North Berwick West Links

Looking over the 10th green from the tee at the far western end of the course. The beauty of the setting is obvious and the best holes are yet to come

On a course full of memorable holes, the 13th - Pit - is one that imprints itself indelibly on your memory. You also cross stone walls at less significant stages of the 3rd, 4th and 16th holes 

The Biarritz green at the 16th is one of the highlights of a back nine that strikes perfect note after perfect note from the 12th through to the 17th

 

Course name: North Berwick West Links

Location: North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland

Four Word Course Review: Gate? Redan Biarritz? Check!

Okay, so I know the 16th is not a proper Biarritz, what with it being a 380-yard par four and not a 200 to 230-yard par three; and the green being set at an angle to the line of approach; and the flanking bunkers being absent. But look at that ravine in the green! Is that cool or what?

North Berwick was my favoutite day on a golf course to date. I had a beaming smile on my face from go to whoa. Just a collection of awesome holes, memorable shots and beautiful scenery.

The 13th, Pit, saw you play your short second shot over an ancient stone wall that stymied a running approach. The 14th, Perfection, is just as the name suggests, with one of the most beautiful green sites I have come accross.

The set of par threes, of which Redan (15th) is obviously the most famous, was all class. The 4th was a classic links par three with a dune feeding the running approach up to the flag, the 6th was played over a cavernous bunker and the 10th was a gorgeous heavily-bunkered slight drop shot with the Firth of Forth just metres to your left.

I was chuffed to play Redan just as intended - a drawn five iron landing on the front right and feeding down to 15 feet below the hole.

I also really liked the par fives - the 8th, 9th and 11th. The drive on the 9th was genius: a wide flat drive was made interesting through the addition of two centreline bunkers that offer a hero line down the left that cuts about 20 yards off the hole, but requires a drive threaded between the bunkers and the out of bounds fence.

Usually, if you placed three par fives within four holes of each other it was be a drag. Not so here. All in all, just a hell of a lot of fun. I defy you to ever tire of playing North Berwick West Links.