First laid out in 1856 and redesigned over the years by the likes of Old Tom Morris, Ben Sayers and James Braid, Dunbar East Links has a page pedigree second to none.
As befits such a gem of golf course architecture, it has played host to countless national and international championships. It has been a final qualifying course for the Open when played at Muirfield, while The British Boys', The Scottish Amateur, Scottish PGA, Scottish Boys', British Ladies' and the Ladies Home International Championships have all been played here.
Interestingly Dunbar hosted the first PGA Championship on the European Tour in 1968 (now contested each year at Wentworth as the Tour's flagship event).
Well defined holes following the natural contours of a narrow strip of land between the old red sandstone deer park wall and the rocky shoreline are the hallmarks of these links. At a little over 6,500 yards, it is not the longest championship course, but any golfer thinking this equates to a lack of challenge will soon be put right. This is a course built upon those old fashioned golfing virtues of club selection and shot-making. With the ever-present – and ever-changing – wind off the sea, it demands accuracy and judgement, and rewards only bravery and skill.
Hole | White | Par | SI | Yellow | Par | SI | Red | Par | SI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 474 | 5 | 9 | 460 | 5 | 9 | 448 | 5 | 9 |
2 | 541 | 5 | 3 | 490 | 5 | 3 | 448 | 5 | 3 |
3 | 173 | 3 | 15 | 152 | 3 | 15 | 150 | 3 | 15 |
4 | 353 | 4 | 5 | 340 | 4 | 5 | 308 | 4 | 5 |
5 | 147 | 3 | 17 | 162 | 3 | 17 | 133 | 3 | 17 |
6 | 386 | 4 | 1 | 347 | 4 | 1 | 315 | 4 | 1 |
7 | 382 | 4 | 13 | 371 | 4 | 13 | 360 | 4 | 13 |
8 | 370 | 4 | 11 | 323 | 4 | 11 | 312 | 4 | 11 |
9 | 532 | 5 | 7 | 506 | 5 | 7 | 465 | 5 | 7 |
3358 | 37 | OUT | 3151 | 37 | OUT | 2939 | 37 | OUT | |
10 | 202 | 3 | 12 | 202 | 3 | 12 | 182 | 3 | 12 |
11 | 460 | 4 | 8 | 418 | 4 | 8 | 359 | 4 | 8 |
12 | 457 | 4 | 2 | 445 | 4 | 2 | 389 | 4 | 2 |
13 | 377 | 4 | 14 | 359 | 4 | 14 | 339 | 4 | 14 |
14 | 432 | 4 | 4 | 413 | 4 | 4 | 404 | 4 | 4 |
15 | 338 | 4 | 18 | 322 | 4 | 18 | 303 | 4 | 18 |
16 | 163 | 3 | 16 | 145 | 3 | 16 | 138 | 3 | 16 |
17 | 375 | 4 | 6 | 320 | 4 | 6 | 284 | 4 | 6 |
18 | 435 | 4 | 10 | 421 | 4 | 10 | 359 | 4 | 10 |
3239 | 34 | IN | 3045 | 34 | IN | 2757 | 34 | IN | |
3358 | 37 | OUT | 3151 | 37 | OUT | 2939 | 37 | OUT | |
6597 | 71 | TOTAL | 6196 | 71 | TOTAL | 5696 | 71 | TOTAL |