Edzell (Old)

Edzell Golf Club is home to 27 holes, with the Old Course being the 18-hole offering on the Angus-based property.

Although only ten miles from the Scottish coastline, Edzell is very much a parkland course, with holes running through tree-lined avenues, and with plenty of bunkers to keep you on your toes.

Originally designed in the late 19th Century, the great James Braid then added his magical touch to the Old Course in the 1930s.

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The history of Edzell Golf Club dates back to the late 19th Century. The Old Course was first laid out in 1895 by renowned course architect Bob Simpson.

His design work remained untouched for almost four decades, when golfing luminary James Braid updated the layout in the mid-1930s.

Not much has changed since then, but Edzell has turned into a 27-hole property, thanks to the addition of the 9-hole West Water Course shortly after the turn of the millennium.

Edzell is a proper inland, parkland layout, and one of the better versions of this type of golf in Scotland. It is set in 130 acres of perfect golfing terrain, and the Old Course has a number of challenging holes, for golfers of all abilities. While the front nine features some stern tests, many of the top holes come on in the inward nine of this par 71 layout, which stretches to almost 6,600 yards off the back tees.

It is a gentle start to life on the Old Course at Edzell, with the opening hole being only 310 yards. Three fairway bunkers are your markers to keep your tee shot short of, before knocking a low iron or wedge on to a green that slopes from back to front, so stay short of the flag. It then gets harder... The 2nd is the Stroke Index 3 – a 445-yard par 4 with OOB down the entirety of the right side in the form of the main road. The fairway and green are split by rough, so approaches must land all the way onto the surface. The 3rd is another scoring chance, but only if you can avoid the bunkers that are littered throughout this 310-yard par 4. There are six in total, including one in the centre of the fairway.

A pair of tricky par 4s follow, with the 4th coming in at more than 420 yards from the tips. It plays as a dog-leg left, with OOB down the left side. That will make you play safer towards the right side, which will lead to an even longer approach shot. The 5th is the Stroke Index 1 on Edzell’s Old Course, and it is also the longest par 4 at more than 450 yards. It is arrow straight, but bunkers down the left and thick trees and heather down the right all add to the danger. The green is small, and guarded by two more traps.

The 6th is the first of three par 3s on the layout, and it is not easy. At 190 yards from the tips, it requires at least a long iron to find a green surrounded by sand. 7 is another tricky par 4 of more than 400 yards, with more fairway bunkers to avoid, while the 8th is a strong dog-leg right par 4. It is only 370 yards, but the drive needs to avoid three fairway traps, and be long enough for you to see the green behind the trees on the right corner. The 9th is the first of the two pars on the Old Course, which come at the end of each nine. 9 is the shorter of the two at 510 yards, and it features a split fairway, but that won’t trouble most amateur golfers. This will play as a three-shotter for most due to the green sitting behind a cluster of trees as the hole moves round to the right in its final 100 yards or so. Lay up to the right spot to give yourself a birdie chance.

Like the front side, the back nine also begins with a run of par 4s – this time a quartet of them. 10 is perhaps the easiest of those, with a generous fairway, and sand only coming into play by the green. 11 is the hardest hole on the closing nine of the Old Course, with a much narrower fairway than on the previous hole. It moves slightly to the left, and a total of five bunkers are in play. Avoiding the fairway traps is the key on 12 as well, with two on either side in play. The green is round, and most will be coming in with at least a mid-iron to this tricky surface. The 13th plays into a corner of the property, so anything long of this green is in trouble. At 430 yards, this is one of the longer par 4s on the course.

The 152-yard, par 3 14th is regarded by many as the top hole on the course. Known as “Majuba”, the hole requires a well-struck short iron to navigate the slightly sloping green. The next hole - “The De'il's Neuk” - is the Stroke Index 18. Edzell Woods make for an attractive hazard down the right-hand side. This 340-yard par 4 is more than capable of wrecking your card. Thanks to the trouble, which also includes six fairway bunkers. 16 is another good birdie opportunity at just 315 yards. Two cross bunkers sit in front of the green, with is separated from the fairway thanks to these hazards.

The last short hole on the Old Course at Edzell is the 17th. The penultimate hole is a 190-yard challenge that sees you hit to a small green. Three bunkers guard the front and right of the surface, while there are trees and thick rough behind the green. The last is also the longest hole at more than 540 yards. It plays as a dog-leg right, with those able to play a fade off the tee in perfect shape. If you can avoid running out to the two bunkers on the left side of the fairway, then you might be tempted into going for it with your second shot. For most, a lay up short of the second set of fairway traps is ideal, with the green guarded by two more bunkers. It is a good birdie chance, but it is also a closing hole that can ruin any good score...

Where is Edzell Golf Club located?

Edzell Golf Club is situated on the eastern side of the Scottish region of Angus. It sits to the southeast of the Cairngorms National Park, while the eastern coastline of the country is only ten miles away from the club. The town of Brechin is just five miles to the south, with the A90 running north-south between the club and the town of Brechin. Dundee is 30 miles south of Edzell, while the Scottish capital of Edinburgh is around 90 miles away.

The biggest and busiest airport in the country – Edinburgh Airport – is also around 90 miles to the south of the golf club. Dundee Airport is closer, just 35 miles away, but it is a much smaller airport with a limited variety of flights and destinations. In terms of train travel, the closest stations are Laurencekirk to the northeast and Montrose to the southeast – the latter being around ten miles from the club. Montrose is the larger of the stations, with services running towards Glasgow Queen Street and Edinburgh to the south, and running to Aberdeen up the coastline to the north.

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

Along with being home to the nearest big station, Montrose’s 1562 Course is also the nearest venue that also has a spot on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list. Forfar and Arbroath are 20 miles to the south, while the likes of Downfield, Panmure, Monifieth (Medal), and Carnoustie – with its Championship and Burnside Courses – are all within 30 miles.

What golf facilities does Edzell Golf Club offer?

Although not located by the clubhouse, Edzell does have its own driving range. It is a short drive from the main entrance, sitting on the west side of the property and encased by the 9-hole West Water Course – which itself is a cracking warm up for those about to take on the Old Course at Edzell. There is also a short game behind the driving range facility to practice your pitching and chipping. The practice putting green sits next to the opening tee box of the Old Course.

What are the green fees at Edzell Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Edzell 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 Edzell, visit their website here.