House · 8 min north
Lauriston Castle
Edinburgh · 16th-century tower with Edwardian extension
Free-grounds Edwardian house on the shore of the Firth of Forth. Closer to Bruntsfield than to most Edinburgh attractions, walkable from the clubhouse.
Edinburgh
Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society
Edinburgh
Plate II — Parkland course — tree-lined fairways, year-round play
Holes
18
—
Par
71
—
Type
Parkland
Edinburgh
Walkability
★★★★☆
Walkable for most
Best Season
May–Sep
Year-round
Visitor Access
Members
Restricted access
The fourth-oldest golf club in the world plays as a course, not as a museum.
From the Notebook
Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society was founded in 1761, making it the fourth oldest golf club in the world — predated only by the Royal Burgess Golfing Society, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. The club's name is a reminder of where it came from: Bruntsfield Links, the open green space in the Meadows area of Edinburgh where the original golf was played. The move to its current parkland site at Barnton in the northwest of the city came in 1898, and it is here the club has remained — 6,407 yards, par 71, with the Edinburgh skyline visible from several parts of the course.
It plays as a proper parkland test rather than a heritage attraction. The tree-lined fairways and contoured greens require accuracy and course management; the Edinburgh views are incidental to the golf rather than the point of it. The clubhouse maintains its traditions with some seriousness — jacket and tie are expected at lunch, and the atmosphere inside reflects the age of the institution in ways that are either reassuring or mildly intimidating depending on your disposition.
Visitor green fee is £80–£120. Access is midweek only and booking is by phone — the club does not take online reservations, which is either a principled stance or a logistical inconvenience, depending on how you look at it. Those visiting Edinburgh for golf should consider pairing with Royal Burgess Golfing Society (founded 1735, immediately adjacent) for a two-round day through the oldest golf club territory in the world. Both are members' clubs; both are worth the advance planning required to get on.
The Full Scorecard
Everything else you might want to know.
Course
- Designer
- Willie Park Jnr (1898 layout at Davidson's Mains); Alister MacKenzie reconstruction (1922); James Braid (1930); Tom MacKenzie of MacKenzie Ebert major redevelopment (2018, three new holes + remodelling)
- Founded
- 1761
- Style era
- Pre-modern foundation, Park Jnr / MacKenzie / Braid course
- Yardage (W)
- Contact club
- Yardage (Y)
- Contact club
- Yardage (R)
- Contact club
- Course rating
- Contact club
- Slope rating
- Contact club
- Bunkers
- Contact club
- Greens
- Contact club
- Walking time
- Contact club
- Open season
- Year-round
Visitor
- Dress code
- Smart casual, collared shirts
- Spikes
- Soft only
- Booking
- Phone
- Twilight
- Contact club
- Winter rate
- Contact club
- Senior
- Contact club
- Junior
- Contact club
- Buggy
- Available, ask pro shop
- Trolley
- Contact club
- Caddie
- Contact club
Practical
- Address
- Edinburgh, EH4 6JH
- Phone
- 0131 336 1479
- Nearest train
- Edinburgh Waverley
- Nearest airport
- Edinburgh (EDI) (25 min)
- Parking
- Free
- Wi-Fi
- Yes, clubhouse
- Card payment
- Yes
- Membership
- Contact club
- Joining fee
- Contact club
- Waiting list
- Contact club
Fields marked “Contact club” aren’t public-facing in a way we’ve been able to verify. Call the club directly for these — we’ll update the entry when we have it from source.
Conditions This Week
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Scored 0–10 for golf — wind, rain, conditions · Full 7-region forecast →
Location
Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society on the map
Edinburgh · EH4 6JHOpen in OpenStreetMap →
While They Golf
For the non-golfer in the party.
Edinburgh isn't only for the golfers. Walks, drives, distilleries, castles, a long lunch — five picks within thirty minutes of the first tee.
The Edinburgh companion guide →★ Pair This Round ★
A morning at Bruntsfield Golfing Society, an afternoon worth the drive.
Three things within an hour of the first tee. Each open to visitors; each chosen for what suits a golfer's pace, not a tour bus's.
Botanic Garden · 15 min east
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Inverleith, Edinburgh · Founded 1670 — second-oldest botanic garden in Britain
Seventy acres of glasshouses, woodland and rock gardens north of the New Town. Free entry to the outdoor gardens; the glasshouses are paid. The Chinese Hillside garden in autumn is one of Edinburgh's underused experiences.
City · 15 min east
Edinburgh New Town
Edinburgh · UNESCO World Heritage Site, planned 1767
The Georgian planned town that's the other half of Edinburgh's UNESCO listing. Charlotte Square, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, the Dean Village walk along the Water of Leith. Easy half-day from Bruntsfield.
Plan This Round
Three things to sort before you tee off.
Where to Stay
Beds in Edinburgh
Hotels, lodges and self-catering near the first tee. Map-style search via Stay22 covering Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb and Vrbo.
Hotels & lodges nearbyfrom £89/ntSelf-catering & cottagesfrom £140/ntBed & breakfastfrom £85/nt
via Stay22 / Booking.com
How to Get There
From Edinburgh Waverley or Edinburgh (EDI)
Edinburgh (EDI) is 25 minutes away by car. Train + onward taxi works for the carless visitor.
Insure Your Round
Cover for clubs, cancellation, hole-in-one
Most home contents policies don't cover golf clubs in transit. The picker matches you to the right kind of cover in two minutes.
Played here? Consider
Three things worth packing.
Picked for parkland rounds in Scotland.
Outerwear
Galvin Green Aldous jacket
The mid-weight option for parkland — fully waterproof but lighter than the wind-spec links jackets. Packs into a back-pocket pouch when the sun comes out.
Layer
Castore performance polo
Scotland's premium sportswear name. Cut for a swing rather than a jog; the moisture-wicking suits warmer parkland rounds where the wind isn't doing the work.
Tech
Bushnell Tour V6 rangefinder
Tree-lined parkland holes are exactly the situation where a rangefinder pays for itself. The V6's slope mode is allowed in any non-tournament round.
Stays Nearby
Where to stay near Edinburgh
Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering within easy reach of Edinburgh. Tap any property to check rates.
Rates and availability via Stay22. We may earn a small commission if you book — at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work.
Frequently Asked
Visitors usually want to know.
- Can visitors play?
- This is principally a members' course. Visitor access is by member invitation or pre-arranged corporate package only — phone the secretary first.
- How early can I book a tee time?
- Phone or email the pro shop to confirm. Most Scottish clubs accept visitor bookings 7–30 days ahead; group bookings of 8+ can be arranged further ahead.
- Is there a dress code?
- Smart casual, collared shirts. Soft only.
- Are buggies allowed?
- Yes, available at the pro shop. Most members walk with a trolley though — the course is genuinely walkable.
- What's the best time of year to play?
- May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep for full conditions. Late May and early Sep are quietest with fair value. Year-round.
Nearby courses
While they golf — Edinburgh
For the non-golfer in Edinburgh →
The National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street is free and takes four hours — Dolly the sheep, Mary Queen of Scots' possessions, an Old Town rooftop view.
Getting there by train
On TripSCOTEdinburgh Waverley station
About 20 minutes by bus or taxi from Bruntsfield Links. Edinburgh Waverley is the hub for ScotRail and inter-city services.
Read more about Edinburgh
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