Four good reasons to golf in Midlothian!
Midlothian sits just south of Scotland’s capital. It’s an ideal spot for a few days break and it has more than enough things going on, to keep you occupied, without necessarily having to venture in to the city of Edinburgh.
The area is a perfect place for outdoor activities such hiking/walking, as the Pentland Hills have over 100km of waymarked routes, for all levels of fitness.
There are historic landmarks and buildings to visit, of which Rosslyn Chapel, as seen in the film, The Da Vinci Code, is one of many.
From skiing, mid-summer, at the Midlothian Snowsports Centre at Hillend, to taking a walk on the wildside at The Edinburgh Butterfly & Insect World, there is something for everyone! I’ve listed a number of activities in the area, at the end of the blog and also listed some accommodation nearby.
….and of course, there’s always golf – I visited four clubs in Midlothian this month and here’s what I found!
Newbattle Golf Club, Midlothian
www.newbattlegolfclub.com
Location
Newbattle Golf Club is 2 miles from the Edinburgh City bypass, 25 minutes from Edinburgh Airport and 60 minutes from Glasgow.
The Course
Newbattle Golf Club can date its origins as far back as 1880 when the club was called, Dalkeith Golf Club. In 1896, the club changed its name to form Dalkeith and Newbattle Golf Club.
Dalkeith and Newbattle Golf Club continued until 1934, when a final name change to Newbattle Golf Club was established. This also coincided with the club moving to its present site.
The 5,912 yard par 69 layout was designed by the well known golf architect, Harry Colt in 1933 and opened in 1934.
Surrounded by trees, the majority of this Midlothian parkland course sits on gently sloping land. The River South Esk separates the first two holes and the last two holes from the rest of the course. Linking the two sections of the course is the Maiden Bridge, built by the monks of Newbattle Abbey in the late 15th century.
Holes
A large tree at the first hole invites you to play down the left, which is no bad thing as this is the best angle into a green. This first green slopes away from you and there is out of bounds not far behind.
The second is a great wee hole. It’s a 262 yard dogleg right, par four and you tee off from an elevated tee down to the fairway below. The hole is called Maiden Bridge, after the bridge that sits behind the green, as mentioned above.
The first real test comes at the 5th hole where you’ll have 438 yards of a gradual incline to the hole. You are rewarded with great views on the 5th green/ 6th tee over the Midlothian countryside to Arthur’s Seat in the heart of Edinburgh.
The 6th is another tough 423 yard hole and plays into the prevailing westerly wind.
If you find the first six holes a tough challenge, then there is a bit of respite over the next six. Four of the par 4s average around 329 yards between the 7th & 12th. These par 4s are broken up with two good par 3s at the 8th and the 11th.
The 8th is a great par 3. It’s only 169 yards but it’s downhill and, as you’re playing into a corner of the course, surrounded by trees, you’re never 100% sure what the wind is going to do!
The par 3, 11th is flat and a little bit longer than the 8th, at 171 yards. The green has five bunkers around it, although, depending on where you’re teeing from you may only see three…. but, trust me, the other two are there!
Another good hole appears shortly after, in the form of the par 5, 13th “Lucky Dip”. This dogleg left is on, for the big hitters, as you may have a the prevailing wind behind you and the last third of the hole is down hill.
Your last really tough hole is the very next one at the 14th. This 236 yard par 3 plays into the prevailing wind to a green guarded by three bunkers. Par here is a great score and bogey is certainly no disgrace!
The final four holes are par 4s and all are around the 360 yard mark but it’s the 17th that’s the real standout hole for me.
From an elevated tee, you play over the River South Esk down to the fairway below. If you decide to go for the green with your second then your shot will be back up to an elevated green. With trees on both sides of the green and bunkers front right and left, narrowing the entrance, accuracy is key here.
There are a number of really good holes on this golf course that will test your game. It’s a relatively easy walking track and one that I will return to without hesitation.
Opens
Only one Open left at Newbattle and that’s a Seniors Mixed Open Greensomes on Wednesday 5th September.
Broomieknowe Golf Club, Midlothian
www.broomieknowe.com
Location
Broomieknowe GC is 2 miles from Edinburgh City bypass, 25 minutes from Edinburgh Airport and 60 minutes from Glasgow.
The Club/Course
The club was founded in 1905 and the original course was designed and laid out by Ben Sayers of North Berwick. The course was untouched until 1932 when none other than five times Open Champion, James Braid was hired to alter and extend Sayers’ layout.
The course would remain the same for 60 years until the construction of the Edinburgh City Bypass in 1992. Whilst some ground was lost at this time, another five holes were built on adjacent ground. By the time this work was complete, Broomieknowe GC measured 6,172 yards with a par of 70.
The course is a parkland layout, with its main defence being tight, tree lined fairways and well placed bunkers throughout.
Holes
The first three holes allow you to get off to a gentle start, on the basis you’re hitting it straight. Length is not an issue but anything too far right or left will leave you chipping out of trees or being blocked out for your second.
A distinct change in layout comes, beyond the walled path, at the short 4th, which plays over more undulating terrain.
The 5th hole is a great 167 yard, par 3, which plays down to a green, guarded at the front by three bunkers. Trees and bushes aren’t far from the other three sides of the green.
Holes 6 & 7 are two really good testing par 4s and it’s no wonder that they are stroke index 4 & 3 respectively.
You get a chance to get a stroke back at the 8th hole. It’s a 467 yard, par 5 (back tees) and the green should be in range for the longer hitters.
The 9th is another good hole, which plays slightly up hill. This hole offers up another chance for the longer hitters to score here.
The real tough test, on the back nine, comes at the 12th, 13th & 14th holes. 3 back to back par 4s averaging 440 yards each! The 12th and 14th are stroke index 1 and 3 respectively.
On the 12th & 13th it’s all about avoiding tree trouble and keeping it straight. As you tee off from the 12th tee, you may want to have a good look to your left and analyse the 13th green. It is a sunken green, with a severe slope at the front. It’s this slope that you’ll want to avoid, with your approach to the 13th.
As you stand on the 14th tee, you face and uphill 443 yard par 4, which, if it’s into the prevailing wind, will provide the toughest challenge of the day!
The 15th is a good par 3 with a bunker sitting to the right of the green. This may force you to play a bit tighter up the left, on this tree lined fairway.
The 16th & 17th aren’t dissimilar to the 1st and 2nd where it’s all about getting the ball on the short stuff and avoiding the avenue of trees, lining the fairways. The 18th has an angled tee, which turns this hole into a slight dog leg right. A couple of bunkers guard the front of the green, so as long as you’re not blocked out by trees, it should be a straight forward finish to the round.
I would definitely recommend this Midlothian course, as it is a good test of golf, over a variety of holes and undulating terrain. There are some tough holes on this well maintained course but equally, there are opportunities to get something back on the shorter holes.
On a Monday to Thursday, you can play Broomieknowe for as little at £20! This is incredible value, so, form an orderly queue, it’s definitely worth it.
Opens
A couple of spaces left in their Opens at the moment, however, I think this blog might come out too late for the one on 21 Aug!
- Gents Senior Open – 21 August 2018
- Ladies Senior Greensomes Open – 6 September 2018
Glencorse Golf Club, Midlothian
www.glencorsegolfclub.com
Location
Glencorse Golf Club in Midlothian, is 3 miles from the Edinburgh City bypass, 20 minutes from Edinburgh Airport and 55 minutes from Glasgow.
The Course
The club was founded in 1890 and was designed by Willie Park. The 18 hole track at Glencorse Golf Club is unusual, in so much that it has eight par 3 holes, yet it is possibly one of the toughest courses to play to your handicap.
The 5,217 yard course is short and it may have a par of 64 but the ‘Standard Scratch’ is 2 shots above at 66. The reason for this is that seven of the eight par 3s are over 200 yards long, in fairly tight surroundings!
The Glencorse Burn runs through the course and is a lovely feature to have. The burn does affect 10 holes and is maybe another reason for the standard scratch being two shots above par.
The course also provides great views of the Pentland Hills and surrounding Midlothian scenery.
Holes
As you tee it up on the first, you immediately get a taste of what this course is all about – challenging par 3s. It is a 225 yard, par 3, over water, to a green guarded by 2 bunkers.
The challenge continues at the 2nd and 4th where you’ll find two good par 4s before you reach the 5th, the toughest par 3 on the course. The 5th hole is named ‘MacGregor’s Rest’ in honour of, club member, George MacGregor OBE, who was selected five times for the Walker Cup and captained the side twice, in a glittering amateur career.
From the tee, you look down to a flagstick 237 yards away. The hole is completely surrounded by tall mature trees and the Glencorse Burn runs across the hole, separating the fairway from the putting surface. The large green has a slope at the front, which will cast any weak shots back into the burn. This is an intimidating hole, with an amphitheatre feel to it – par this one and you’ll be feeling pretty good!
The following five holes are perhaps where you’ll want to make a score. From holes 6 through to 10, there are four par 4s under 335 yards and only one par 3 at 164 yards.
In contrast, the five holes from 11 to 15 are as tough as you get. Three of those holes are par 3s, all over 210 yards. The first, of these par 3s, is at the 11th and it has water running the length of the hole, down the right hand side!
As you come to close out your round, one of the highlights is the views from the 18th tee, over the Pentland Hills and down over the course and clubhouse below.
From an elevated tee, the 18th is a short downhill par 4, once again, over water. The elevation changes, the Glencorse Burn and prevailing westerly wind will make this lovely finishing hole feel a bit longer than the 319 yards printed on the scorecard.
Glencorse is not the sort of course you come across everyday, as it possibly has the toughest collection of par 3s in Scotland, if not UK. You may find yourself laying up on some of the par 3s with water in front, and having to rely on your short game, to get up and down.
It’s a fairly easy course to walk around, although, there are some big elevation changes but not too many. It is a short but challenging track that has lovely views and it’s certainly worth a visit.
Opens
Glencorse GC has some Open events over the next few weeks, which is always a great way to play a new course or a course you haven’t played for a while:
- Gents Open – 25 August 2018
- Ladies Greensome Open – 26 August 2018
- Gents Texas Scramble Open – 9 September 2018
Kings Acre Golf Club, Midlothian
www.kings-acregolf.com
Location
Kings Acre Golf Club is 2 miles from the Edinburgh City bypass, 25 minutes from Edinburgh Airport and 60 minutes from Glasgow.
The Course
Kings Acre is a diverse entity. It caters for business and charity functions and events, as well as dealing with its golf academy and 18 holes golf course.
Kings Acre golf course opened its doors in 1997 and its 18 hole course was designed by golf architect, Graeme Webster.
The Academy
The golf academy at Kings Acre includes:
- Driving Range (floodlit) – 30 covered bays
- Six target greens – laser measured, from the bays to the green
- Three water features/hazards & 10 bunkers
- 2 teaching studios
- A separate short game practice area to the left of the driving range
- 4 hole, par 3 course for juniors
Opening times during the summer –
- Mon – Fri 8am to 9pm
- Sat – Sun 7am to 8pm
The Course
The clubhouse is where both the outward and inward halves head off from and the conservatory area has great views of those teeing off from the 10th and those approaching the 18th green.
The course is just over 6,000 yards and plays to a par 70. It has four par 5s, six par 3s and eight par 4s – only one of the par 4s is over 400 yards and only two of the par 3s are over 200 yards.
The ground is undulating throughout, with some gentle climbs here and there. The only severe elevation changes are at holes 15 to 17, where you’ll want to conserve some energy for the climb back up the 17th.
Kings Acre golf course is a fair test of golf. It has plenty trees and well placed bunkers, in its armoury, but the large contoured greens will also present a real challenge to all levels of golfers.
Holes
The standout holes for me are at the par 5 third, which at 554 yards, you’ll hope the prevailing wind from the west is helping. There are 7 bunkers all around the green, so your approach will take a bit of planning.
The ninth hole, Tom’s Track, has OB on the left and fairway bunkers on the right. Get a good drive away and your second will be fairly straight forward, to a subtly sloping green.
The par 3 eleventh is a great hole, over a traditional stone built wall to a raised green with three bunkers on the left hand side, with no margin for error on the right. It’s 188 yards but plays a bit longer as you’re playing uphill.
By the time you complete the 14th hole, you can’t allow your concentration to lapse, as you have three potential card wreckers ahead of you at 15, 16 & 17. It’s not so much length that you have to focus on here, but more keeping the ball in play!
The 15th is a 497 par 5. You tee off from a great, elevated tee position but it is a sharp dog leg to the right, with out of bounds running all the way down the right hand side.
The 16th is a long par 3 that requires accuracy and the 17th is a short dog leg right par 4 where a safe tee shot will leave you an uphill second to the green.
Kings Acre welcomes visitors and members alike and positively encourages those who haven’t played for a while (or at all) to come along and use their Midlothian facilities.
Accommodation
Kings Acre also has a cottage that can be rented out and it sits on the course, only minutes from the clubhouse. This is an ideal base for playing golf and exploring the area. Website details here: https://www.kings-acregolf.com/accommodation
What to do in Midlothian & surrounding area
Dalkeith Palace & Dalkeith Country Park
www.dalkeithcountrypark.co.uk
Newbattle Abbey
www.newbattleabbey.com/tours
Rosslyn Chapel
www.rosslynchapel.com
National Mining Museum Scotland, Newtongrange
www.nationalminingmuseum.com
Crichton Castle
Crichton Castle website
Pentland Hills
www.pentlandhills.org
Midlothian Snowsports Centre, Hillend
www.midlothian.gov.uk/hillend
Ryze Trampoline Park, Dalkeith
www.ryze.co.uk
Edinburgh Butterfly & Insect World
www.edinburghbutterflyworld.com
Laser Tag – Edinburgh Combat Challenge
www.edinburghcombatchallenge.com
Pony trekking – Lasswade Stables
www.lasswadestables.com
Dalhousie Castle Falconry, Bonnyrigg
www.falconryscotland.co.uk
Stewart Brewing, Beer Tour
www.stewartbrewing.co.uk
Accommodation in Midlothian and surrounding area
Dalhousie Castle
www.dalhousiecastle.co.uk
Braid Hills Hotel
www.braidhillshotel.co.uk
Craigie Hotel, Penicuik
www.thecraigie.co.uk
Kildonan Lodge Hotel
www.kildonanlodgehotel.co.uk
Prestonfield House Hotel
www.prestonfield.com
Melville Castle
www.melvillecastle.com
Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Edinburgh Airport
Hilton – Edinburgh Airport website
Dalmahoy Hotel
https://www.dalmahoyhotelandcountryclub.co.uk
Dakota Hotel
http://edinburgh.dakotahotels.co.uk
Norton House Hotel
https://www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/nortonhouse
Kings Acre Golf Club – cottage
www.kings-acregolf.com/accommodation
