The Renaissance Club

Private club and one of Scotland’s exclusive golf retreats. Ureal clubhouse with top-notch finishing with carpets in the reception, pro-shop, restaurant and stone floors in the changing rooms and bathrooms with hot tubs. Visitors' names are placed on cabinets in sumptuous changing rooms. Fancy restaurant that serves burgers by the names of both reining club champion (Tyminski) and Scottish champion (MacIntyre). Pro-shop is very well-stuffed yet pricely with framed ball-marker price of GBP25. Halfway house close to 10th green is super modern and offers very tasty 0% Guiness as refreshement. And the course? Nice variety with pine and sycamoreon on so many holes. Course turned out as very playable in no wind conditons from yellow tees. Hard to figure out a single signature hole but the treacherous tee shot along the cliffs on par four #10 leaves a great memories. No need to metion that conditions were as good as the overall service here.

Club espectacular. Campo famoso sede del Scottish Open con hoyos 8, 9, 10 y 11 preciosos. El hoyo 10 con vistas a la isla y faro de Fidra es brutal. Merece la pena hacer in break en la halfway house para seguir admirando las vistas. Excepcional

Situated along the East Lothian coast, The Renaissance Club stands out as one of Scotland’s premier golfing destinations. Designed by Tom Doak and opened in 2008, it finds itself perfectly positioned between the legendary Muirfield to the west and Archerfield and North Berwick to the east, placing it squarely in the heart of one of the country’s most prestigious golfing coastlines. From the start, visitors are greeted with thoughtful touches, lockers bearing their names, staff cleaning their clubs, and a homely feeling granted within. The clubhouse itself sets the scene perfectly, offering a hearty breakfast with sweeping views over the course. The course is crafted with precision, with bunkers placed just where they should be to challenge and engage. Although the land once boasted a forest, only a few clusters of trees and the odd lone pine remain, lending the course a distinct links feel. The sea makes a fleeting but memorable appearance on a handful of holes, particularly around the turn, where the views are breathtaking. The 10th hole stands out—a lengthy, coastal dogleg that’s as beautiful as it is demanding, with a sloping green that tests even the steadiest hand. The halfway house, nestled seamlessly into the landscape, provides a perfect pause for a bite and perhaps a dram. The back nine flows naturally with the terrain, offering an immersive and uninterrupted experience. On quieter days, the course has a serene atmosphere, with few other golfers in sight like the day we visited. A day at The Renaissance Club is best concluded on the clubhouse terrace, drink in hand, watching the sun dip below the horizon. It’s an experience that perfectly balances challenge and tranquillity, one that’s hard to forget and well worth repeating.

I was lucky enough to be invited by fellow ambassador John to play at The Renaissance and what a cool golfing experience it was! When you drive through the Archerfield Estate towards the gates of the club you can tell it is a very special place. We played a month before the Scottish Open and preparations were well underway, was very cool to see the work that goes into preparing a tour event.

The clubhouse is awesome, great big pro shop downstairs with a restaurant upstairs serving very good food! We then headed out onto the range, grass hitting area and unlimited, high quality balls serves as a great warm up before the round.

No tee times, you just get going when you feel warm or confident enough to start your round. The course is great, a really good test of golf, stunning scenery and at the time of year we played, not too punishing rough. I think they have just the right level to test the better plays and not penalise the weaker ones and especially with the location the elements can always play a factor. I think my favourite hole would have to be the 10th, a par 4 dog legging left with the North Sea down to your left and Fidra Lighthouse in the distance, swiftly followed by a quick pie and drink at the halfway house. Needless to say the condition of the course was fantastic! Look forward to watching it on tv soon.

Down the winding road to the Archerfield Estate is one of Scotland’s exclusive golf retreats.

The Renaissance Club is almost as well known for its hot tub, halfway house and premium service as it is for hosting the Scottish Open.

With a course designed by Tom Doak, it is a modern, American-style country club on the very traditional golf coast.

It has echoes of Skibo Castle, from the friendly welcome, down to the named lockers in its sumptuous changing rooms.

But, in my opinion, it is one up from its Highland counterpart because its course has a tad more spark.

We were lucky to have been invited by a member who showed us around and even pointed out a framed ball-marker collection from his impressive world golf travels (oh, how I wish I had gone for them, instead of caps!).

After the introduction and a quick drink, we followed the steps of golfing gladiators and proceeded to marvel at the liberties they have taken with links that, to average players, are damned tough.

Renaissance’s original design was altered after a deal was done with the management at neighbouring Muirfield to exchange slices of land.

This allowed the development of an exhilarating stretch of holes on the coast and includes the risk-and-reward dogleg 10th with thick rough and a slither of beach lurking for those who are too greedy off the tee.

My teeth were chattering as we putted out on the final hole, so we reserved conversation about the game until we had dipped ourselves into the warmest hot tub I had ever experienced.

I feared the thermal shock may send my body into convulsions but my balance was restored by a cool gin and tonic.

It felt like the height of decadence but Renaissance prides itself on being a cut above. This is how its members are treated and guests receive no less.

The experience left me with a glow… figuratively and literally.