Why North Berwick is Scotland’s most fun stay and play for golfers

EAST LOTHIAN, Scotland – North Berwick Golf Club has always been one of the world’s most interesting golf courses to play.

Last summer’s visit from Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas made it certifiably cool. The two American stars went viral during Scottish Open week by trying all sorts of trick shots at North Berwick – putting through an opening in a stone wall and trying to chip onto the notoriously difficult 16th green.

The course’s rise in popularity since then has made it difficult to get a tee time, although not quite to the level of the Old Course at St. Andrews.

Before checking into the Marine North Berwick hotel and teeing up North Berwick’s world-famous “West Links,” I had spent five days staying and playing around St. Andrews. I thought nothing could top the “Home of Golf”, but boy, was I wrong. I was about to experience Scotland’s most fun stay and play.

My round on North Berwick turned out to be the most fun I’ve ever had on a golf course. The sheer volume of wild recovery shots I faced – and pulled off – was nothing short of miraculous. The quirks of links golf were on full display.

After slicing my second tee shot onto the beach, I had a pair of beachcombers cheering me on following a splendid shot from the sand back into play. On the par-4 third, my wicked pull-hook hybrid somehow bounced over the stone wall in a bit of sheer luck.

The back nine got even unpredictable. I putted into a bunker on the par-5 12th … and still won the hole with a 9 (net 8).

At the famous 13th, I attempted a risky flop shot over the stone wall that ended up off the back of the green for bogey. The 14th hole, properly named “Perfection”, delivers one of the greatest reveals in golf once players crest the dune guarding the green. Check it out.

Playing the “Redan” par-3 15th is always memorable simply for its historic impact inspiring copycat template holes built around the world. Both my partner and I hit the green to close out our match with a pair of pars.

Surviving the 16th, called “Gate”, turned out to be more adventurous. After dunking my tee shot into the burn, I two-putted for bogey from off the 16th green, something even the pros couldn’t manage in their videos. The trench bisecting the green is simply diabolical.

There aren’t many deeper bunkers in golf than the 12-foot wall fronting the 17th green. I was shocked to escape for an up-and-down of a lifetime. Watch it here.

All of this madness ended back where we started. No. 18 shares a wide fairway with no. 1. As long as you don’t hit the cars parked on the right side of the fairway, a closing par on a short hole should end the day in style.

North Berwick’s a true charmer. There’s so much to love: the views of the Firth of Forth and Bass Rock, blind shots at aiming posts, stone fences, dunes, a burn. The swings and bounces, good and bad, tend to stick with you years after the round, a sure sign of a remarkable golf course.

All throughout the round, the Marine North Berwick stands guard over the course. Tee shots lost right on the famous 16th can end up over a stone wall out-of-bounds in its backyard. The 84-room hotel, which dates to 1876, was bought and refurbished in 2021, joining the Rusacks St. Andrews as the second iconic golf property owned by Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts, an Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital brand.

Its features are just as endearing as the West Links. I grew accustomed to a familiar creak in the hallway floorboards every time I stepped outside my room. The view from my window not only looked out over the golf course and Bass Rock, but the outdoor putting green below. The chandelier, wallpaper and furnishings were deliciously old-school. I would have loved to see my children try to call the front desk with the rotary phone. The bathroom, with its large tub and shower and heated towel rack, is where the modern creature comforts really make a difference for guests.

At night, everyone gathers in the main lobby for a drink and a chat. The Bass Rock bar can get lively with tales of balls that ricochet off of walls and caddie shenanigans.

Both nights I ordered the same thing – the haggis balls for an appetizer and sticky toffee pudding for dessert – two Scottish staples you shouldn’t miss. They were perfect, complementing a hamburger I ordered from the bar and a sirloin steak from The Lawn, the fancier restaurant. Breakfast is included with every stay, which is pretty standard for European hotels, a trend I wish would catch on in America.

Where the Marine North Berwick trumps Rusacks is its leisure facilities that are open to all guests, plus the chance to book a treatment at the spa for those who need further pampering.

I spent my time bouncing between the indoor-outdoor hydrotherapy pool, steam room, rock sauna and sensation shower. I wasn’t brave enough to try the ice room or cold-plunge baths outside. Afterward, my body felt rejuvenated, ready for another eight rounds – preferably on the wacky and wonderful West Links.

What’s your favorite stay and play in Scotland? Let us know in the comments below.