NORTH BERWICK
Even in the glittering array of Scotland’s seaside golf courses, North Berwick’s West Links stands out as a rare gem. It has taken a long time to evolve to its present state of excellence, but it has been time well spent.
Here are three holes for which the West Links is best known :
- The 13th (“Pit”). A short par 4 calling for an imaginative approach to a sunken green behind a wall. Take time to look west and enjoy the view to Fidra, thought to be the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island”.
- The 14th (“Perfection”). Legend has it that this hole is so christened because it requires two perfect shots to hit the green. It might also be because of the sublime view, this time to the Bass Rock, home to one of the world’s largest gannet populations.
- The 15th (“Redan”). The original, copied many times. A testing par 3 played to a large, steeply sloping green. Beware the vast hidden gully to the right front of the green. The hole plays every inch of its length.
After witnessing day 2 of the Open at St. Andrews, we will all be ready to tackle this course.
