YOUR LINKS
I am delighted to bring you this Summer edition of Your Links, the magazine for the North Berwick Golf Club. We’ve once again packed it full of news, views and important updates from around the Club
Welcome!
The Summer has already been packed full of exciting events and competitions and, as we move through August, there are many more ways to make the most of your Membership.
In this edition of Your Links, we hear from Stuart Martin, our Assistant General Manager, who looks back and celebrates the winners from the 2023 season.
Iain Prime, our Golf Coordinator, reflects on this year’s Club Championships and talks us through a day of challenging weather when our Champions were crowned.
Our Captains, Fiona Maciver and Gordon Scholes, help us understand more about the next Major Moments in our season – and what dates you really should add to your golfing calendar.
Head Chef Jarek Lisiecki and Deputy Food and Beverage Manager Derek Lehane come together to bring you new food and drink ideas for this Summer, while introducing a new local partnership with Winton Brewery. Other local collaborations are strengthened as we learn more about the continued partnership with NB Gin and the launch of the second edition of 1832.
Kyle Cruickshank , our Course Manager, offers more insight into our Course Enhancement Projects and, in particular, explains more about the care taken in our restoration work on the iconic Redan.
Our Greenkeeping Team are also in the spotlight in the Your Team section, as we learn more about the key roles Dan, Graham and Steven play in presenting the West Links in the best possible condition every day.
Our own ‘Nature Reserve’, the West Links, is closely monitored to ensure our Ecological Management Plan is maintaining and enhancing the ecological and conservation value of the Links. Our Consultant Ecologist, Bob Taylor, explains more about his regular visits and how his experience helps shape the extent and quality of our ecological work.
Martyn Huish, our Head PGA Professional, and his Team provide more tips and unique rules, while we learn more about the West Links Juniors and all of the happenings this Summer from the Children’s Course.
As a Team, together, the staff and Members alike play a vital role in continuing to deliver a first-class experience and the warmest of welcomes to everyone who makes the journey to enjoy our world-renowned links.
I am sure that you will enjoy this third edition of Your Links, and I know that it will continue to help you make the most of your Membership and, very importantly, The North Berwick Golf Club.
Best wishes and happy reading!
Stuart Bayne, General Manager
As a Team, together, the staff and Members alike play a vital role in continuing to deliver a first-class experience and the warmest of welcomes to everyone who makes the journey to enjoy our worldrenowned links
Ladies Plate: Fiona Whittock
Captains’ Cup: Michael Hagan
Vanreenan Trophy: Harry Bent & Sally Tait
Gold Challenge Medal: John Joe Lockie
Senior Club Champion: Graham Clark
Deuchar Cup: Michael Lucas
West Links Trophy: Graeme Marshall
Hunnewell Challenge Trophy: Abby Glennie
Captain Frai Bowl: Sean McCashey
Seniors Open Trophy: Jim Gordon (Royal Burgess)
Centenary Medal: Elaine McInroy
Jean Anderson Cup: Chandrika Monro
Coupar Cup: Louise Martin
Spring Meeting Quaich: Alison Di Rollo
Blake Spoon: Val Crombie
Blair Jubilee Trophy: Alison Di Rollo
Scratch Tankard: Kay Lannin
Bronze Scratch Tankard: Alison Di Rollo
Summer Meeting Cup : Catriona Thomson
Club Gold Medal: Elinor Blair
Dalziel Rose Bowl: Gwen Stewart
Beddows Quaich: Christian Blake
Addie Handicap Cup: Catriona Thomson
Scroggie Cup: Christian Blake
Marion Dodd Rosebowl: Jenni Ray
CHAS Rotary Trophy: Kay Lannin
Ladies Silver Spoon: Dawn Young
Your 2023 Winners
Anne Chainey Snrs
Championship Handicap Trophy: Catriona Thomson
Donaldson Cup: Pat Phillips
Weston Salver: Louise Martin
Edington Trophy: Elinor Blair
Wedderburn Bowl: J Richard Johnston
CHAS Trophy: Michael Gray
Greenhythe (McEwan) Trophy: Elizabeth Eckles & Andrew Hall
Fraser Stuart Bowl: Andrew Hall, Kevin McCarthy, Connor McCarthy & (Ian Galbraith)
Eglinton Quaich’s: Sue Murray & Andrew Hall
Hinchliffe Trophy: Ladies Won
Sandison Trophies: Catriona Thomson & Peter Thomson
North Berwick Cup: Gwen Stewart & (Fraser Skene)
North Berwick Plate:
Jenni Ray & John Stewart
Alberto Peruzza Trophy: Martin Douglas & Christopher McKerrow
Moira Thomson Trophy : Kay Lannin
Jubilee Rosebowl: Catriona Thomson
Ladies Boyd Salvers: Sue Robertson & (Lesley Ross)
Miller Cups: Elizabeth Eckles & Anne Smith
O’Brien Goblets: Elinor Blair & Janice Reid-Chapman
Grahame Cup: Jenni Ray
Anne Chainey Trophy: Kay Lannin
Burns Shield: Fiona Macintyre
Winter Fourballs: Douglas Tainsh
Cree Medal: Gordon Surfleet
Moncrieff Medal: Chris Wood
Old Gold Medal: Neil Wilson
Club Gold Medal: Michael Gray
New Club Gold Medal: Andrew Hall
Sir Hew Dalrymple Cup: Chris Wilson
Eglinton Medal: Andrew Hall
Stuart Martin, our Assistant General Manager, looks back on a fantastic 2023 and celebrates all of our winners from an action-packed year.
It was wonderful to welcome everyone and join in the celebrations at the annual Prize Presentation evening. It was a great night toasting all of the successes and here are just a few of the memories made, along with the list of deserving winners. Many congratulations to everyone!
Silver Challenge Medal: Gordon Blair
Corfu Cup: Neil Wilson
West Links Seniors Trophy: David Watters
Uganda Drum: Tim Johnston
Regwin Trophies: Kevin McCarthy & Nathan Pike
Chainey Quaich: Michael Gray
Championship Plate: Michael Livingston
B Championship Trophy: Ivor McArdle
Club Champion: Chris Wood
Chris Wood
Louise Martin
Iain Prime, our Golf Coordinator, reflects on what is always a very special marquee date in our golfing season... the prestigious Club Championship Finals Day
Your Club Champions
Click to view the interview with Mike Gray
Click to view the interview with Louise Martin
Championship Finals Day started with an early tee off for our two Gents Championship finalists.
Facing 36 holes, referee Martyn Huish watched Mike Gray take an early lead and eventually reach the 18th four up on Andy Hall. Andy started the second half of the final strongly but eventually Mike’s pressure was too much and the final finished at the 11th hole.
By the time our Ladies Championship Final was starting the weather had turned a bit ugly. Louise Martin, defending her title, played extremely well to defeat Dawn Young on the 13th green.
The Plate finals resulted in a comfortable victory for Fiona Maciver over Marie Young in our ladies section and Graham Elliot played some excellent golf to defeat David Hardie.
Ivor McArdle defended his Gents B Championship title with victory over Doug Falconer, while Alison Di Rollo overcame Elaine McInroy to win the Ladies Bronze Championship.
The last final to be completed was the very closely contested Gents Senior Final. With the game all square on the 18th tee, both George and Nial holed terrific birdie putts to take the final to extra holes. It was Nial who triumphed, however, on the first extra hole, to win this year’s final.
A day on which the weather should be forgotten but the great golf on show remembered, the gathering in the much more cosy environs of the Club Room saw presentations, interviews and photos of the day’s champions – accompanied, of course, by the odd libation and cheery chat around the tables.
The full image gallery is available on our Members Facebook area. Please follow the video links on the opposite page to watch Louise and Mike’s interviews. Click to view the Facebook image gallery
Your Major Moments
The Summer season is well underway, with July already providing some memorable moments, and even more to look forward to as we move through August and into September. Our Club Captains Fiona Maciver and Gordon Scholes have asked us to guide you through what Major Moments are still to come this year.
The Gents Challenge Medals on Saturday 13th July saw The Gold Medal played, which is a West Links scratch competition play over 36 holes. This prestigious prize, first presented in 1895, was won this year by Gareth Pugh with fine scores of 70 and 69. The Silver Medal is an 18-hole handicap competition for those with a handicap of 10 or above. Although not as old as it’s golden neighbour, it remains much sought after, with Joe Hunter taking the title this year with a fine 66.
The Ladies and Gents Summer Meeting was hosted on Saturday 27th July. The second of our triumvirate of seasonal meetings is always one of the high points of the year and was elevated in the July sunshine with a gin tasting experience after the round. Amalgamated for the first time this year, not only did this free up tee times, it generated a real focus and enjoyment on the day. The Ladies titles were won by, Kathleen Lannin - Silver Tankard, Jenni Ray - Jean Anderson Cup, Alison Di Rollo - Bronze Tankard and Patrica PhilipsSummer Meeting Cup. The Gents titles were lifted by Chris Wood - Scratch Club Gold Medal (first played for in 1856) and Callum Docherty - Old Club Gold Medal (initiated in 1900).
The 11th of August is the date of the Fraser Stuart Bowl. A mixed Texas Scramble, played alongside Tantallon’s Simpson Trophy, brings a bit of light relief from the high
pressure competitions of July. This competition, although well contested, is full of laughter and chat. Teams can be made up of any combination of ladies, gents and juniors and they all set off from a shotgun start at 08:30 in the morning. This beautiful silver bowl was won last year by Andrew Hall, Kevin McCarthy, Connor McCarthy and Ian Galbraith. Who’s turn is it this year?
On Sunday 18th August the Greenhythe (McEwan) Trophy will be played for. A very popular mixed foursomes comprising teams of two, including a West Links member whose partner can be a non-member of the West Links, it’s a wonderful format, hotly contested and a great way to enjoy the company of visitors to the West Links. This year is the 50th anniversary of this competition and it would be really fitting to have a great turnout.
The following Saturday 24th August, we have one of the biggest days of the year, The Members Invitational Day, with two shotgun starts: one at 09:00 and one at 13:30. Members of North Berwick can invite a partner from any other club to join them for a better ball Stableford with the aim of lifting the Alberto Peruzza Trophy. Alberto Peruzza was a member of North Berwick but tragically died at the young age of 31. The trophy was presented to the club by Ricky Morga and the Peruzza family in 1993. With a refreshment truck on the course and barbeque options at the Club House after play, this is a must to put in your diary.
The Wedderburn Bowl starts off September with a bang on Sunday 1st! A mixed strokeplay competition with prizes for best nett, scratch and best junior, this is another one not to be missed. Always very popular, the entry for this event went live on the 2nd of August.
The Ladies & Gents Autumn Meeting is on Saturday 14th September. This year and for the first time, the tee sheet will be shared with Tantallon and Bass Rock’s Autumn Meetings. The idea behind this? To release more tee times to members on other Saturdays and to allow this major to be played on a course in great condition, before the autumn maintenance. It will be a full-day tee sheet and promises to be quite a spectacle. Defending titles in the ladies section are Elinor Blair - best silver scratch, Gwen Stewart - best silver nett, Christian Blake - best bronze scratch and Catriona Thomson - best bronze nett. On the gentlemen’s side of the competition Andy Hallscratch and Chris Wilson – nett are defending champions from 2023.
To end September, on the 28th we have the Corfu Cup. Another very popular competition, this will include ladies as part of the West Links clubs entry for the first time. Our Gents Vice-Captain Neil Wilson will be defending this year and, if last year’s field of 79 players is anything to go by, it will be a tough ask. The Corfu Cup, presented by Captain C.C. Bell DSQ, RN, was originally a matchplay competition in 1946 that changed to its current format in the early 1990s.
Dates for your diary
Saturday 3rd August: Professionals Day
Saturday 24th August: Members Invitational
Sunday 1st September: Wedderburn Bowl
Saturday 14th September: Autumn Meeting
Saturday 28th September: Corfu Cup
Fiona Maciver, Ladies’ Captain, and Gordon Scholes, Men’s Captain
From our Kitchen & Bar to Yours
Our Head Chef, Jarek Lisiecki and Deputy Food and Beverage Manager Derek Lehane collaborate to bring you new food and drink ideas that bring extra flavour to your summers evening.
One of our new popular dishes on the summer menu is the humble ploughman’s platter. What’s not to love?
Local Anderson’s butcher supplied pork pie, Isle of Mull cheddar, paired with sliced tomato, to which we love to add salt and white pepper, pickled onions, hard boiled egg and a piece of sourdough. It’s perfect with a glass of Chardonnay or a John Panton.
When it comes to a refreshment, it’s a no brainer: tasty, refreshing beer brewed down the road from us in Haddington. In our continued steps to support local suppliers and producers. We are proud to announce we have begun our partnership with Winton Brewery in Haddington. ‘Taps Aff’ lager is now available on draught along with tins of delicious Peelywally IPA.
Taps Aff is made using the finest German Pilsner malt. It is conditioned for six (long!) weeks to ensure the clean, crisp and no-nonsense lager tantalises all of your taste buds!
Peelywally IPA is refreshing, carefully hopped and delicious! With citrus and floral notes from the Simcoe and Centennial hops, the flavours dance around your mouth like a Scotsman with a wasp up his kilt!
Derek Lehane, Deputy Food and Beverage Manager
Date for your diary
Summer Bistro
Saturday 31st August
After the success of the fully sold winter Bistro Evenings, we are delighted to introduce a Summer Bistro at the end of August. More details to follow via the weekly Friday Updates.
Jarek Lisiecki, Head Chef
We are constantly looking at ways to further improve our offerings and the brands with whom we partner. Enhancing Members’ benefits and helping you make the most of your Membership are key moving forward, with work already well underway in building a network of partnerships with businesses and Clubs around the world.
More details will follow at the end of this year, but for this summer we are delighted to focus on local links and strengthen our partnership with multi-award winning NB Gin.
Your Benefits & Partnerships
The Club has always had a close relationship with the local community and this further developed partnership with NB Distillery helps to strengthen links with the local economy and businesses. Anchored in North Berwick, this enhanced collaboration celebrates the worldrenowned, historic and iconic North Berwick Golf Club and NB Gin, voted best London Dry Gin in the world.
Following the success of our own 1832 labelled gin, we are proud to launch the second edition of 1832, a limited batch of just 200 numbered bottles. Infused with local botanicals and samphire, this is a truly unique gin that is created and distilled in the town.
1832 was launched on Saturday 27th July. To celebrate this NB Gin hosted a gin tasting afternoon in the Club Room, which saw Members enjoy sampling NB Gin’s range of delicious spirits and, of course, the 1832.
This event was the first opportunity to purchase your own bottle of 1832 and we were delighted with the initial demand. Stocks are limited so please contact our Food and Beverage Team to secure yours.
1832 Gin and Tonic
Summer cocktails are all about cool refreshing drinks, ideally served over ice when the weather is sunny and warm.
The North Berwick Golf Club version of the classic Gin and Tonic is, of course, blended with our very own 1832.
• The 1832 Gin
• In a traditional highball, 2/3 filled with ice
• Slice of orange
• 25 ml of 1832 gin or why not go large with 50ml of 1832 gin?
• Fever Tree tonic served on the side so you can decide the blend of tonic to gin
First up on my recent adventure to Scotland was North Berwick and it was simply stunning. Wonderfully designed, conditioned and presented. You can see why it is so highly regarded. It oozes class and tradition yet it is a warm and friendly club
Golfing Voyager
I’m still rather speechless about North Berwick – there are so many questions and so many possible answers. It is truly up there with one of the best golfing walks I have had
My Key Unlocks
Your Course Policy
We all care passionately about our beloved West Links and we are all honoured to be able to play, manage and care for it.
Click to read your copy
To help encourage this care and attention we are delighted, with the support of the Captains’ of all Clubs, to introduce our first Your Course Policy. Now that this season is in full swing it is a great time to remind everyone of our responsibilities in looking after the West Links.
With everyone’s support, together, we will keep improving the course standard and presentation, and we would encourage everyone to follow the below link to read and adopt this important policy.
"As Captains’
of
all Clubs, it is
our pleasure to introduce and support the first, Your Course Policy. Enjoy your golf on the West Links and please try to leave Your Course as you would like to find it"
Fraser
Symon, George Cochrane, Fiona Maciver and Gordon Scholes
Your West Links
It was a busy winter on the West Links with many course enhancement projects undertaken. Course Manager Kyle Cruickshank explains more about the important work conducted and, in particular, the restoration carried out on the iconic Redan.
Once again we enlisted the services of Chris Haspell (Chris Haspell & Associates) and Clyde Johnson (Cunnin Golf Design) in early November to carry out some shaping works to enhance three tee boxes and the iconic bunker on Redan.
Chris and Clyde started at the 10th tee where they removed 500mm of poor rootzone material that was not appropriate for a golf course never mind a links course. This material had large rocks, bricks, blue clay and other pieces of debris that did not allow for good drainage or healthy turf. The rubber crumb path that separated both sides of the previous tee was taken out. The paths to and from the tee and the banking around it was reshaped to create a natural dune look, allowing it to blend into the environment. 300mm of rootzone was redistributed across the tee and a drain was installed to help cope with any heavy rain events. The plan was to make this new tee feel like it was part of the dune instead of just a mound of material with some soft undulations around the edges. Marram grass was sprigged along the tops of the high spots and the edge of the tee to help promote more marram establishment in this area.
From there we moved down to the 6th tee. This tee has been frustrating to manage for a number of years, especially with the introduction of the World Handicap System (WHS), which means more play from the white tees that have traditionally been used for Medal or competition play, but WHS also has some yardage guidelines we have to follow.
We wanted to be able to have a bigger teeing ground with more space to move markers around spreading wear and tear. The tee is now double the width and the white markers now have triple the area to move the markers around in. The sides of the tee were then shaped to marry in with the surrounds coming off the 5th green. The path leading to the 6th green was also in poor condition, so the turf was removed and the path was regraded and turfed.
Finally, for Chris and Clyde, the bunker on the left side of the 15th green was lovingly restored along with moving the White and Red tee over to the left behind the Blue tee on the 16th (read more about this project on the next page).
The winter work did not stop there. The Greenkeeping Team managed to rebuild a total of 11 bunkers and carried out some reshaping works to help these fit better into their surrounds. Doing this extended the time taken to complete the bunker rebuilds but it was well worth doing to get the finished look we achieved.
The bunkers rebuilt were:
• 3 bunkers on the right of the 4th green 2 bunkers on the right of the 5th fairway, including reshaping
• Front right bunker on the 6th, including reshaping
• Front left bunker at the 9th green
• 2 bunkers on the left of the 11th fairway, including reshaping
• 2 bunkers on the left of the green at 12th, including reshaping
The three bunkers on the Children’s Course also received a makeover. These had been in poor condition for a number of years so it was great to see them finally get the attention they deserved. We used a product called EcoBunker, which is an artificial turf revetting material that has a guarantee of more than 20 years. Robert Sammels from R A Sammels came in to excavate, shape and install the EcoBunker.
The completed bunkers are a huge improvement on what was there before and the Greenkeeping Team deserve a lot of credit for the skill used to create the final product.
The most beneficial aspect of the winter work was the skills and knowledge we all gained by doing these projects. Many of the Team had never been involved in big projects like this and, although a few mistakes were made, many lessons were learned. Irrigation is difficult and very intricate to install, which takes a lot of consideration. However, all of the irrigation installed over winter was carried out in house which was a fantastic achievement. Going forward, the experience gained will be of huge benefit to the Team themselves but also the West Links for many years to come.
Known as the most copied golf hole in the world, the 15th on the West Links is both historically significant and much loved by members and visitors. The term “Redan” hails from a type of defensive fortification used to protect territories from invading armies.
It was clear looking at old photos of the Redan hole that the bunker left of the green had lost its original shape and size. It felt like there was a big crater left of the green, in which the bunker just didn’t sit quite right. Those who have played out of the bunker will be aware the base sloped from back to front, similarly to the 17th bunker before it was renovated in January 2023. This often made golfers play from the bottom of the face, forcing a very steep flop shot to escape. As we were planning our winter programme of work, this bunker was at the top of the list to rebuild.
Clyde Johnson and Chris Haspell were once again asked to carry out this project work after their excellent work with the 17th bunker. Old imagery of the hole was used as guidance as to how the bunker used to look. It was also decided to move the existing Red and White tee over behind the Blue tee on the 16th to tie the bunker into the bank and make the stone dyke behind the green visible from the tee again. Ground was broken on the 16th of November.
I won’t lie: of all the projects we have ticked off this year (17th Bunker, Turf Nursery, Bulk Materials Building and the 6th & 10th tees), this project has given me the most trepidation, as I’m hugely aware of the historical element of this hole and it’s
importance in the world of golf. That’s why it was so important to involve Clyde and Chris, along with Reece Haspell and Rory Paul, to use their expertise and make sure the bunker was rebuilt sympathetically and that it resembled something close to how the bunker used to be. By having a good few months to research and prepare for rebuilding the bunker, they knew what the objectives were and how they were going to achieve them.
They wasted absolutely no time in getting going with the old bunker and tee essentially removed within an hour or two. From there, they moved material over to where the new tee was going to be placed and got the levels to where they needed to be before blending the tee to the left side of the green.
Clyde worked away at shaping the size and shape of the bunker before Reece and Rory started laying the base layer of revetted turf. Scott Russell and Ryan Yuill from our Greenkeeping Team joined them to expertly build the revetted wall within a week using roughly 20 pallets of turf. Clyde finished off shaping the base layer and finalising the top line of the revetted wall.
The new bunker is notably bigger, but with Clyde’s shaping of the base, it will play a lot fairer, with balls rolling down into the middle of the bunker to provide a fair challenge to get out – similar to how the 17th bunker plays now.
Your Team
We are immensely proud of each and every one of our Team, whose unstinting dedication and devotion to the course and facilities are one of the main reasons why the West Links is so revered around the world.
Led by Course Manager, Kyle Cruickshank, we are always looking at ways to progress and develop our Greenkeeping Team. In this edition we meet three of the Team who between them now lead and supervise Teams, and take ownership and responsibility for our key resources.
Steven Spence Workshop Manager
Previous Job History
I started in Greenkeeping at Kilspindie GC as a seasonal worker before moving onto Gullane GC where I worked for nine years. I spent a year at Whitekirk GC before starting a business building bespoke furniture. I then moved to Orkney where I got back into Greenkeeping at Stromness GC then made the decision to relocate back to East Lothian to join the North Berwick team in November 2023. In January 2024, I was delighted to take over as Workshop Manager and I am currently managing the machinery fleet and the facilities.
Favourite Part of the Job
I get real satisfaction from project work, especially rebuilding bunkers. I enjoy the intricacy of revetting and doing a thorough job.
Favourite Hole
The 14th Hole – Perfection as it feels the most natural part of the property.
Hobbies and Interests
Trail and hill running, cycling, kayaking, architectural history, landscape archaeology and historical maps.
Dan Taylor Course Supervisor
Previous Job History
Bamburgh Castle GC, The Renaissance Club, Yarra Yarra in Melbourne Australia, Notteroy In Norway. Volunteered at Royal Troon 2024, Royal Liverpool 2023, Scottish Open18,19,21,22, Solhiem Cup 2019.
Favourite Part of the Job
Early mornings when everything is quiet as it is normally the best part of the day.
Favourite Hole
The 12th green where you should always take the chance to look back down the beach and admire the view.
Hobbies & Interests
Playing golf, watching local and international rugby, walking my dog here, there and everywhere. Travelling with my partner in Europe and around Scotland with the dog.
Graeme Nisbet Course Supervisor
Previous Job History
The Burgess, Loch Lomond, Austin Country Club, National Golf Links of America, Greywolf and Revelstoke.
Favourite Part of the Job
Leading a Team and the variety of roles every day. Being a golfer, it's great to be outside (when the weather is good) and be working on a beautiful site. Despite the early starts, it’s great to be able to finish early, too, and enjoy an afternoon’s golf.
Favourite Hole
It still has to be the 12th, as you cannot beat the great view, looking out towards Craigleith and the sea.
Hobbies & Interests
My biggest passion is golf and I am a Member at Bruntsfield Links, where I was the 2015 Scratch Club Champion.
Your Nature Reserve
Our very own ‘Nature Reserve’, The West Links is closely monitored to ensure our Ecological Management Plan is maintaining and enhancing the ecological and conservation value of the Links. Bob Taylor, our Consultant Ecologist, helps to explain more about his regular visits and how his experience shapes the extent and quality of our ecological work.
Consultant Ecologist
Bob Taylor
I have worked for 35 years as a golf course ecologist. I set up a service dedicated to showcasing all that is good about golf for nature, while striving to educate the golf industry, and indeed the wider public, of the role golf plays in our diminishing countryside – and just how good they can be for the conservation of our wildlife, now called biodiversity. I am retained by The R&A to advise on wildlife management and impact minimisation for the staging of The Open and I have had the privilege to visit many of Europe’s golf courses, including North Berwick, on numerous occasions.
When asked why I am wandering with golf clubs swapped for a notebook and pen, I often here comments like: ‘If you want to see wildlife there’s a nature reserve down the road’. Comments like that, while amusing, show a real lack of appreciation – yet, at the same time, a golfer when asked how they played is likely to give a very different response on a course where nature thrives to one where nature is sparse.
It’s funny how we tend to box things up into compartments like ‘nature reserves for nature, golf for golf play’. Nature reserves are areas set aside for nature where people can walk and enjoy all that is there. Golf courses are places set aside for golf but where nature can enjoy all that is there. Nature and golf are rarely incompatible. Golf courses throughout the UK support some of our rarest habitats and species – some of our wildlife occur nowhere else.
My favourite way of describing golf courses is by stressing they are good ‘because’ and not ‘despite’ they are golf courses. The quality of each course for nature will depend upon the quality and extent of management provided. Recognition must be given to the kinds of wildlife that are important on the golf course and how to best impart management.
At North Berwick the principal habitats are the areas of coastal grassland where marram is well represented, merging into the more neutral grasslands inland where coarser grasses are present. The grasslands left without regular management are of importance to ground nesting birds such as skylarks and meadow pipits. Skylarks have declined by over 60% through the Scottish countryside but remain a frequent part of the coastal golf courses. Off line, the same grasslands
will be of importance to a whole host of invertebrates, such as butterflies, moths, beetles and spiders. They will support smaller rodents and possibly even hedgehogs. The grasslands will attract owls and other birds of prey, such as kestrels that come in search of food.
The grasslands also support important plant species, such as Thyme, Kidney Vetch and Birds Foot Trefoil that attract butterflies, such as the common blue.
Trees and scrub are present and do have a place but the type and extent must be weighed against its impact on other priority habitats. Taller trees may have a place on the inland side away from the coastline but along the coastline they would, if left, compromise the important coastal edge habitats that are given national and international protection for their wildlife importance. Sea buckthorn, recognised for providing wintering birds with a food source, is very invasive. Groups of this plant have been retained but management will remain key, if it is not to spread. It provides a poor habitat for nesting birds but will afford shelter and protection to migratory birds blown off course in storm periods.
The blackthorn through the 5th to 6th holes is an excellent species for wildlife but unfortunately it is capable of rapid encroachment. This plant needs to be contained, if it is not to compromise other important grassland habitats. Blackthorn should be kept dense with occasional cutting management and contained.
Japanese rose running through sections of the course, although providing habitat for nesting birds, is an invasive non-native species that requires great care in how it is handled when managed. It will spread to the detriment of other areas. North Berwick Golf Club will work towards a phased removal plan. At the same time, and recognising the reduction in scrub, the Club is advised to reinstate areas of native hedgerow around sections of the inland boundary. This will help compensate for the necessary loss of scrub.
North Berwick is not only a nationally important golf course for golf but is helping by its presence and the management provided to conserve coastline that would otherwise be lost to development and, or, natural succession. Through the current management plan and given the now proactive green staff backed by the Club, conservation and wider sustainable management are becoming an integral and routine part of the golf Club’s operations.
Your Professional Golf Tips
Getting your ball in play off the tee at the 2nd is key to a successful round on the West Links. Here Fraser Johnson, one of our Team of PGA Professionals provides four keys to successful driving, whilst also reminding us how to tackle playing into the wind.
Stance
Make this wider than your iron stance to give you more stability with the longer club. With an iron you would typically have your feet shoulder-width apart but with the longer club we’d like to see you take an extra step out the way to help give you a more stable base and allow you to create more speed and power.
Ball Position
The ball should be aligned inside your left heel to allow you to hit it later in the arc. This will allow you to hit the ball more on the up, creating more launch and overall height to the shot
Shoulder Tilt
Your right shoulder would be slightly lower than your left to help create a positive angle of attack. This will help produce a higher ball flight and more carry distance on your drives
Start Line
You can see from the picture I am on the second tee and aiming to the left side of the fairway. My feet, hips and shoulders are all aligned to the small bushes down the left-hand side of the hole. For most members this will be a challenging shot, but we must ensure we pick the correct start line to suit our shape of shot. With the beach lurking down the right-hand side, it is important to understand we have plenty of space to the left and must pick our start line accordingly.
All the above tips are very simple ideas you can implement in your own driving setup to allow you to hit longer and straighter drives the next time you are on the course or practice area.
Tips For Playing in the Wind
The Professionals Shop Team are on hand for advice on tuition, custom fitting and, of course all of your North Berwick-logoed apparel needs.
A typical North Berwick day can sometimes call for a low runner to keep the ball under the wind. To do this, we would move the ball slightly further back in our stance and have a more abbreviated follow-through in order to control the spin and trajectory of the shot.
Your Rules
As you can see, I hit my putt too hard on the 7th Green and my ball has fallen into Eil Burn.
What options do I have?
1. Replay my putt.
2. Play from the Burn
3. Take a 1 stroke penalty drop on the fairway side of the burn, keeping the point the ball last crossed the yellow line and the flag in a straight line. I can go back up the fairway as far as I like on this line.
See the official rule below: 17.1d
Relief for Ball in Penalty Area
If a player’s ball is in a penalty area, including when it is known or virtually certain to be in a penalty area even though not found, the player has these relief options, each for one penalty stroke:(1) Stroke-and-Distance Relief. The player may play the original ball or another ball from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).(2)
Back-on-the-Line Relief. The player may drop the original ball or another ball (see Rule 14.3) outside the penalty area, keeping the estimated point where the original ball last crossed the edge of the penalty area between the hole and the spot where the ball is dropped (with no limit as to how far back the ball may be dropped).
The West Links is a challenge that is full of fun and enjoyment, which keeps Members and guests coming back time and time again. Part of the attraction of the West Links is that it never plays the same way twice, providing a unique test to golfers day after day.
Alongside this test, we have a number of rules and features that are more common to the West Links. Our Head PGA Professional Martyn Huish helps to bring a wider knowledge of these rules by highlighting two more of the magnificent features on the West Links course.
Rustic Path
As you can see, I have hit my tee shot onto the pathway on the right of 17th hole. This has been deemed by the golf club as an integral part of the course.
Your options are:
1. Play the ball as it lies under no penalty.
2. Declare the ball unplayable and take the following relief options.
Drop the ball under 1 stroke penalty within 2 club lengths of where the ball lay.
Drop under 1 stroke penalty in a direct line from where the ball lay and the flag, gong back on this line as far as you like. This may not be possible on our 17th hole as this is likely to be over the garden walls which would be out of bounds.
See the official rule below:
19.1
Player May Decide to Take Unplayable Ball Relief Anywhere Except Penalty Area
A player is the only person who may decide to treat their ball as unplayable by taking penalty relief under Rule 19.2 or 19.3.Unplayable ball relief is allowed anywhere on the course, except in a penalty area.
North Berwick was everything I hoped for. I got my teeth kicked for the first nine holes, which was dead into a 3-club wind. Turned, played better and saw some of the most incredible greens ever. You could play this a thousand times and never get bored
Nels Stromberg
Played for the first time today and the universal opinion in the group was “best course ever played”. So much fun, tough in the wind, but wow, oh wow! I felt very privileged to play such a brilliant course. Every member of the staff, from stewards to pros to bar staff, were all superb. What a place!
Geff Viola
West Links Juniors
The West Links Juniors are well into another busy season for 2024.
Apart from their defence of the East Lothian Junior Golf League, The Team Strokeplay and the prestigious County Cup (this being achieved only twice before in history), they will also have to try fit in several ‘home’ competitions.
Qualifying for the Junior Championship is well underway. The final qualifier is on the 17th of August with Finals Day on the 31st of August.
Punctuating the championship qualifiers are two of the most prestigious trophies played for on the West Links. The Cranston and Thorburn Cups were both played for on the 30th of July. The Cranston Junior Challenge Cup was first played for in 1952 and has been played every year since, bar the Covid years. This trophy was awarded to best scratch score of the day, with Ellis Tate taking home the title with a strong 77. Its slightly younger cousin is The Adam Thorburn Cup. Played for since 1992, this beautiful silver trophy was secured by Ben Harley with a 67, the best nett score from the field.
Children’s Course Majors
Sunday 4th August at 11am: The Cree Medal Saturday 10th August at 11am: The Malcolm Cup
Players with and without current handicaps will be accommodated to allow all to compete and enjoy.
Click to enter
FedEx Cup Champion Viktor Hovland enjoyed a few holes on the Children’s Course taking on the West Links Juniors in July.
On the 6th of August the 2024 Junior Open will take place. A strong field from all over the UK will battle it out for an array of prizes. Play will start from 09:00 until 14:30 and we are delighted a full field this year will contest the prizes.
The Home family presented the ‘New Club Junior Challenge Cup’ in 1957 with the first winner being EG Morrison. The family then presented the North Berwick Golf Club Home Cup for the best scratch score in 1989. The Under-15 juniors also play for two of the oldest junior golf medals in the world. The best scratch score in this category wins the Elcho Medal. Presented by Lord Elcho in 1868 and won then by AJ Peacock it is only slightly older than the Residents Medal. First played for in 1884 and, as its name suggests, only played for by Under-15’s with an EH39 postcode, this medal celebrates its 140th anniversary this year. All the Junior Open trophies are very sought-after pieces of silverware indeed.
For those junior members who are aged under 14 on July 31st this year, they can take part in the Children’s Course ‘Majors’ in July and August.
The Children’s Course Majors are off and running with Luke McLaughlin already bagging the July Cup on the 6th of July and Aedan Haliburton taking The Esmond Cup for an unprecedented third year in a row. This year’s Balfour-Melville was expertly secured by Callum Hynd, and there are still two more opportunities to get involved and become a Major winner.
On August the 4th the Cree Medal takes place and we finish off the five ‘Majors’ with the Malcolm Cup. After this final event, there will be a ‘high tea’ served in the main Club House for players and parents alike.
There is no handicap required for any of the Children’s Course competitions. Players without handicaps will be provided with one on the day. There are lots of prizes to be played for in all age groups.
View from The Tour
For those who haven’t played much or any links golf before, the West Links is an education in what traditional links golf was intended to be
Grant Forrest
Having moved from West to East Lothian, I first set foot on the West Links aged 13. I have very fond memories of the course, playing Junior Opens, team matches, and County Cups. Links golf, with all it’s unpredictability, really is a different beast to parkland, so you have to adapt very quickly and learn a different set of skills.
Links golf allows you to be creative and imaginative with your shots and I owe so much to growing up on links courses, as many of the skills I still need today. Believe it or not I still use that wee bump and run with a 5 wood! The ability to adapt to different conditions is crucial on tour as we have to adapt to different grasses, winds, and bunkers, just to list a few.
With the Scottish Open now at nearby Renaissance Club, many of the players and caddies stay in North Berwick during the tournament, and will try to get out for a round on the West Links that week. It is full of character and quirks, something you rarely see in modern courses. The wall on the 13th and the 16th greens are the features most frequently commented on. For those who haven’t played much or any links golf before, the West Links is an education in what traditional links golf was intended to be.
Grant Forrest DP World Tour Professional and winner of the 2021 Hero Open at Fairmont St Andrews
This cover image and other limited edition, numbered prints of our iconic West Links can be purchased by scanning this QR code