| "Auld Reekie" as it was once dubbed is also a busy
business centre and is home to the Scottish Parliament. Alongside the tourists will be
bands of business people and politicians and when the working day is done they'll be in
need of some recreational diversion. Prestonfield
Golf Club is a lovely parkland course so handy for anyone in town. The course itself is
not over-taxing but a great opener on a city golf tour or the perfect apres-office hours
round during Scotland's bright summer evenings.
The next nearest course is Duddingston Golf Club, a slightly
sterner test in a lovely tree-lined park that is artfully intersected by a gathering burn.
The best of golfers would come off Duddingston well satisfied. Meanwhile, ten minutes away
from Prestonfield are the municipal courses of Braid Hills. To say the two Braid Hills
course have nice views overlooking the city is a gross understatement. The vista is quite
simply stunning, perhaps the best in Edinburgh - and that is saying something. Only in
Scotland could you find such a golf course with a panorama like this and, wait for it, all
for under a tenner a round - with the views thrown in.
There are some twenty courses immediate to the
city with three or four times that number within easy driving distance. To the east of the
town centre are the hallowed grounds of Royal Burgess and Bruntsfield Links. These are
expensive private clubs that will allow visitors but arrangements must be made in advance.
To the west are the fine courses of Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club with the East course
often hosting championship events.
To the south of the city is a new facility on
the road to Lasswade grandly designated "King's Acre" Golf Club. This only
opened as an 18-hole course in 1998 and is already busy. One course you should visit, if
not to play then just to come and pay homage to, is in fact the world's oldest golf
course. Musselburgh Links has seen golf played over its ground since at least the 16th
century. For many years it was neglected as a council course but now with a discerning new
green keeper and keener council management this has changed immensely and is still
evolving. The course, which was never easy, is now in good condition. You can even hire a
reproduction set of hickory clubs for a taste of how the game used to be played.
Musselburgh has two other excellent courses, Royal Musselburgh and Musselburgh Golf Club,
both a short drive from the Old links.
Check out Golfing
Edinburgh |
