Scheduled · publishes 1 January 2099
Trip Itineraries
East Lothian Golf Crawl: 3 Proper Links in 2 Days, No Marquee Prices
You don't need Muirfield or North Berwick West Links to play East Lothian. Base a two-day crawl on the coast's affordable links instead — Gullane No.3, The Glen at North Berwick and Craigielaw — three genuine links for a fraction of the headline fees, with real 2026 green fees, where to stay and what it costs.
East Lothian sits 25 miles east of Edinburgh and packs somewhere between 20 and 25 golf courses into a 15-mile coastal strip. Muirfield is the famous one, and North Berwick's West Links and Gullane No.1 are the marquee visitor rounds — all three command premium peak-season green fees. If that's the trip you want, our premium East Lothian trip from a North Berwick base covers it.
This is the other trip. The same coast, the same firm turf and sea wind, on the links most visitors drive past on the way to the famous stuff — for a fraction of the money. A two-day crawl through three genuine links: Gullane No.3, The Glen at North Berwick, and Craigielaw. You can drive between all three in under 20 minutes. If three isn't enough, our full East Lothian golf guide maps all sixteen courses on the coast with current green fees and where to stay.
The courses
Gullane No.3 — £70–£90. The shortest and cheapest of Gullane's three courses, on the same hill above the village as the famous No.1, sharing the same views across to the Firth of Forth and the Bass Rock, and the same firm, fast links turf. It plays a good deal easier than No.1 and costs roughly a quarter of the price — the smart way onto Gullane Hill if you're not paying £285 for the No.1 experience. Book directly with Gullane Golf Club.
The Glen, North Berwick — £60–£135. North Berwick's second course, on the clifftop east of the town, and the affordable way to play links golf in North Berwick without the West Links green fee. Dramatic seaside holes along the cliffs, the Bass Rock filling the view, and a genuinely fun, quirky routing. Less revered than the West Links next door, a fraction of the cost, and rarely as busy. Book directly with The Glen Golf Club.
Craigielaw — £60–£160. A newer course (2001) by Donald Steel on proper links ground overlooking the Firth between Gullane and Aberlady. Well maintained, less famous than its neighbours, and cheapest in the shoulder season. The fourth, fifth and sixth holes across an elevated ridge with panoramic water views are exceptional. Often has more availability than the older clubs, and its shoulder-season rate is where this trip's budget really works.
Budget alternatives: Longniddry (£70–£140) plays very well and sits on the same stretch of coast; Musselburgh Old Links (£20–£25) — the oldest golf course in the world still in play, nine holes on the racecourse — is a cheap, historic add-on at the Edinburgh end of the coast; and Gifford (£40–£50) inland is a pretty, gentle round if you want a fourth.
Day one: Gullane
Morning — Gullane No.3
Tee off before 9am if possible. Gullane gets busy by mid-morning in summer, and the early start means you have the hill to yourself. No.3 shares the same ground and the same views as its famous sibling — you're playing Gullane Hill, just not paying Gullane No.1 money for it.
After the round: the Golf Inn in Gullane village does a good lunch and is five minutes' walk from the course. Alternatively, the Old Clubhouse tea room serves basic food.
Afternoon — free
Gullane beach (five minutes from the course) is worth a walk. Dirleton Castle (three miles east) is a proper medieval ruin and takes an hour. The early evening light on the Firth from Gullane Hill is unreasonably good.
Where to stay
Gullane has several good B&Bs in the village, charging around £85–£110 per room including breakfast. North Berwick (8 miles east) has more options including the Marine Hotel at the top end and several well-reviewed B&Bs — and it puts you next to day two's golf.
Stays Nearby
Where to stay near North Berwick
Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering within easy reach of North Berwick. Tap any property to check rates.
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Day two: North Berwick and Craigielaw
Morning — The Glen, North Berwick
Book the first available morning tee time. The Glen sits on the cliffs east of the town, and the early holes along the clifftop in morning light are the reason to be out early. The Bass Rock is visible from most of the course. It looks close enough to reach by a decent 3-wood. It is not.
Afternoon — Craigielaw
Craigielaw is about 20 minutes west along the coast from North Berwick, and its first tee is never backed up the way the older clubs' are. Craigielaw offers 36-hole day visitor packages at reduced rates — worth asking about when booking. Play its shoulder-season rate and this is the round that keeps the trip's total honest.
Evening
North Berwick has excellent food options. The Lobster Shack at the harbour does langoustines and crab claws outside in good weather — basic, seasonal, extremely good. The Drift restaurant for a sit-down dinner. The Nether Abbey Hotel bar for something quieter.
What it costs (per player)
Play all three in the shoulder season — April, May, September, October, when the courses are usually in their best condition anyway — and the green fees land around £190. Peak summer pushes the three closer to £385 combined; even then you're well under a single peak round at Muirfield or North Berwick West.
| Item | Shoulder-season cost |
|---|---|
| Gullane No.3 | £70 |
| The Glen, North Berwick | £60 |
| Craigielaw | £60 |
| Green fees total | ~£190 |
| B&B, 1 night (half of £90 room) | £45 |
| Meals, 2 days (modest) | £50–60 |
| Travel from Edinburgh (train + taxi) | £20–30 |
| Total per player | ~£305–325 |
Build your own number in the Trip Cost Estimator and check current seasonal rates in the Green Fee Tracker — all three clubs run twilight and shoulder-season rates that cut the total further.
Getting there without a car
Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick by train takes 33 minutes, roughly every 30 minutes during the day. From North Berwick station, taxis to Gullane (8 miles) cost around £12, and The Glen is a short walk from the town. Craigielaw is 3 miles from Gullane along the coastal path, walkable if you're not carrying bags.
The East Lothian Golf Pass, available from the East Lothian Council website, offers discounts across multiple participating courses for multi-round visitors and is worth checking before booking.
Want the marquee version instead — Muirfield, North Berwick West, Gullane No.1? That's the premium East Lothian trip from a North Berwick base. For the wider range of options at different price points: Golf Near Edinburgh: 15 Best Courses Within 45 Minutes.
About the author
Gary
Editor and founder of Birdie Brae. Based in Glasgow, 14.5 handicap, playing since 2022. Has played 40+ Scottish courses and started this site because most Scottish golf content is written by people trying to sell you a package holiday.
More about Gary →Courses in this article
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