North Berwick Golf Club

Tee time alle 10. Prima piccolo breakfast nella elegante e insieme vissuta club house. Vecchie boiserie, ottoni, e tutti gli argenti di due secoli di successi. E' domenica e quasi tutti i presenti sono soci per cui c'è un clima tipico degli appassionati scozzesi: attesa, complicità, ironia Qualche volta la presenza di troppi visitors fa evaporare questa aria di rispettosa goliardia. Come sempre la notte prima delle grandi attese dormo poco e poi ho dovuto fare due ore e mezza di strada per arrivare per cui prevedo disastri. I miei amici, members del club, mi fanno una grande festa. È da maggio scorso che avevano organizzato questa partita, da quando a Nairn ci eravamo conosciuti aiutandoci con un po' di whisky. Ci mettono poco a farmi sentire a completo mio agio dimostrandomi una simpatia ed una gentilezza che è la caratteristica più bella dei golfisti scozzesi: il golf vive di rispetto e generosità. Per il campo non trovo aggettivi. Le buche Out contro vento sono sul lato interno rispetto al mare e ti scaldano con fossi di attraversamento e bunker che spezzano le mire troppo pretenziose. I green sono grandi veloci e difficili da leggere: ma le prime 9 sono il prologo delle seconde. Penso: adesso vento in poppa! Il problema che ci hanno pensato prima di te gli architetti del 1830 che ti obbligano a scelte sempre ragionate: sei libero di fare ma pensaci prima! Esempio: il muro lo trovi troppo vicino per non pensare di superarlo ma poi dietro la bandiera è ridossata e allora rischi tre colpi intorno al green oppure ti fai sotto e scommetti tutto sulla tua bravura nel fare i lob shots? Stesse decisioni per i bunkers, fino quando arrivi alla 15 e decidi proprio di giocarci dentro quell'enorme bunker sotto il green che intanto è talmente lungo e pieno di livelli (il green) che non ha senso cercare di caderci con il tee shot: la pallina andrà comunque dove sarà portata dalla pendenza che avrà trovato. Che spettacolo! Inutile elogiare la cura e la manutenzione del campo. Stanno combattendo contro l'erosione del mare. Forza. Ottimo il lunch. Le finestre tra il tee della 1 ed il green della 18 con il paese ed il mare messi come all'hold course di St.Andrew. Indimenticabile giornata di simpatia e golf. Domani ritorno a casa, non poteva chiudersi meglio il mio mese scozzese.

Did you know that Tantallon Golf Club (1853), Bass Rock Golf Club (1873) and the North Berwick Ladies Golf Club (1888), alongside North Berwick GC (1831), all have playing rights on the West Links? I’m not entirely sure how that arrangement began, but members of all four clubs enjoy equal access to the course. When I played there in late November, we had unbelievable weather: bright blue skies and sunshine. It was another reminder that Scotland, especially the East Coast, is a fantastic year-round golf destination. A big bonus: winter green fees are much lower, even on a world top-100 course like North Berwick (currently #42). Although the entire layout is outstanding, I personally prefer the back nine. Hole 13 with its iconic stone wall guarding the green, the famous Redan par-3 14th (copied all over the world), and the Biarritz green on 15 make for an unforgettable stretch. The 18th has shades of the Old Course finish, just a bit more intimidating. If you want to reach the green in one, you need to carry about 230 meters, and with a row of cars parked only a couple of meters off the right side, we all aimed safely left… All in all, if you ever get the chance to play North Berwick, take it. It’s probably one of the most playable and enjoyable courses in the world top-100. And with green fees rising everywhere, the sooner the better, or go in winter for a sizeable discount.

North Berwick is one of those places every golfer should experience at least once, though after my visit, I’m certain I’ll be back. What makes this club unique is that two clubs share the same West Links: North Berwick GC and Tantallon GC. We first wandered into the North Berwick clubhouse, which, as we learned, isn’t exactly encouraged unless you’re a member or invited and we happened to be invited by a Tantallon member. It’s the clubhouse closest to the course, with Tantallon’s just across the street behind it. The pro shop, meanwhile, sits quietly tucked into the dunes near the 1st tee, easy to miss if you don’t know where to look. A few practice nets nearby offer a quick warm-up before heading out. We played on a sunny day, again in the company of a member, and the entire round felt like a treat. The front nine runs closer to the village, while the back nine opens up beautifully along the coastline with views across the Forth. The fairways are wonderfully undulating, adding character and some fun bounces, and the sequence of holes is simply world-class. Highlights? Plenty. The iconic 13th with the stone wall lived up to its reputation and I even managed to walk off with a par. I also found the Redan bunker on the 15th, but escaped respectably! These are the kind of moments that make North Berwick so memorable: quirky, historic architecture blended into a proper championship test. Coming down the 18th, you get that unmistakable St Andrews sensation , the town framing the hole, cars parked worryingly close on the right, and houses lining the approach. It’s a thrilling finish, equal parts nerve-wracking and unforgettable. All in all, a fantastic experience: great company, spectacular holes, and a golf course that fully deserves its legendary status. North Berwick is links golf at its most joyful.

Played the coured twice in the span of a week and left it with mixed emotions. It is certainly overrated as #1 course in Scotland. There is vast difference in playability of front and back nine. Front nine lay-out is squeezed . Stone fence in play on hole #3 is nothing but source of touble. Hole #4 par 3 is not allowing for any margin of mistake off the tee. GUR to the left of the hole is not helping either and leaves the golfer with spoiled impression. Goorse was removed, stones and new plants occured but it just does not look good at the moment. Hole #8 seems easier than some of the previous holes but it is hard to pick up the line from the tee and ball could be lost even if it lands on fairway. Fun starts at hole #8 and continues throughtout the rest of the holes. Traps awating with burns that are not visible from the tee, super complex green on 16th dissected by a gully and vast bunkering that come in play for short approached on holes #11, #15 & #17. If prevailing western winds are riping front-nine could be a carnage. Pro-shop selection is of high quality and depth. Restaurant was just nothing special.

Ich spielte diesen wundervollen Links zusammen mit drei wunderbaren Schotten in einem fouball Match bei 70 km/h Wind! Was für ein unglaublicher Spaß! NB gilt zurecht als einer der besten und unterhaltsamsten Plätze überhaupt. Dies liegt u.a. daran, dass er recht einfach zu spielen ist, was sich naturgemäß bei derartigem Wind relativiert. Trotzdem muss man wenig suchen und wird kaum einen Ball verlieren. Außerdem ist der Platz der Inbegriff von „quirky“, am besten übersetzt mit „schrullig“. Hier findet man viele Elemente die sich ein moderner Platzarchitekt niemals trauen würde umzusetzen. Es ist genug geschrieben worden über die Löcher 13 bis 16 (pit, perfection, redan und gate) und man sieht sich am besten „every hole at NB“ an wenn man mehr wissen will. Aber auch 1&18, die stark an ihre Pendants auf dem Old Course erinnern, sind sehr speziell. Eine Drivingrange gibt es nicht, dafür zwei Netze vor Tee 1. Das Clubhaus das für Besucher geöffnet ist, bietet wunderbare Räume. Der Platz beherbergt allerdings zwei Clubs, deren Mitglieder alle volles Spielrecht genießen. Mein Gastgeber ist Mitglied des älteren, Tantallon-Clubs, dessen Clubhaus Mitgliedern und deren Gästen vorbehalten ist. Ein kleines, aber sehr gemütliches Gebäude gespickt mit Geschichte! Wir konnten unser Match übrigens an der 18 mit Birdies teilen. Was für ein wunderschöner Ausklang einer ebensolchen Runde!