A Journal for the Thrifty Gowfer
East Lothian
Musselburgh, East Lothian
Plate I — Links course — coastal exposure, firm running turf
Oldest playing golf course in the world. A must-visit for history lovers.
Musselburgh Old Links is, by most reckonings, the oldest playing golf course in the world. Golf has been documented here since at least 1672, and the course — nine holes laid inside the oval of Musselburgh Racecourse — has been in more or less continuous use ever since. The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers played here. Royal Musselburgh played here. Several other clubs convened on this strip of ground before eventually moving away to dedicated courses of their own. Six Open Championships were held here between 1874 and 1889, before the rota moved on to courses that could accommodate the growing crowds.
The racecourse configuration is part of what makes a round here genuinely strange. Holes route around the inside perimeter of the track, which means golf and horse racing share the same ground — a situation that would be unthinkable anywhere built after about 1900. The turf is maintained by East Lothian Council, which keeps the fees accessible and the atmosphere unpretentious. This is not a course you play for the conditioning or the design challenge. You play it because nowhere else in golf offers quite this particular view of where the game came from.
Green fees run £15 to £20 for nine holes — the lowest you will pay for any historically significant round in Scotland. The course is open to all, no handicap certificate required, and booking is straightforward. It pairs naturally with a visit to Muirfield or Gullane if you are spending time in East Lothian — treat it as the morning or late-afternoon addition rather than the centrepiece, and you will leave it with a clearer sense of what the game looked like before it had architects.
One Hole Worth Talking About
A long dogleg-right par 4 played first across the Musselburgh racecourse track and then back across the rails on the approach. The wider course is ringed by the racecourse on three sides — one of the few golf courses in the world where you tee off across an active flat-racing track.
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
Musselburgh, East Lothian · EH21 7SROpen 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 →★ Pair This Round ★
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.
Distillery · 25 min south
Pencaitland · Founded 1837 — the Edinburgh Malt
Closest working distillery to Edinburgh. Lowland character, lighter than the Highland and Islay names. The tour finishes with a tasting flight that suits non-fanatic companions.
Mining Heritage · 25 min south
Newtongrange · Five-star industrial heritage attraction
Set in a preserved Victorian colliery — the Lady Victoria — this is one of the strongest small museums anywhere in Scotland. Honest about the working conditions and the social cost of the industry.
Beach · 10 min west
Portobello, Edinburgh · Victorian seaside resort
Edinburgh's beach. A three-mile prom along sand and shingle with cafés, ice-cream parlours and a Turkish baths. Take the bus from the course, walk the prom, walk back. Honest day out.
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 links rounds on the Scottish coast.
Outerwear
Wind off the firth changes club selection two irons. A breathable, fully-waterproof shell that's light enough not to swing in is the single biggest upgrade for Scottish links golf.
Layer
Scottish-made merino — the locals' choice for shoulder-season rounds. Warm enough for a 7am tee time in October, light enough for the back nine when the sun comes out.
Tech
Handles blind tee shots and exposed-coastal yardage cleanly. Battery lasts a 36-hole day; the wind-direction overlay justifies the price on its own.
Stays Nearby
Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering within easy reach of Musselburgh. 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 bus or taxi from Musselburgh Old Links. The hub for ScotRail, LNER, and Avanti services across Scotland.
Read more about East Lothian
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