The third course at Gullane is the shortest of the trio but is by no means easy. Small targets and the ever-present coastal wind make scoring a genuine challenge for even the best.
Looking out across Aberlady Bay to the Firth of Forth and Edinburgh beyond you are presented with some of the best views of all three courses when playing Gullane No.3. The opening and closing holes are laid out on the flat landscape around the clubhouse but the rest of the course spreads out over Gullane Hill serving up the full splendour of the other courses and surrounding landscape.
Course Information
| Par |
71 |
| Designed by |
Willie Park Jnr |
| Opened for play |
1910 |
Tees
| White |
5,134 yards |
SSS 65.3 |
| Red |
4,793 yards |
SSS 68.5 |
How to get to Gullane Golf Club
Gullane Golf Club - Gullane No.1 Course
Gullane No. 1 was established in 1884 and remains one of the greatest golf courses in Scotland. There are some genuinely unforgettable holes here, not least the 7th, whose elevated tee affords endless views across the Forth, and the 3rd, which was recently included in Golf Magazine's Top 500 holes in the world.
Unusually for a links course, there are some pronounced elevation changes in the layout, so you'll hit plenty of shots that don't feel very "flatlands links". The climbs and drops add a real strategic element, especially when the wind gets up. Club selection becomes half the fun and half the battle, and the pot bunkers are exactly the sort you can't afford to find if you're trying to score. The greens are typically quick and true, and the rough can be properly punitive once it gets to summer length.
The course has serious pedigree. It has played host to the Scottish Amateur Championship, hosted the Scottish Open twice and held Open Championship Qualifying. That tells you everything you need to know about the standard of test you're facing. When conditions are up, No.1 will expose every weakness in your game, but it's never unfair and the turf quality means you always get a fair bounce.
If you're travelling with a mixed-ability group, No.1 is the round you build the day around. Pair it with No.2 or No.3 and you get a great one-two of championship feel and very playable links golf in the same place. Gullane No. 1 is absolutely essential to a golf break in East Lothian.
