Muirfield

Muirfield, and the famous membership of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, are famed throughout the world. 

As the jewel in the crown of East Lothian, one of the great golfing regions, Muirfield is arguably the best course in Scotland as well, which is not a claim to make lightly. So what makes it so special? Let's start with the routing. The front nine plays in an anti-clockwise loop around the perimeter of the grounds, with the homeward side played in the opposite direction throughout the interior of the property. 

 

Muirfield is often thought of as one of the game's fairest links. There are very few blind shots and the fairways and greens are relatively. A stellar collection of par 3s represent another of Muirfield's highlights. The conditioning and presentation is second-to-none, at any time of the year. You will not play off crisper fairways or putt on smoother greens.
 
Put simply, Muirfield is a must-visit course when playing golf in Scotland; and if the golf itself isn’t enough to encourage a return trip (which it will be), the incredible lunch served in the famous old clubhouse will definitely have you dreaming of a return visit.

2024 notes: As elegant, understated and flowing a course as you are ever likely to encounter. The genius of the design begins with the two concentric loops of nine – the inward half is contained within the outward half. The result is constant changes of angles.


Visit Muirfield's website here.
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The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers was founded in the mid-1700s, creating the rules of the sport as we now know them in 1744. Indeed, the original manuscript is still on display with the clubhouse. 

After several changes of venue, including a spell at Musselburgh Old, the members  located to the club’s current spot and enlisted Old Tom Morris to create an 18-hole layout for them. 

 

The course opened for play in 1891, and the Open Championship arrived for the first time a year later. Since then, the course has been a regular stop for the R&A’s most prestigious event and has perhaps the most enviable list of winners of any Claret Jug destination.

James Braid, Walter Hagen, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson are among those to have been victorious at Muirfield. Watson has also won the Senior Open Championship at this venue, while South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai won the AIG Women's Open in 2022.

 

In 1923, the membership purchased the land on which the course now sits, and for the first time in their multi-century history they had full control over their golfing terrain. Enlisting the services of the great Harry Colt, the course was amended from Morris’ original design to the special and distinctive routing we still enjoy to this day.

As you would expect, if you were to play Muirfield from the Championship tees, you would be dealing with a course of well over 7,000 yards. Even from the Medal tees, Muirfield's 18-hole layout runs to more than 6,700 yards in length. This Par 72 course will test even the best amateur golfers.

When the wind blows into the face of players as they contemplate the first tee shot of the day, the 440-yard opener is one of the most challenging in the game. Thankfully, the 2nd and 3rd are a little shorter and much less daunting. However, with no fewer than 15 bunkers between them, they are no pushover. The 4th is the first of the short holes and can be stretched back to a whopping 230 yards from the back tees. Unsurprisingly, it was the second most difficult hole when The Open last arrived in 2013.

The 5th is the opening par 5 at Muirfield. 15 bunkers - the most of any hole on the course - are awaiting any mishit shot. The 6th is a tricky dog-leg left par 4, with the 7th then being the shortest hole on the course. At just 147 yards from the Medal tees, it could be a flick of a wedge. However, with the wind against, it could also be a long iron... 8 is the hardest hole on the property, a 440-yard dog-leg right par 4 which features no fewer than 11 sand traps along the way. The closing hole on the front nine was extended to 556 yards for the 2013 Open, while us mere mortals play this par 5 from around 500 yards. Three fairway bunkers lie in wait for any tee shots that don't find the middle of the fairway.

Following the long par-4 10th, playing away from the clubhouse towards the sea, Muirfield offers its only blind tee shot, at the 11th, and then another medium-length par 4, before one of the great short holes at the 13th. With bunkers waiting to catch any shot that is even slightly less than perfect, it is the most demanding of challenges and also features one of the more dramatically sloping greens.

Reach the 14th and the closing stretch is in sight. This and the 15th are two of the very strongest par 4s, the latter with a green that is so deceptive, Rory McIlroy putted off it and through the back during the 2013 Open Championship. The 16th is the last of the short holes and that comes before the final par 5, which turns to the left at driving distance with the green slightly sunken and protected between two dunes.

The 18th is arguably the best closing hole on the Open rota – gun-barrel straight and very slightly uphill to a green positioned squarely in front of that iconic clubhouse. After a great closing drive, you can stand in the 18th fairway, trying to emulate Nick Faldo en route to making his 18th and final par of the day in the final round of the Open in 1987. For most of us, 18 net pars would be the achievement of a lifetime, but Muirfield is a place that is meant to be enjoyed without pencil in hand.

Where is Muirfield Golf Club located?
Muirfield Golf Club is situated in the village of Gullane, East Lothian, Scotland. The course looks out across the eastern coastline of the country, and out to the North Sea. The golf club is located close to many other notable courses, including; Gullane, Archerfield, North Berwick, The Renaissance Club, and Luffness.

North Berwick and Drem are the two nearest train stations to Muirfield. Both stations sit on the East Coast Rail Line, which sees trains run from Edinburgh through to London.

For international travellers to the eastern side of Scotland, Edinburgh Airport is approximately 45 minutes from the golf club. It is the biggest and busiest airport north of the Scottish border.

What golf facilities does Muirfield offer?  
The golf club at Muirfield wasn’t always known for an extensive list of facilities for guests, other than a fabulous lunch, and a driving range. However, a newly added Pro Shop, offering the ability to buy club merchandise, as well as to rent clubs, trolleys, and caddies, means there’s everything that you might need on site. 
  

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

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