Bruntsfield Links and its Golfing Society has been part of Edinburgh's golf story since 1761, which is the sort of heritage that makes golfing geeks (me included) sit up and listen. The club moved to its current home in 1898 and it's an easy add-on to an Edinburgh itinerary, just 20 minutes from the airport, three miles from the city centre and around an hour from The Old Course at St Andrews. If you've got time before or after your round, the clubhouse memorabilia is well worth a look, with old clubs, balls and paintings that tell the story of the club and the early days of the game.
The course was designed by Willie Park Jnr, with subsequent revisions by Dr Alister MacKenzie in the 1920s and Fred Hawtree in the 1970s. Bruntsfield has hosted many tournaments including the Senior Amateur Championship, Scottish Mid Amateur Championship and Lothians Championship, and served as a Regional Qualifying course for The Open between 2011 and 2015. More recently, Mackenzie & Ebert have overseen a redevelopment programme that has sharpened the course up and kept it feeling true to its roots, helping Bruntsfield cement its place among Edinburgh's standout parkland rounds.
Expect a proper thinking-player's test. Bunkers are positioned to make you choose a side, the fairways have enough movement to punish lazy angles and the greens are defended well enough that you'll want to be on the correct tier. It's parkland rather than seaside links, so you get mature trees, a more sheltered feel and a few subtle elevation changes that keep the round varied. Fancy building an Edinburgh line-up around it? Include Bruntsfield on your next Edinburgh golf break and we'll sort tee times around whatever base suits your group.
Who is this for?
Anyone wanting a classic Edinburgh round with proper history, minimal travelling and a clubhouse that's packed with stories.
Who is it best for?
Golfers who enjoy plotting their way round (rather than just smashing driver), especially if MacKenzie's design ideas and tournament pedigree are part of the appeal.
