A Journal for the Thrifty Gowfer
East Lothian
Gifford, East Lothian
Plate II — Parkland course — tree-lined fairways, year-round play
9-hole parkland in the Lammermuir foothills. Village golf in the East Lothian interior.
Gifford Golf Club is a 9-hole parkland course in the village of Gifford, 5 miles south of Haddington in the Lammermuir foothills. The course occupies the agricultural land at the edge of the village, with the Lammermuir ridge rising immediately to the south and the characteristic East Lothian farmland spreading north towards the coast.
Par 33, around 2,700 yards, played out and back across gently sloping land between the village and the Lammermuir rise. The terrain is softer than the coastal links 12 miles north but firms up in summer to produce a surface that runs truer than many parkland equivalents. The 4th and 5th, played uphill with the ridge framing the approach, are where the elevation tells most; the short par-3 7th back toward the village looks straightforward and isn't. No handicap required, no advance booking necessary on most days.
The village of Gifford itself is one of East Lothian's more attractive inland settlements — a planned eighteenth-century estate village with a central square, several pubs, and an excellent local bakery. For visitors staying on the East Lothian coast, Gifford is worth a detour as much for the village as for the golf.
The Full Scorecard
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
Scored 0–10 for golf — wind, rain, conditions · Full 7-region forecast →
Location
Gifford, East Lothian · EH41 4JEOpen in OpenStreetMap →
While They Golf
East Lothian isn't only for the golfers. Walks, drives, distilleries, castles, a long lunch — five picks within thirty minutes of the first tee.
The East Lothian companion guide →Plan This Round
Where to Stay
Hotels, lodges and self-catering near the first tee. Map-style search via Stay22 covering Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb and Vrbo.
How to Get There
Edinburgh (EDI) is 45 minutes away by car. Train + onward taxi works for the carless visitor.
Insure Your Round
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
Picked for parkland rounds in Scotland.
Outerwear
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
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
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
Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering within easy reach of Gifford. 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
Nearby courses
East Lothian golf hub
Browse all East Lothian courses →
Sixteen golf courses on Scotland's Golf Coast — from Muirfield and North Berwick to £15 municipal Musselburgh — all inside thirty miles of Edinburgh. You can play three in two days without changing hotel.
While they golf — Gullane
For the non-golfer in Gullane →
Climb Gullane Hill for views to Bass Rock and the Pentlands, then lunch at Greywalls — Lutyens' 1901 Edwardian house beside Muirfield. Easily fills six hours.
Getting there by train
On TripSCOTAbout 15 minutes by taxi from Gifford. Edinburgh Waverley in 30 min by LNER/ScotRail.
Read more about East Lothian
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