Course Guides
Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh
Address: 181 Whitehouse Road, Edinburgh EH4 6BY
Location: Five miles west of City centre off A90.
Telephone: 0131-339-2075
Course Description
By Dr. Mike O'Sullivan, Los Angeles, California.(mosulliv@lausd.k12.ca.us)
Played Royal Burgess by accident back in 1996. We had intended to go to Muirfield but something came up which nixed that and our tour arrangers got us on Burgess. I think that Royal Burgess must be somewhat difficult for the average Joe to get on, because there were certainly not many players there and it was a gorgeous day. A short course, but a lot of fun to play. Good greens and nice wide fairways. Lots of trees and other reminders of playing parkland tracks back in the US. All in all, an enjoyable afternoon and one I would repeat.
By Bill Nelson, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA (histgolf@sgi.net)
One should be aware of the history of this wonderful course. Originally, the club was known as The Edinburgh Burgess Golfing Society, and was probably founded in 1735, which would make it the oldest golf club in the world. At that time, the Society played on Bruntsfield Links, in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. When the links began to be congested because of urban growth, the Society moved to Musselburgh where it shared the links with the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. Finally, in 1895, the club settled in it's new, private, course in Barnton. The layout was done by Old Tom Morris.
The Rhinestone sculpture on the exterior of the clubhouse was originally placed on the Musselburgh clubhouse. In 1928, Albert, Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) petitioned the club for membership; it was then that the Society received it's royal patronage.
I've had the chance to play the course twice with the archivist of the club, Mr. Philip Knowles. Should you have the opportunity to play there, (be sure to ring them up beforehand) visit the clubhouse which has several rare artefacts, stunning oils of great golfers of yesteryear, and the Prince of Wales membership petition.
I hope you'll have a pleasant a time at the Royal Burgess Society as I had.
More Details
- Full catering service
- Bar
- Golf carts hire
- Putting green
- Practice ground
- Visitors on request
- Holes: 18
- Yardage: 6494
- SSS: 71
