Join BIGGA here

Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society BIGGA National Championship Host Venue 2024

Welcome

Founded in 1761, the Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society is the fourth oldest club in the world and one of Scotland's most prestigious.

In October 2018 a two-year redevelopment with the highly acclaimed golf course architects Mackenzie & Ebert was completed. The £1.2million investment has transformed Bruntsfield's course into a par 71 of 6,466 yards, producing a layout worthy of the demands of the modern day golfer.

The primary focus was to restore and replace Bruntsfield's bunkers to the original shape that Dr Alister Mackenzie laid out back in 1922. A select number of holes have been reconfigured to account for modern equipment and make best use of the Bruntsfield's rolling mature parkland over 150 acres. The Mackenzie & Ebert redevelopment has elevated Bruntsfield to become one of Scotland's top inland courses.

Course guide

1

Pro's tip: A testing opening hole, usually played into the prevailing wind. Keep your drive down the right to avoid fairway bunkers. Difficult green sloping down from left to right - try and leave yourself an uphill putt if possible.

2

Pro's tip: An elevated tee makes for an inviting drive, but take care to avoid the bunkers and out of bounds on the left, while trees await down the right. The green is slightly elevated, so make sure you hit enough club to carry onto the putting surface.

3

Pro's tip: An uphill tee shot to a left to right dog-leg fairway. Consider a risk or reward drive over the bunkers, avoiding the rough, to leave a short iron to the green or an iron off the tee played short of the bunkers to leave a longer approach. A fair green which feeds in from the left.

4

Pro's tip: The tee shot should be kept left of centre to leave an open second shot to the green, avoiding the large pine trees. Care should be taken to note the pin position on the two tier green before playing your approach shot.

5

Pro's tip: The 5th offers some respite after four long opening holes. Watch out for the two ponds on the left hand side of the green. The smaller one is known as the Carriage Pond and was used to wash carriages (well before golf was played here) in the days when travel to Bruntsfield was via horse and coach.

6

Pro's tip: The tee shot should be left of centre to open up the second shot to the green - a 3-wood will suffice for longer hitters, but be careful to avoid the deep fairway bunkers. The green slopes from left to right and has been 3-putted by many a golfer, but an uphill putt will offer the best chance of a birdie.

7

Pro's tip: A nice, short par 3, but don't be fooled. The green is as difficult as you will see on the course! Play safe and hit your tee shot to the right and let it feed down to the hole.

8

Pro's tip: An elevated tee shot awaits - longer hitters may choose to play a 3-wood to avoid the bunkers and rough as the fairway narrows in the landing area. The green is well guarded by several bunkers.

9

Pro's tip: A 'real' par 5. A good drive will get you to the bottom of the hill but not necessarily a view of the green. It will take a good lay-up second shot to give you a short pitch 3rd to a small green.

10

Pro's tip: What a beautiful hole. Playing between 100-140 yards, this tricky wee hole takes some serious concentration. The green is small and narrow and there are run offs on both sides. Take a par and move on!

11

Pro's tip: Another elevated tee shot awaits on this fine par 4, normally played into the wind. Take care to avoid the woods on the left which are out of bounds, while navigating the big bunkers on the right. The green has a gentle slope from back to front. This is a deceptively difficult hole.

12

A daunting hole awaits. This par 5 is the longest hole on the course and fraught with danger. Every shot needs serious concentration. A strong drive is required to set up a difficult second where there are bunkers facing you everywhere! A lay-up second shot is encouraged to leave a gentle third shot.

13

Pro's tip: The 13th hole marks the turn for home. The tee shot should be played left of centre to avoid the second shot being blocked by the trees down the right hand side. Long hitters going for the green in two shots should note the out of bounds in the wood to the right of the green. The green itself is subtly contoured. It requires a good approach to get close to the flag when positioned on the top level.

14

Pro's tip: A deep green means club selection is important. Run offs to the front left and rear of the green dictates accepting middle of the green every time.

15

Pro's tip: With out of bounds left and two fairway bunkers facing you from the tee, the 15th has plenty of trouble. However, a tee shot down the middle short of the bunkers leaving a short iron, or smash a drive over the bunkers for a straightforward short pitch onto a flat green, leaving the chance of a birdie.

16

Pro's tip: This signature par 3 requires a mid to long iron shot over a significant water hazard. A left pin position requires a full carry over the water while a right pin allows the golfer a safer line.

17

Pro's tip: This long par 4 requires a well hit drive to a fairway that narrows at the 280-yard mark with two bunkers on the left and trees on the right which block the golfer's view from the right of the fairway. A raised green with a lip requires a skilled second shot.

18

Pro's tip: The final hole. Despite the relatively modest yardage, the heavily bunkered and contoured green can break many a score! However, if the flag is on the right hand side the ball will gather towards the hole, leaving a birdie chance for the accurate second shot, critically overlooked by those watching from the clubhouse!

Good luck to all the participants in the BIGGA National Championship 2024

Join BIGGA here