right. 15 is a shorter par 4, at just 340 yards. Favour the left side for two reasons - to stay dry, and to give yourself the best angle into the green.
 

The 16th is a short par 3 of 160 yards, but with out of bounds tight to the left of the green, and the North Sea tight to the right, there can be nothing but accuracy off the tee. The 17th is split into three parts thanks to a burn in front of the tee and a burn in front of the green, before the closing hole, a 430-yard par 4, features out of bounds and a wall down the right. Take a par on the last and go and enjoy a drink after a tough test.
 

Where is Dunbar Golf Club located?
Dunbar Golf Club is located on the east coast of Scotland, in an area of golfing paradise. It is part of the East Lothian coastline, with the club just outside the town of Dunbar. The A1, which runs from London to Edinburgh, passes just a couple of miles from the entrance to the golf club. The city of Edinburgh, Scotland's capital, is around 30 miles west of Dunbar.

Thanks to its proximity to the Scottish capital, the nearest airport to Dunbar Golf Club is Edinburgh Airport, the busiest airport in the country. It sits on the opposite side of the city, just shy of 40 miles from the club. The town of Dunbar has its own train station, perfect for rail users. It is less than a mile from the golf club, with regular services to and from Edinburgh, along with some trains to Newcastle and Birmingham among other destinations.

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?
Dunbar is one of several stunning venues in East Lothian. Within 20 miles sit the likes of Gullane, with its No.1, No.2 and No.3, Muirfield, North Berwick, Luffness, Kilspindie, The Renaissance Club and Archerfield - home to the Fidra Course and Dirleton Course.

What golf facilities does Dunbar offer?  
Along with the championship-level golf course, there is also a putting green and a short driving range (180 yards), with practice nets and a short game area located in front of the clubhouse. 

 

What are the green fees at Dunbar?
The price of a green fee at Dunbar 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 Dunbar, visit their website here. 

Visit Dunbar's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.