Story of a Golf Club: Gullane Golf Club
Our Scotland Tour series continues in East Lothian with a golf club that sits front and centre of the town of Gullane; Gullane Golf Club. With records showing the game has been played on the links since the 1650, the course mysteriously cites no name accredited with its design meaning we can only assume Mother Nature is responsible for the fine routing we get to enjoy today.
Gullane enjoys three golf courses, all maintained to the same exacting standards that start and end right in the town itself. In some ways, the town of Gullane resembles St Andrews, in that you see people walking to their morning tee time, pulling a trolley and ready for play, through the towns shops! Gullane as a place eat sleeps and breathes golf!
The etymology of Gullane is just as clear as the name of its original architect. Even the pronunciation is not agreed upon. Some say ‘Gillan’, others ‘Gullan’, some even would argue that archives show the town as being pronounced ‘Goo-lan’…. Meaning ‘shoulder’ in Gallic, and whilst peoples verdict on the pronunciation might differ, people are unanimous in speaking of its quality. For Gullane sits on possibly the finest links turf in Scotland, and the No.1 & 2 course straddle a ridge that you ascend on the opening holes, which rewards you with one of the most magnificent views in golf. In fact, it was once said by perhaps the greatest golf writer of all time;
‘’Gullane Hill, with the sun shining and the wind blowing, the black clouds banked beyond the Forth, and just a glimpse in the distance of the mighty tracery of the Forth Bridge, is one of the most beautiful spots in the world…’’ Bernard Darwin
The views from Gullane Hill which you enjoy throughout your round cannot be understated. Views across to Arthur’s Seat and Edinburgh Castle across the Firth of Forth are staggering. The only issue with this, is that the course is fully exposed to the elements, so be ready to play in the wind! On even a calm day you can expect winds to go above 20 mph making the course an even sterner test.
One of the other things you will see on your way around Gullane are the large concrete blocks that sit atop the cliff above bay. This is a nod to the courses history in WWII, where the risk of landing craft from German invasion was more than a genuine possibility, and as such these were erected to form the defense.
Gullane has hosted the Scottish Open on multiple occasions, most recently in 2018 where Brandon Stone won with a final round -10 performance over a composite layout between No.1 & 2, and this should be no surprise. Gullane is a championship course, with the ability to test a player of any standard. Its holes offer variety, and constantly ask a different question of the golfer. There are no quirks, no gimmicks, and no stand out aspects of Gullane. It’s just an incredible all-round Scottish links.
A trip to one of the courses of Gullane Golf Club is hard to avoid for anyone travelling through East Lothian, and when you watch the film, it’s easy to see why!
We hope you enjoy!
