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Musselburgh Links (The Old Course)

Musselburgh Links (The Old Course)

A nine-hole Open venue woven through the centre of Musselburgh Racecourse.

  • EDINBURGH Location
  • LINKS Course type
  • 9 Holes
  • 34 Par

Beyond the Scorecard

  • Course established: 1870

  • Course designer/s: No single designer recorded

  • National ranking: #94 in Scotland

  • Known for: Six Opens within Musselburgh Racecourse

  • Defining feature: Nine holes enclosed by the racecourse

The Open Inside the Racecourse

The golf course at Musselburgh Links reached its present nine-hole form in 1870, when the final hole was added to an older seven-hole layout that had gained an eighth hole in 1832. The links themselves are far older, with documentary evidence recording play at Musselburgh in 1672.

Its greatest championship period ran from 1874 to 1889, when the course hosted The Open six times. During those years, the nine holes were played four times to produce a 36-hole championship. Winners included Mungo Park, Bob Ferguson, David Brown, and Willie Park Jnr.

The course remains enclosed by Musselburgh Racecourse, creating a layout unlike any other former Open venue. Three par threes, five par fours, and one par five make up the compact round. Its history also extends beyond championship golf: several leading Scottish clubs once used the links, and the world's first recorded women's golf competition took place here in 1811.

Why Add This Course to Your Golf Experience

Musselburgh Links offers a rare chance to play an original Open venue in a short, accessible round. The course is open to the public throughout the year, and visitors can hire hickory clubs for a closer sense of nineteenth-century golf.

Kinfern can include it before an afternoon round farther along the East Lothian coast or as a lighter arrival-day experience near Edinburgh. Its compact format gives golfers time to explore the game's early traditions without taking a full day from the wider itinerary.

Gallery

Musselburgh Links (The Old Course)
Musselburgh Links (The Old Course)
Musselburgh Links (The Old Course)
Musselburgh Links (The Old Course)
Musselburgh Links (The Old Course)
Musselburgh Links (The Old Course)

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