Dunbar Golf Club

Rocky shoreline and sandstone walls frame Dunbar's narrow coastal links.

EDINBURGH Location
LINKS Course type
18 Holes
71 Par

Beyond the Scorecard

Course established: 1856
Course designer/s: Old Tom Morris, Ben Sayers, and James Braid
National ranking: #37
Known for: Open qualifying beside the North Sea
Defining feature: Rocky shoreline and red sandstone wall

Between Wall and Water

The golf course at Dunbar Golf Club began in 1856 as a 15-hole layout on the East Links. Old Tom Morris altered seven holes in 1894, and Ben Sayers and James Braid shaped the course largely played today during work completed in the 1920s.

After the opening stretch across the former deer park, the routing turns towards the sea at the fourth. Thirteen consecutive holes then occupy a tight strip between Broxmouth's red sandstone wall and the rocky shoreline. Out of bounds presses from one side, while the North Sea and shifting wind influence the other.

Dunbar measures under 6,600 yards from the medal tees, yet the club stresses club selection and judgement rather than length. The course served as Final Qualifying when The Open was held at Muirfield and hosted the first PGA Championship on the European Tour in 1968. Its scale feels intimate, but the exposed coastal corridor rarely allows careless play.

Why Add This Course to Your Golf Experience

Dunbar adds a concentrated seaside round to an Edinburgh-region golf experience. Its coastal holes feel close to the water, and the shorter overall yardage keeps the emphasis on reading the wind and choosing the right shot.

The town's rail connection and East Lothian setting also make the course practical to pair with North Berwick or Gullane. Kinfern can place Dunbar within a coastal itinerary for golfers who value old links character and a round where every change in weather remains part of the experience.