Royal Burgess

The Royal Burgess Golfing Society, or Royal Burgess as it is most commonly known, is the oldest golfing society in the world. 

Royal Burgess dates back to 1735, giving it almost three centuries of history. Park Jr, Colt and MacKenzie Ross have all had a hand in the design of the course, just to add to the quality. 

Today, it pushes to 6,500 yards from the tips, and with tree-lined fairways, good bunkering and the occasional burn here and there, Royal Burgess is a great test of golf for all abilities. 

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With a history dating back to 1735, the Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh is widely regarded as the oldest golf club in the world. 

The RBGS originally started play at the Bruntsfield Links in its early days, before then making Musselburgh home in the 1870s.  

The society then moved to its current location in Barnton shortly before the turn of the 20th Century. Willie Park Jr designed the original course, with Harry Colt and Philip MacKenzie Ross making alterations as the years went on.

The golf course at the Royal Burgess Golfing Society is a well-matured parkland layout with tree-lined fairways, plenty of bunkers and even the occasional burn to avoid. Despite its age, it is over 6,500 yards off the tips, but unlike the majority of golf courses, the Reds are the back tees at the Royal Burgess Golfing Society, with the whites being the middle set, and the yellow being the forward tees. It is notable for having few holes that are the same, with a lot of par 4s that vary in length - so there is an onus of driving the ball well, whether on the shorter two-shotters or to give yourself of making par on the stronger par 4s. 

The opening hole at Royal Burgess is a dog-leg right par 4 of 390 yards. It requires a solid tee shot down the left side to avoid the fairway bunkers on the right. There are three more large traps by the green. The 2nd is shorter, and a good scoring chance early on in the round at 350 yards. Keep the tee shot short of the large fairway trap on the left side and you will still only have a low iron into the green. A semi-blind tee shot awaits on the 3rd, and once again, it is all about staying short of the trio of cross bunkers that sit in the fairway. Manage that, and you’ll have a good shot at making the green on this 420-yard par 4, despite the surface being surrounded by five more bunkers. 

The 4th is one of the toughest holes at the RBGS, measuring 465 yards from the tips, and with thick trees down the entirety of the right side of the hole. A trio of bunkers on the left side of the fairway should be the aiming point with a slight fade to final the centre of the short grass. The green is situated among the trees, with anything going long of the surface being in danger. The first of the short hols comes at the 5th. It is 175 yards, and played to a green that is surrounded by sand – seven bunkers to be precise. And precise is what the approach needs to be! At 485 yards, the par 5 6th provides another scoring opportunity, but again, it is all about avoiding the bunkers off the tee. The longer hitters will certainly fancy their chances of getting home in two here. Another long par 4 follows, the 442-yard 7th. It plays as a dog-leg right around the trees, with the ideal point for your tee shot being down the left side. That opens up the hole for the second shot, which is played to a green that is guarded by four traps. 

The 8th, much like the 5th, is a medium-length par 3 with a green that is fully surrounded by sand. Just four bunkers this time, but they are large, while the green feels small from the tee. A quartet of par 4s take you around the turn at Royal Burgess. The 9th is 410 yards and plays slightly downhill. There is a generous landing area, but the fairway does slope from left to right. The back nine begins with a 375-yard par 4, and the three bunkers that sit on the left side of this dog-leg right are in play off the tee. Two more bunkers, one on either side of the green, add to the difficulty of the approach. 11 is one of the signature holes at Royal Burgess. It is 350 yards from the tips, played over a crest to a downhill fairway. The ideal tee shot will stay short of the burn, which leaves you with a short approach to the green. This run of par 4s ends with the 12th – the shortest of the quartet at 312 yards. Trees down the left, sand down the right – that is the viewpoint off the tee. Keep the drive out of all of it, and you can attack the flag and look for birdie. 

13 is the longest of the par 3s, pushing the 200-yard barrier. It does play ever so slightly downhill, but the four bunkers that line the right side of the putting surface are very much in play. The 14th tee makes you play your drive through a funnel of trees, and aiming towards a solitary fairway bunker on the right side. That signals the outside corner on this slight dog-leg left, with four more traps lurking by the green. The 15th moves the other way, and it is another long par 4. Longer hitters might be tempted to try and take their tee shots over the corner of the trees, but for most, it will be a tee shot that is played to the corner. That will leave a long approach into this green, one flanked by sand once more. 

The 16th is the last par 5, and at just a nudge over 500 yards, it is a good scoring chance on the run for home. The fairway cambers from right to left, and there is a narrow gap between the two fairway bunkers in the landing zone. Avoid all those, and you’ll think about taking on the green. Length and accuracy are needed off the tee on 17 – a 440-yard par 4. The space (not that there is much thanks to the trees) is out to the left, while the putting surface has bunkers guarding the front portion of it. At just 245 yards, the closing hole at Royal Burgess looks simple, but it is not. Tree trouble and OOB, including the clubhouse by the green, run down the right side, with a burn cutting across the fairway 70 yards from the surface. Many a good card has been ruined on this short, but tricky finisher.

Where is Royal Burgess located?

Royal Burgess, or the Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh to give the venue its full name, is, as you might expect, in the city of Edinburgh. It sits around six miles to the west of Scotland’s capital city, in the borough of Barnton. It sits just off the A90, and is only a mile and a half from the coast to the north.

Thanks to its location on the western side of Edinburgh, Royal Burgess is within just four miles of the country’s biggest and busiest airport. Edinburgh Gateway is the closest train station to the golfing venue, around two miles to the south. Services run between Perth and Edinburgh on a regular basis via Edinburgh Gateway.

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

Royal Burgess is next door to the Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, which is a member of the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list. The Musselburgh (Monktonhall) is on the opposite side of the city, around ten miles from Royal Burgess. Lanark and Glenbervie are also within 30 miles.

What golf facilities does Royal Burgess offer?

The club has a practice facility situated between the 1st, 17th and 18th holes of the course. There are matted and grass tees at the practice area, along with a short game area as well. The club has a putting green also, located next to the 1st tee.

What are the green fees at Royal Burgess?

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