Golf Travel to Scotland's Golf Coast: Where to Play, Stay, and Explore

Scotland's Golf Coast

By Brian Weis

East Lothian is home to Scotland's Golf Coast, one of the most concentrated collections of quality golf courses anywhere in the world. Just 30 minutes east of Edinburgh, this coastal stretch along the Firth of Forth is packed with legendary links, hidden gems, and enough Scottish character to last several rounds.

You're within easy reach of over 20 courses, including Open Championship venues, classic links, and modern layouts. It's a destination built for golfers who want to play somewhere historic but stay somewhere comfortable - with a dram waiting at the end of the day.

Where to Play

Muirfield
One of the most exclusive and historic courses in the world. Home to The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, Muirfield has hosted 16 Open Championships. If you can snag a tee time on visitor days, it's an unforgettable walk.

North Berwick Golf Club (West Links)
You'll want to play this one more than once. North Berwick offers a classic seaside experience with blind shots, stone walls in play, and quirky holes you'll never forget. The views over Bass Rock aren't bad either.

Gullane Golf Club
Gullane has three courses, and No. 1 gets most of the spotlight for good reason. It's hosted the Scottish Open and delivers firm fairways, wind-swept rough, and elevated views of the coast. No. 2 and No. 3 offer great value and fewer crowds.

Dunbar Golf Club
Laid out along a narrow strip of land between the sea and a stone wall, Dunbar combines beauty and challenge. The wind is always part of the round, and you'll get plenty of chances to use the bump-and-run.

The Glen Golf Club
Known as "The East Links," The Glen is North Berwick's second course-but don't overlook it. It's scenic, affordable, and playable for all skill levels. The par-3 13th might be one of the most photogenic holes in Scotland.

Longniddry Golf Club
Just 20 minutes from Edinburgh, Longniddry is a mix of links and parkland with firm, fast-running fairways and mature trees. Designed in part by Harry Colt, it's a strategic test that locals love and visitors often miss.

Where to Stay: Garleton Lodge

This isn't your standard golf accommodation. Garleton Lodge sits on a hilltop overlooking the coast and countryside. You're 15 minutes from most courses, but you'll feel like you're in your own world.

Expect spacious, well-designed rooms, a private hot tub, and an in-house restaurant that punches well above its weight. The lodge is run by owners David and Angela, who know how to take care of golfers-they'll help you with tee times, transport, and recovery. There's even a drying room for your gear.

The views from the hot tub at sunset are reason enough to book.

Things to Do Along the Way

Whisky & Beer
Tour Glenkinchie Distillery nearby, the Lowland home of Johnnie Walker. You can also stop at Winton Brewery or Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar if you're more of a beer person.

Outdoor Adventures
Walk along the John Muir Way, go paddleboarding in North Berwick, or hike up Traprain Law for panoramic views over East Lothian.

Castles & History
Tantallon Castle sits dramatically on a cliff edge and is worth a detour. You're also not far from Dirleton Castle, and if you've got a bit of time, Edinburgh is an easy day trip.

Local Dining
Try seafood at The Lobster Shack in North Berwick (seasonal) or dine at Osteria, a top-rated Italian spot in town. Don't skip Garleton's in-house dining-it's one of the best meals you'll have.

Getting There

Fly into Edinburgh Airport (EDI). From there, it's about a 40-minute drive to Garleton Lodge and the heart of Scotland's Golf Coast.

Driving distances:

* Edinburgh: 30 minutes
* Glasgow: 1.5 hours
* St Andrews: 2 hours

If you're not renting a car, arrange transfers with Garleton Lodge - they have the local connections with the transportation companies.

More Information »

Revised: 03/23/2025 - Article Viewed 70 Times

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.