Dunbar Golf Club has been around for more than 175 years,  having been founded back in 1856.

It is a challenging links course with stunning scenery, situated within yards of crashing waves from the North Sea.

Dunbar has been a Regional Qualifying venue for the Open Championship, and is not just a test for professionals, but for amateurs as well!

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

1856 saw the founding of Dunbar Golf Club, making it one of the oldest courses on the NCG Top 100 Great Britain & Ireland list. Golf in the town goes back much further than that, with the Dunbar Golfing Society dating back as far as 1794.

There have been five iterations of the golf course at Dunbar. The first course featured 15 holes, with an 18-hole lay-out being brought in in 1880.

Old Tom Morris made changes in 1894, with James Braid then making more alterations a century ago. Braid's lay-out from 1924 is the one that remains today, with the course being extended to just shy of 6,600 yards in 2008.

Having struggled through the two World Wars, Dunbar and the Dunbar Castle Club merged in the late 1950s. Since then, the club has been host to Final Qualifying for the Open Championship on several occasions, as well as a multiple-time host of the Scottish Amateur Championship.

A big construction project is currently underway at Dunbar as well, with planning permission approved for a new nine-hole course, practice range, golf academy and clubhouse building. This will be shaped on land to the side of the current second hole.

Out in 37, home in 34, Dunbar Golf Club certainly has a different look to its scorecard. It measures just shy of 6,600 yards as a par-71, and with strong sea breezes that you’re never quite sure which direction they’re blowing in, it plays a lot longer at times.

Uniquely, Dunbar Golf Club starts with two par-5s, and the two most inland holes on the property. They can both be seen as reachable in two for the longer hitters, especially the first at just 474 yards. The first has a burn in front of the green to catch any shots that aren’t hit perfectly, while the returning 2nd hole measures at 540 and with the prevailing wind usually at the back.

The 3rd is the first par-3 on the property, and has out of bounds all down the left and long. Several bunkers guard the green. The 4th only measures 353 yards, but with out of bounds right and the North Sea left, it is the narrowest hole on the course. The 5th is a short par-3 at just 147, playing from an elevated tee but with swirling winds off the coast, club selection is vital with run-offs into bunkers at every angle. 

A wall and out of bounds run down the right side of the fairway at 6 and 7, before a comfortable 8th hole at just 380 yards. The 532 yard par-5 brings the front nine to a close. Once again, there is out of bounds down the right to take any errant tee shots. The back nine starts with a par-3 measuring at more than 200 yards, with the 11th then featuring the rocks, beach and crashing waves down your right. At 460 yards, it is one of the longer par-4s at Dunbar. The 12th follows the same path, with a blind tee shot, and if you aim slightly right, you’ll be fishing your ball out of the North Sea.

A trio of par-4s take you into the final stretch at Dunbar, with the 16th being a short par-3. It is only 160 yards, but with out of bounds tight to the left of the green, and the North Sea tight to the right, there be nothing but accuracy off the tee. The 17th is split into three parts thanks to a burn in front of the tee and a burn in front of the green, before the closing hole, a 430 yard par-4, features out of bounds and a wall down the right. Take a par on the last and go and enjoy a drink after a tough test.

Dunbar Golf Club is located on the east coast of Scotland, in an area of golfing paradise. It is situated just down the coast from North Berwick, Longniddry, Gullane and Musselburgh, all course that should be played on a Scottish trip if you can!

Edinburgh sits just 45 minutes from Dunbar Golf Club with Edinburgh International Airport just under an hour away from Dunbar, sitting on the other side of the city. 

There are three different prices for green fees at Dunbar Golf Club. The cheapest for an 18-hole round is £135, if you play there between Monday and Wednesday. A Friday round will cost £150, while playing at Dunbar on the weekend will set you back £170. Visitors cannot play at Dunbar Golf Club on Thursdays. 

Golf tuition and clinics are available from the professionals, of which you can contact the pro shop to book in in advance. 

There are also push and electric trolleys, buggies and caddies also available to be hired for your round at Dunbar. Push trolleys cost £6, electric trolleys £20 and buggies £40 per round. Caddies are from £60 (plus gratuity) to help you plot your way round the course.

There is also a putting green and a short driving range (180 yards), with practice nets and a short game area located in front of the clubhouse.

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