North Berwick Golf Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in the world and the home of the famous West Links
Founded in 1832 and located on the East Lothian coast in Scotland, the club offers visitors the chance to play one of golf’s most original and influential links courses, set beside the Firth of Forth just 25 miles east of Edinburgh.
For golfers planning a visit, North Berwick Golf Club is about more than history alone. The West Links remains one of the most distinctive and enjoyable rounds in Scotland, while the club itself provides a warm, well-organised visitor experience in one of the game’s most beautiful seaside settings.
*Click here to read our first-hand take on our visit to the North Berwick West Links
North Berwick Golf Club: Quick Facts (2026)
- 📍 Location: Beach Road, North Berwick, East Lothian, EH39 4BB, around 25 miles east of Edinburgh.
- 📅 Founded: 1832.
- ⛳ Course: The West Links, a true links on the edge of the Firth of Forth.
- 📏 Par / Yardage: The current men’s white card shows par 71, 6,497 yards.
- 💷 Green Fees (2026): £220 in March, £320 from April to October on visitor days.
- 🕒 Visitor Tee Times (2026): Monday to Thursday 11.00am–2.30pm, Sunday 12 noon–3.30pm, no visitors on Friday or Saturday.
- 📞 Bookings: Online, via enquiry form, or by calling the bookings office.
- 🏌️ Other Clubs on the West Links: Tantallon Golf Club, Bass Rock Golf Club, and North Berwick Ladies’ Golf Club also play over the course.
Is North Berwick Golf Club worth it?
Yes. North Berwick Golf Club is absolutely worth it for golfers who value originality, history, and fun as much as difficulty. The West Links is one of the most distinctive and influential courses in the world, and the club’s seaside setting and visitor welcome add to the appeal.
How much are North Berwick Golf Club green fees?
For 2026, visitor green fees are £220 in March and £320 from April to October on the club’s listed visitor days. Full details, including junior and qualifying discounts, are worth checking before booking.
When can visitors play North Berwick Golf Club?
Visitors are welcome from 1 March to 30 November 2026, with tee times available Monday to Thursday and on Sundays. Fridays and Saturdays are reserved for member play.
How do you book North Berwick Golf Club tee times?
Bookings can be made online, through the club’s enquiry form, or by calling the bookings office directly.
Why North Berwick Golf Club Feels So Special
North Berwick Golf Club offers something increasingly rare in modern golf: a world-class course that still feels playful, welcoming, and entirely true to itself.
The West Links is not simply a historic layout, but a course of invention, charm, and endless variety, where stone walls, rumpled greens, beachside fairways, and endlessly clever design combine to create one of the most distinctive rounds in Scotland.
Set beside the Firth of Forth, with Bass Rock looming out to sea and the town pressed close to the edge of the course, North Berwick feels as though golf has always belonged here. Families walk the beach as golfers play above it, the clubhouse watches over the 18th green, and the whole place carries that rare sense of golf being woven naturally into daily life.
What makes the experience so memorable is not just the history or the views, but the sheer enjoyment of the course itself. The West Links asks for creativity rather than brute force. It invites imagination, rewards curiosity, and leaves golfers smiling as often as it leaves them scratching their heads. That is why so many people return to North Berwick West Links again and again. It is not merely a course to admire, but one to fall in love with.
The History of North Berwick Golf Club and the West Links
Golf has been played in North Berwick for centuries, but it was in 1832 that North Berwick Golf Club was formally founded, making it one of the oldest clubs in the world. What began as a modest six-hole course gradually evolved into one of the most influential links in the game.
Over time, the course developed not through grand reinvention, but through careful shaping and bold ideas. Ben Sayers played a particularly important role in that story, helping extend and refine the course in the late 19th century. His influence can still be felt today, not only in the character of the links itself, but in the enduring sense that North Berwick is a place where golf’s past remains close at hand.
What makes the history of North Berwick Golf Club so compelling is that it is still written into the land. The West Links does not feel like a museum piece or a preserved relic. It feels alive. The famous Redan, the wall fronting the 13th green, the shared fairway of the opening and closing holes, all of it speaks to a course that helped shape golfing architecture rather than simply follow it.
That is why North Berwick occupies such a special place in the game. It is not just old, and not just influential. It is a course whose ideas travelled the world, while the original remains gloriously, stubbornly itself. To walk the West Links is to feel golf history not as something distant, but as something still under your feet.
The Best Holes on the West Links
North Berwick Golf Club is full of memorable holes, but a handful have become part of golfing folklore. What makes the West Links so special is not just that it contains famous holes, but that they each feel entirely true to the place, shaped by the coastline, the weather, and a kind of inventive spirit that runs through the entire course.
The 13th, Pit
The 13th is one of the most distinctive short par 4s in golf. The approach must be played over a stone wall that fronts the green, a feature so eccentric and yet so natural that it perfectly captures the character of North Berwick. It is clever, awkward, and deeply satisfying when played well.
The 15th, Redan
The Redan is perhaps the most influential par 3 in the world. Its angled green, falling away from right to left, has inspired imitations across the globe, but the original remains the best expression of the idea. Standing on the tee with the Firth of Forth in view, it is easy to see why this hole changed golf architecture forever.
The 16th
Few greens in golf are as unforgettable as the one at the 16th. Split dramatically by a deep gully, it creates one of the most unusual and exacting approach shots you will find anywhere. It is a hole that rewards nerve and precision, and one that tends to stay in the memory long after the round has ended.
The 18th
The closing hole at the West Links is one of the most charming finishing holes in golf. Running back towards the old stone clubhouse with the town gathered around it, it carries echoes of St Andrews while still feeling unmistakably North Berwick. Reach the green in one and you will feel a surge of ambition fulfilled. Miss it, and the walk home is still one to savour.
What makes these holes so enduring is that they are not isolated spectacles. They are woven into a course of constant movement, variety, and surprise. At North Berwick, one memorable moment never feels far from the next.
Planning Your Visit to North Berwick Golf Club
North Berwick Golf Club rewards a little preparation. The West Links may feel timeless once you are out on the course, but visitor access is structured and demand is high, particularly during the main season. The good news is that the club is welcoming, well organised, and very clear about how to plan your day.
How to book North Berwick Golf Club tee times
Visitor bookings can be made online, while the club’s bookings team can assist with one, two, or three-ball reservations. Once a reservation is made, full payment of the green fee must be completed within seven days to secure the booking.
North Berwick Golf Club green fees
For 2026, green fees are listed at £220 from 1 March to 31 March, and £320 from 1 April to 31 October on visitor days. Scottish residents who are members of a Scottish golf club can access a reduced rate of £165 per person during March and November, subject to proof of address and club membership.
What is the nearest airport to North Berwick Golf Club?
Edinburgh Airport is the nearest major airport and makes North Berwick Golf Club one of the most accessible great links courses in Scotland.
When can visitors play North Berwick Golf Club?
Visitors are welcome from 1 March to 30 November 2026. Tee times are available Monday to Thursday from 11.00am to 2.30pm and on Sundays from 12 noon to 3.30pm. There is no visitor play on Fridays or Saturdays. The club also notes several 2026 maintenance closures, so it is worth checking dates before finalising a trip.
Caddies, trolleys, and practice facilities
Caddie requests should be made at the time of booking, or at least 14 days in advance where possible, and the 2026 caddie rate is £70 plus gratuity. Push trolleys are available to hire for £5, while a limited number of electric trolleys can be booked in advance for £20. Titleist hire clubs are also available for £50 per round, inclusive of a push trolley. For warming up, the club has putting and chipping areas beside the 1st tee, two warm-up nets, and a full-length practice facility located about a five-minute drive from the clubhouse.
Dress code and practical things to know
On the course, the club expects an acceptable standard of golfing attire. Jeans, tracksuits, cargo shorts, and T-shirts are not permitted. In the clubhouse, the dress code is more relaxed, though ripped or dirty jeans, tracksuits, and football or rugby tops are still not allowed, and hats or caps should be removed indoors. The club also notes that there is no formal car park, so golfers should allow extra time to find a space on nearby public streets.
A simple North Berwick mindset
Arrive with time to spare. Use the short-game areas, take in the beachside setting, and remember that this is a course best enjoyed with curiosity rather than brute force. North Berwick is not just about surviving one of Scotland’s great links, but about letting its originality, seaside charm, and sheer fun work their way under your skin. This final point is my interpretation, but it is strongly supported by the course setup, visitor information, and the West Links’ design character.
North Berwick Golf Club Scorecard
The scorecard for the West Links at North Berwick Golf Club, shows the white tees listed at par 71 and 6,497 yards, a modest figure by modern standards that says very little about how inventive, exacting, and unusual the course actually is.
North Berwick Golf Club Course Map
The course map for the West Links at North Berwick Golf Club.
North Berwick Golf Club: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where is North Berwick Golf Club located?
North Berwick Golf Club is located on Beach Road in North Berwick, East Lothian, about 25 miles east of Edinburgh, beside the Firth of Forth.
What makes the North Berwick West Links so special?
The West Links is known for its originality, seaside setting, and architectural influence. Holes such as the Redan and the Pit have become world famous, while the course as a whole is celebrated for combining fun, history, and strategic variety. This is partly an interpretation, supported by the club’s own history and the course’s well-known architectural reputation.
Does North Berwick Golf Club offer memberships?
Yes. The club offers a range of membership categories, though availability is limited and subject to waiting lists.
Is there a golf shop at North Berwick Golf Club?
Yes. The professional shop is located beside the 1st tee in the old Ben Sayers workshop building and is one of the most distinctive pro shops in Scottish golf.
What accommodation is available near North Berwick Golf Club?
North Berwick has a wide range of accommodation options, and the town’s location also makes it a useful base for wider East Lothian golf trips. This is a general planning inference based on the club’s location and surrounding golf region.
How many golf courses are there in North Berwick?
North Berwick is home to more than one course. The West Links is the most famous, while The Glen Golf Club, often referred to as the East Links, is a separate course nearby.
Is North Berwick the same as Berwick Golf Club?
No. North Berwick Golf Club is in East Lothian, Scotland, while Berwick-upon-Tweed’s Goswick course is a different club entirely. This distinction is an inference based on the separate clubs and locations.
