Longniddry Golf Club

Colt's Coastal Course Through the Trees

The golf course at Longniddry Golf Club opened in 1921 after the 11th Earl of Wemyss invited Harry S. Colt to create 18 holes on the estate. Around 150 acres were made available, and extensive tree clearing produced Colt's original 6,369-yard layout. An inaugural four-ball brought James Braid and Ted Ray against J. H. Taylor and Abe Mitchell before an estimated 4,000 spectators.

Later architects reshaped parts of the course. Braid advised the club in 1936, Philip Mackenzie Ross redesigned it after wartime cultivation, and Donald Steel later reviewed the bunkering. Two seaside holes were lost during the 1945 work, contributing to the unusual mix now found across the round.

Longniddry has no par fives for men, yet eight par fours stretch beyond 400 yards from the back tees. Open coastal ground gives way to tree-lined holes before the routing returns towards the Firth of Forth. The compact par-68 course draws its challenge from repeated long two-shot holes and the wind's effect on each line of play.