Kilspindie
Course
Kilspindie Golf Club, Aberlady, East Lothian
Founded 1867. Links Course
Scotland is a land of hidden gems but few are as impressive as the links at Kilspindie. Designed by Willie Park and Ben Sayers with minor modifications made over the years, Kilspindie measures just 5,500 yards and its layout is short even relative to its par of 69. You will have tougher tests but Kilspindie offers traditional links golf and a genuine welcome and is probably the perfect introduction to links golf in that you will not be hammered into submission by the vagaries of the course. The par-five second is the only par-five at Kilspindie but six is a great score when played into the prevailing wind, while the signature hole is the short 8th, which plays across a sandy bay and can require anything from a wedge to a wood depending on the wind.
Sightseeing
Great golf is only part of the story when considering what makes the perfect golf trip. Thankfully the other essential components are all found in abundance in Scotland, not least in the sights to see department. Whether scheduling a day off from golf or filling an afternoon after your morning round, there are many options regardless of which region you are visiting. The below is intended as a very general guide to sightseeing in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Central to your time in this region is the wonderful and historic city of Edinburgh. Whether you are staying in the city itself or on the East Lothian coastline, Edinburgh is sure to be one of the highlights of your trip. Not to be missed is a visit to Edinburgh Castle (pictured above), with its many highlights including the Great Hall, Royal Palace, National War Museum, Stone of Destiny and Scottish Crown Jewels. Other attractions in Edinburgh include the Royal Yacht Britannia, National Museum of Scotland, National Gallery of Scotland, the Scotch Whisky Experience; and the official Scottish residence of the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
To the east of Edinburgh, the Lothians landscape is dotted with castles, each one telling its own tales of bygone days. These include medieval Dirleton Castle in the village of Dirleton and the imposing Tantallon Castle in North Berwick, which stands perched in the most dramatic of cliff-top settings. Other attractions in the Lothians include Dunbar Town House Museum & Gallery in the town of Dunbar, the 17th Century House of Binns near Linlithgow, Glenkinchie Distillery and the impressive ruins of Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots in 1542.