Golf has been played at Dunbar for centuries. It may not be as well known as some of its illustrious neighbours, but more and more people are discovering what a great place it is to play. The present course, first laid out by Old Tom Morris in the mid-19th century, has hosted events including Open Qualifying, the Scottish Amateur and the British Boys Championship.

The round begins inland, with the opening holes tucked behind a substantial stone wall built by Napoleonic prisoners. Then comes one of the great reveals in Scottish golf. As you walk through a narrow gap in the wall, the course opens out onto a thin strip of fast-running links ground set beside the Firth of Forth. Fourteen wonderful links holes follow the coastline, with the Bass Rock in view and the wind shaping the challenge as you turn and come all the way back to town.

Dunbar is a serious test of links golf in one of the most pretty settings in the land. A must-play on an East Lothian golf trip.

Gullane No. 1 is one of Scotland’s great championship links, laid out by Willie Park Junior in 1884 on ground where golf has been played for more than 350 years. The course begins and ends in the heart of the village, a rare and appealing feature that adds real character to the round.

After a gentle opening, the challenge quickly sharpens as the course climbs Gullane Hill, where fast running fairways, firm turf and thoughtful bunkering demand accuracy and judgement. From the 7th tee, the view across the Firth of Forth is among the finest in golf.

A regular host of the Scottish Open and Open Championship Final Qualifying, Gullane No. 1 is a fair, searching and deeply satisfying test.

Gullane No. 2, designed by Willie Park Jr. in 1898, is often described as the connoisseur’s choice. While No. 1 may take the headlines, many members quietly favour No. 2 for its variety, strategy, and charm.

The round begins with a steady climb to the top of Gullane Hill, where you’re rewarded with one of the great panoramas in Scottish golf – the neighbouring courses at your feet, the Firth of Forth stretching wide, and Edinburgh rising in the distance.

From there, the course unfolds with subtlety and intrigue. It’s a little shorter than Gullane 1, but every bit as demanding in its own way. The bunkers are cleverly placed, the greens beautifully contoured, and the changes in elevation keep you guessing. It asks you to think your way around, shaping shots and choosing lines with care.

Gullane No. 2 combines history, beauty, and guile – a links of true character.

At just over 5,100 yards, you might think Gullane No. 3 is little more than a gentle knock – but you’d be wrong. It may be short, but it still asks plenty of questions.

There is only one par 5, and a short one at that, but the par 4s range nicely in length and the par 3s give a great variety of challenges. The well-protected greens are the smallest of Gullane’s three layouts, demanding precision with your approaches. The fairways run firm and fast, so placement matters as much as power. This is a course that rewards strategy, touch, and imagination over brute strength.

Compact, clever, and full of charm, Gullane No. 3 will surprise you in the best possible way.

East Lothian is home to some of the sternest tests in golf, but Kilspindie offers something different – golf at its most joyful. The game has been played on this land since the mid-1800s, and in 1898 Willie Park Jr. and Ben Sayers laid out the course we play today.

It’s an open, inviting links where fairways melt into greens and the rough is rarely punishing. The sea is never far away, bringing both beauty and breeze, and the relaxed layout invites as much conversation as concentration.

Kilspindie is filled with short par fours that tease and tempt, but seldom demand the driver if it’s misbehaving. There’s also a wonderful collection of par threes, the standout being the eighth – just 150 yards, yet with water on two sides it delivers plenty of drama.

Fast, scenic, and endlessly fun, Kilspindie proves that a course doesn’t need to be long or tough to be truly memorable.

You may not have heard too much about Luffness. It’s a very private members’ club, just on the outskirts of Gullane. But all those who play it are captivated by the old school charm of the clubhouse and the classic links course.

Old Tom Morris designed the ‘new’ course in 1867 and the layout is largely unchanged today. It starts over flat ground near the clubhouse before going out towards the lower levels of Gullane Hill. It’s not a course that will beat you up, but it is a quality test that you will remember for a long time.

Try to organise your tee time to take in the formal lunch – it’s rather special! A day at Luffness really is a wonderful experience.

Muirfield is one of the very finest links courses in the world – a place where the traditions of the game are cherished and its challenges perfectly preserved. This is golf of the highest calibre, a course that has produced an extraordinary list of Open champions.

The clubhouse at Muirfield is among the most historic in the game. You’ll be able to use the members’ locker room, so take a moment to look around and absorb the history that seeps from every polished wooden panel.

Muirfield’s famous routing runs in two loops – the front nine clockwise, the back nine anticlockwise. It’s a brilliant design that constantly changes your perspective and ensures you rarely face the same wind for long.

Positioning is key at Muirfield, so listen carefully to your caddie and do your best to follow their advice. This may be the best-bunkered course in all of golf. The slopes leading into them create vast catchment areas, and they can be devilishly difficult to escape.

Many professionals consider Muirfield the finest course on the Open rota. It’s easy to see why. This is pure, timeless golf – a test that will stay with you for the rest of your days.

A round at Musselburgh Old is a journey back in time, played on what is widely regarded as the world’s oldest golf course. Musselburgh hosted The Open Championship six times in the 19th century and played a central role in the early development of the game, serving as the home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers before their move to Muirfield.

Much of the course sits within the town’s racecourse, and it wasn’t built with modern equipment in mind. To truly embrace its spirit, consider playing your round with hickory clubs, a fitting way to connect with the game’s earliest roots.

You’ll find excellent bunkering and wonderfully sloping greens throughout. The famous 4th hole, a long dogleg over the race track with Mrs Forman’s pub just beyond the green, is a moment to savour.

Don’t worry about your score here. Instead, enjoy the history, the charm, and the view of the Edinburgh skyline as you finish your round. Musselburgh Old is golf as it once was, simple, pure, and unforgettable.

North Berwick is one of the most enjoyable and distinctive courses in the world, a place where golf feels inventive and full of character. Played over these links since the 17th century, the out and back layout begins and ends in the heart of the town and follows the coastline of the Firth of Forth throughout.

Beaches, burns and stone walls shape the round and keep things interesting from start to finish. The course is packed with memorable holes, from the famous Redan 15th to the wonderfully eccentric 13th, The Pit, with its small green hidden behind a wall.

North Berwick is a course that encourages imagination and will leave you smiling long after the round is finished.