North Berwick Golf Course played 23 and 26 August 2020

We played North Berwick twice.

Like so many other great courses Berwick have some tricky – but great golf holes. You need to play it twice to fully enjoy the walk. North Berwick is not a cheap walk, but all facilities are in great condition, the staff is professional and the service is tops.

Hole 13 is also one of the more tricky holes. Drive straight along the wall to the left. Not a big deal, but then to get to the green you need to carry over the wall. As you can see from the picture.

The course guide says:

“Drive to the right of center. Don’t argue with the wall – it’s older than you. A good drive however will leave you with a short iron over the wall to set up a birdie chance.”

On the first round I laid up short of the wall, but tried a practice shot to go over the wall and realized that the green is a lot longer that you can see from the fairway. Meaning that the chances of finding the rough behind the green (hitting too long) was not that big. A great hole. It is not that intimidating the second time around.

The ridge or hill behind the bunkers (marked with a blue line on the course guides picture to the right) makes the second shot blind and the hill is a lot higher that you can see from the course guide. One needs to carry the ball higher that one believe at the first sight. Second it makes the shot blind. Therefore the white high post on the picture at the back of the green. So it’s about to get both the length and the high right.

I learned by reading an article of golf architect Tim Liddy that the design of this par 3 hole at Berwick really is copied throughout the world. The hole’s name is Redan, which I have learned is a term for a V-shaped fortification.

In this case you have to carry the bunkers.

If you go for the green you have to carry the left of the left bunker to reach the green. While the green slopes strongly from right to left you have to be very precise or, alternatively, play it safe, go for the fairway just over the bunkers, a shot of only about 130 yards and pitch it to the green.

On my first round I wasn’t aware of the danger, hit the green and made my par. The second round, I thought I could do the same, ended in the deep swallow long and left of the green and ended up with a double bogey.

A bit of the history of North Berwick

From the web page: “Rudimentary golf (often discouraged by the authorities) had been played on North Berwick links land, as in other parts of the country, since the early years of the seventeenth century, and possibly earlier than that. But it was the formation in 1832 of North Berwick Golf Club that marked the beginning of organized golf over terrain which in time would be expanded to become the West Links which we know today.

In 1832 however the ground available extended only as far as the “March Dyke” which traverses today’s 3rd and 16th holes. What is more it was “common land” on which the Westgate feuars (holders of property in Westgate, in the vicinity of the links) had some years previously established pasturage rights. Only six holes could be accommodated in the space available, and the members’ periodic medal competitions were played over three rounds (i.e. 18 holes altogether). Sometime later it was found possible to accommodate a seventh hole within the “common land” parameters.”

There is a big difference between golf in the 17, 18 and most of the 19 centuries and today.

Not just the equipment but also the golf courses. Playing some of the not so watered golf courses with not so flat and manicured fairways and greens and sharp edge bunkers, you start to ask yourself: what is most fun.

Facts of North Berwick golf course

“THE WEST LINKS was originally six holes and a seventh was added before it was extended to 18 holes in 1877.

By 1895 the course was lengthened, and today measures 6506 yards S.S.S 71. Not the longest, but the trickery of the course requires the full repertoire of shot making. A true links course laid out on a raised-beach, laden with brown sand forming the undulating links land 10 to 30 feet above sea level.

The course has been described as from a ‘Primitive Age’ relating to a period from the beginning of the game to the invention of the gutta-percha in 1848.

The West Links is of great antiquity and has it’s place among a very special group of courses which evolved naturally and owe little to the hand of man.”

Course Record: Pro 63, Trevor Immelman. Amateur 63, Joe Lockie

Length going from 6591y to 4639y. Slope going from 131 to 112, Rating from 72,9 to 69,2.

My game

Tjaaaa. If you think you learn something from playing a course like North Berwick twice you might think again.

First round I used 84 strokes and made 30 points. Second round I used 84 strokes and made 29 points.

But I tell you both rounds were a great experience.

Evaluation of North Berwick Golf Course