Longniddry

Longniddry Golf Club is located in what can only be described as a golfing haven in the East Lothian region of Scotland. 

Harry Colt, James Braid, Philip Mackenzie Ross and Donald Steel have all left their mark on this East Lothian club that dates back more than a hundred years. 

It is a course that has both parkland and links properties, and it is a layout that gels the two of them together so very well! 

Visit Longniddry’s website here. 

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Although golf has been played in Longniddry since the mid-16th Century, it would be another 350 years before the Longniddry Golf Club came to be.

1921 saw the founding of the golf club, with the great Harry Colt being brought in to design the original layout. 15 years later, five-time Open Champion James Braid was drafted in to make some alterations to the layout.

Following World War II, in which parts of the course had been used for food production, Philip MacKenzie Ross redesigned the layout, including getting rid of two of the holes by the sea. In more recent years, Donald Steel has done work on the bunkering at Longniddry, adding to the long list of great golf course designers to have had a hand in the course.

Longniddry is in many ways a rarity. There are lots of modern inland courses that claim to play like links, but when did you last see a course at sea level and on the coast that is for the most part parkland in character. Only briefly, on the more open back nine, is there a hint of seaside turf and firm greens. For the most part, expect to see plenty of trees and some pretty lush, green rough. With a miserly par of 68, it gives little away, especially with eight of its array of two-shotters measuring over 400 yards.

The first three holes measure 396, 413 and 460 yards respectively, providing a very tough start to proceedings. As with many a hole at Longniddry, left off the tee is no good on the opener. Avoiding the two fairway bunkers, one left and one right, is key to having a good crack at the 1st green. The 2nd brings you back towards the clubhouse, so the wind will be in the opposite direction. Take that into account as you try and nail your tee shot down the middle. The 3rd is one of the toughest holes on the course. A slight dog-leg left, more than 450 yards, and with a trio of both fairway and greenside bunkers to avoid, a par is a great score on 3. The first of the short holes comes at 4. It is 195 yards in length, but plays downhill so take that into account. No fewer than seven bunkers are in play, at all parts of the green.

For many, the best hole is the shortest par 4 on the course, the 5th. At little over 300 yards, the longer hitters might be licking their lips but while driving the green is not unheard of, it is quite a feat. The problem comes in the shape of a two-tier green with a large slope separating the lower and upper levels. The more sensible strategy may well be to play safe from the tee and leave a full pitch for the approach. This hole marks the beginning of the stretch of that has the most distinctly inland feel, with the fairways lined by tall trees. The 6th is a great par 3 in the trees. Again, seven bunkers protect the putting surface on this 160-yard challenge.

A trio of par 4s take you to the turn at Longniddry. The 7th is the longest of those at more than 425 yards, and with OOB on the left and thick trees on the right, finding the fairway is the key. Five bunkers by the green make the approach much trickier than it first looks. OOB is also in play down the left side of 8, but avoiding the fairway bunkers is the crucial part on this 370-yard par 4. The 9th plays as a slight dog-leg from right to left, with the ideal tee shot finding the right side of the fairway. No greenside bunkers, but plenty of trees around the left side and the back of the green. 10 is another good hole, measuring almost 415 yards from the tips. A pair of bunkers on the left side of the fairway are in play, with three more by the green. There is also a burn that runs around the back of the green, so don’t go long...

Only when you reach the 11th, another excellent short par 4, does the feeling of being close to the sea return. With seven bunkers to avoid and out of bounds on the left, this is another hole where the sagest advice might be to keep the driver in the bag and keep the ball in play. 12 is a dog-leg right around sandscapes and bunkers. Like on 10, there is a burn running at the back of the green, with short being better than long on the approach. The 13th is the first of two par 3s in the closing run of holes. It is 170 yards, playing over the burn you may well have just encountered, to a green that is small and circular. At 400 yards, 14 is a tricky par 4, thanks to the burn that runs across the fairway. If you can find the short grass off the tee, then that makes this hole much easier, especially with the three sand traps guarding the putting surface.

The 15th, one of Longniddry’s longer par 4s, is tricky thanks to the three large fairway bunkers that will be in your eyeline. The last of the par 3s, and the shortest hole on the property, comes at 16. It is only 140 yards, but the green is long, narrow and angled diagonally away from you, making it a tough putting surface to find with your tee shot. It is a tricky finish at Longniddry, as the 17th and 18th both weigh in at over 430 yards. At least you have a couple of generous fairways to aim at as well as, particularly at the last, a large and mainly flat green. Houses on the left are, as you would expect, out of bounds, adding further proof, were it needed, that Longniddry is no place to bring a wild hook.

Where is Longniddry Golf Club located?

Longniddry Golf Club in on the eastern coastline of Scotland, in the region of East Lothian. It sits on the coastal side of the town of Longniddry, with many holes offering up views over Longniddry Bents, the Canty Burn and out to the North Sea. The city of Edinburgh is only 15 miles to the west of the golf club, while North Berwick is a similar distance to the east along the coast.

Longniddry has its own train station, which is just a 10-minute walk from the golf club. Trains run between Edinburgh and North Berwick via Longniddry on a regular basis. For international visitors to the region, Edinburgh Airport – the country’s biggest and busiest airport – is only 25 miles away from Longniddry around the City of Edinburgh Bypass.

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

Longniddry is in East Lothian – a region famed for its incredible array of golfing venues. Tour venues including Muirfield, the Renaissance Club and North Berwick are all within 15 miles, along with the likes of Kilspindie, Luffness, and Archerfield – with its Dirleton Course and Fidra Course, in the same region. Throw in Gullane Golf Club, home to the No.1 Course, No.2 Course and No.3 Course, and Longniddry is in a golfing paradise on the east coast of Scotland.

What golf facilities does Longniddry Golf Club offer?

There is not a full-size range at Longniddry, but there is a practice ground between the 1st and 2nd holes, with space for wedge work, along with a short game area and then an additional putting green next to the clubhouse. A pair of hitting nets next to the car park add to the warmup facilities.

What are the green fees at Longniddry Golf Club?

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