Cheap Golf in Edinburgh: The Local's Guide to Budget Rounds

Edinburgh has a reputation as an expensive city. The golf, at least, doesn't deserve that reputation. There are more affordable rounds within the city boundary than in most comparable European capitals — partly because Edinburgh Leisure runs council courses that charge less than a cinema ticket, and partly because the private clubs around the city take visitors at rates that look very good once you've seen what comparable parkland costs in Surrey.

This piece is specifically about the cheap end. For the broader Edinburgh-area picture across all price points, including the East Lothian links and the parkland clubs north and south of the city, see our 15 best courses within 45 minutes of Edinburgh.

The Edinburgh Leisure courses — the real budget tier

Edinburgh Leisure runs five 18-hole courses, a 9-hole course, and the free pitch-and-putt on Bruntsfield Links — all open to the public, no membership required. You book online or by phone, pay at the starter's box, and play. Green fees run from £18 to £28 for the 18-hole courses, depending on course and season.

Braid Hills No. 1 — from £22

The flagship. Highest course in Edinburgh, with panoramic views across the Pentlands and the Firth of Forth. A genuine test — par 70, undulating fairways, small greens that punish approach play on the tighter holes. Gets windy. Frequently gets busy at weekends, when booking 48 hours ahead is sensible.

Twilight rate: from around 3 pm in winter, typically £15–£17. The light on the Pentlands at sunset is the reward for the climb.

Braid Hills No. 2 — from £18

Shorter and more forgiving than No. 1, sharing the same hilltop location. Good for an evening round when No. 1 is full. Often the better choice for mixed abilities or a first Edinburgh round where you want to see the views without the card pressure.

Silverknowes — from £22

On the Firth of Forth shoreline, north of the city near Cramond village. Flat, exposed to sea wind, with views across to Fife. More links in character than the parkland courses inland — the wind is the defence on the holes nearest the water.

Carrick Knowe — from £18

West Edinburgh, Stenhouse area. Flat, tree-lined parkland — the most straightforward of the 18-hole courses. Suits beginners and social golf; less of a test for low-handicappers, but good value for a quick weekday round.

Craigentinny — from £18

East Edinburgh, between Leith and Portobello. 18 holes, parkland, often the quietest of the Edinburgh Leisure courses on weekday mornings. Good condition for the price; a sensible choice when Braid Hills No. 1 is fully booked.

Portobello — 9 holes, from £14

A nine-hole municipal in Portobello Park, the cheapest 18-hole equivalent (play it twice) in the city. Short, walkable, friendly to beginners and to families.

Bruntsfield Links Short Hole Course — free

The 36-hole pitch-and-putt on Bruntsfield Links park, in the Meadows area. Free to play, walk-up only, no booking. Bring a wedge and a putter. Holes are 30–90 yards. Locals have used it for over a hundred years; it's a good way to spend an hour with a beginner or to warm up the short game before a round elsewhere.

(Not to be confused with the private Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society in Davidson's Mains — that's a members' club, green fee around £80.)

Booking all Edinburgh Leisure courses: edinburghleisure.co.uk or 0131 458 2100.

Musselburgh Old Links — from £18 (9 holes)

Technically East Lothian rather than Edinburgh, but it's 6 miles from the city centre and accessible by bus. The oldest playing golf course in the world. Nine holes, played on the Musselburgh racecourse, crossed occasionally by horses. No manicured rough, no halfway hut, no pretension. You pay, you play, you leave feeling like you've played somewhere no travel guide can quite describe.

Green fee is around £18–£22 for nine holes. Twilight rates available. No membership, no handicap certificate. [Read more about Musselburgh Old Links →](/courses/musselburgh-old-links)

The private clubs worth booking as a visitor

Mortonhall Golf Club — from £55

South Edinburgh, Fairmilehead. A proper parkland in very good condition, with a warm welcome for visitors on weekdays. Green fee around £55, which represents genuine value for what you get. Book by email or phone — no online tee time booking, which keeps the course quieter than it would otherwise be.

Duddingston Golf Club — from £55

East Edinburgh, by Duddingston Loch. Arthur's Seat looming overhead. One of the best parkland settings in the city. Visitors welcome Tuesday to Thursday. Green fee similar to Mortonhall. The combination of setting and price puts it among the best-value city rounds in Scotland.

Royal Burgess Golfing Society — from £80

Founded in 1735, making it a serious contender for the oldest golf club in the world. Davidson's Mains, northwest Edinburgh, a parkland in excellent condition. Visitors on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons by arrangement. Green fee around £80. Worth it for the history and the course quality — less suited to a strict budget round, but competitive with comparable clubs in the south of England.

Tips for keeping costs down

Go twilight. Edinburgh Leisure drops rates after 3 pm in winter, 4–5 pm in summer. The evening light on the Braids in June is worth the drive up there.

Weekdays only for private clubs. Every Edinburgh private club that takes visitors does so on weekdays. Weekend visitor slots, where they exist, command a premium or require advance planning.

Bus it to Musselburgh. The Lothian Buses service from the city centre reaches Musselburgh in under 20 minutes. The Old Links is a short walk from the town — no hire car required.

Edinburgh Leisure online booking. The system is basic but functional. Slots at Braid Hills No. 1 fill by Thursday evening for the weekend. Midweek, you can usually book the day before.

The bottom line

You can play a proper 18-hole round in Edinburgh — on a maintained, public course with views — for £18–£22. You can play the oldest golf course in the world nine holes at a time for under £20. The expensive version of Edinburgh golf (the Royal Burgess, the private clubs, the day trips to Gullane and North Berwick) is there when the budget allows. It's not the only version.

Browse all Edinburgh-area courses on our finder → or see courses under £30 in Scotland →.

Related: the cheapest golf courses in Scotland · what municipal golf in Scotland actually is · cheap golf in Glasgow.