Course review: Gullane no. 1

The view up Gullane Hill from the course’s namesake village.

Gullane no 1 isn’t a hidden gem. It hosted the 2015 Scottish Open, and as a neighbour to Muirfield and Renaissance Club, it isn’t exactly off the beaten track. But it hasn’t seemed to crack into household name territory yet, as a result, it’s missed on a lot of epic itineraries. 

We had heard tons of great things about Gullane, so when we got the invite to join a member for an 8am round, expectations were high. It’s one of many courses in Scotland that can claim golf being played across its links as far back as the 1600s—and one that can’t be attributed to a single architect. That puts it in good company alongside The Old Course, Royal Dornoch, and Ireland’s Ballybunion.

Gullane begins cagily with a relatively straightaway par 4 that takes you to the base of Gullane Hill. It looks scorable, but if you hit the mega-block about 260 yards and 80 yards left you may just find 2 foot tall fescue and have to concede the hole (write that in your yardage book: don’t miss 80 yards left). From there you have the uphill 2nd hole with its severe approach shot to an elevated target, where both the shot and the elevation are likely to quicken the pulse a bit.

Nick looks out over the Firth of Forth to the North, and Muirfield to the East

Then comes the payoff. When you crest the hill to 3 tee, the entire Firth of Forth opens up ahead of you. Okay, we’ll admit we describe a lot of Scottish golf courses this way (everywhere from Muirfield to Lundin Links) but there’s something special about the impact of this particular view. You spend 400 yards anticipating it up a sharply inclined par 4, but your head can’t possibly imagine what’s in store before you get there. 

The next 15 holes wind up and down the bank towards the water, playing firm and fun along the Northeast-facing slope. Maybe we were in especially good moods, but Gullane got us right in the feels. 

Two players descend the 17th hole back towards town

Holes 14–16 start weaving back inland up the same hill you crest on 3, before the closing stretch dives back down the opening slope right into town with Gullane Hill visible in the distance (weather dependent…)

Maybe the best part about playing Gullane no. 1? There are two more courses on site to explore next.