Edinburgh – Scotland’s Golfing Capital

The architecture, the history, the festivals, the Michelin-starred cuisine, the birthplace of Harry Potter; it’s not just having some of the world’s finest links on its doorstep, that makes Edinburgh such a complete experience. We take a tour of the city and some of its incredible surrounding courses.

There are beautiful capital cities, and then there’s Edinburgh. It’s a striking mix of the old, the new, the stylish, the industrial, natural beauty and the man-made. With its celebrated arts festivals, museums and galleries, it’s one of the world’s cultural gems. As befits any capital, the shopping and dining scene is world-class.

There’s history aplenty, tourist must-sees, and even the café where J K Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book. And then, at the centre of it all, there’s a castle sitting atop a 350-million-year-old volcano. As statements go, you don’t get much more dramatic than that. “All of that and you’re within 30 minutes of the very finest links courses in the world,” declares Mark Kerr, a PGA golfer turned local businessman. “What other city has this many courses eight miles away?” He’s got a point.

There are approximately 600 courses across Scotland, around ten percent of which are in easy reach of the capital, including the likes of Dumbarnie Golf Links, Gullane Golf Club, Royal Burgess and Dalmahoy. It’s effectively a gateway for golf, a starting place from which to also venture into the golfing utopias of Fife and East Lothian.

In addition to golf, as the owner of the Edinburgh institution Canny Man’s, Mark is well placed to discuss the city’s traditions and attractions. “We had our 150th anniversary in September 2021,” he continues. “There are older bars in Edinburgh [the Sheep Heid Inn dates back to the 14th century] but Canny Man’s has been family owned for 150 years. I’m the fifth generation of the Kerr family to work here.”

It’s a remarkable achievement, and a remarkable pub. Eclectically decorated – the walls are dotted with golf memorabilia, old signs, trinkets and a moosehead, a gift from a Norwegian customer who’s still an occasional visitor – it’s evolved more than been designed, although the impressive wine list is very much Mark’s work, and the menu, like so many Scottish restaurants have done for years, has a strong focus on the celebrated Scottish larder.

The same can certainly be said of other restaurants dotted across the ‘kingdom of Fife’, such as Amber (located at the Scotch Whisky Experience) and, at a rather more traditional level, at the Anstruther Fish Bar. Anstruther – pronounced “Ainster” – was named Best Fish and Chip Shop in Britain in 2008 and been declared best in Scotland four times. It’s located in the East Neuk of Fife, an astonishingly pretty part of the region, and overlooks the waters where much of the fish served is caught.

Drink, too, is always evolving in Scotland, such as at Edinburgh’s famous Balmoral hotel where they have been producing their own gin since 2020. Called ‘Baile Mhoireil’ – Gaelic for “majestic dwelling” – the gin is available exclusively from the hotel.

For those visitors seeking something more traditionally Scottish, the hotel has also houses a bar called SCOTCH, and it’s an impressive space. Relaxed, luxurious, compact, with an impressive array of bottles, from the privately owned – “there are 35 keeps,” explains the hotel’s Food & Beverage Director Gary Quinn, “so you can keep a bottle here, you get a key” – to the generally available. “If you’ve never tried whisky before,” says Gary, “the team here are very good at putting people on the right track. There is a whisky for you – you just haven’t found it yet.”

As is often the case in Edinburgh, our conversation on whisky slips into discussing food – that celebrated local larder is front and centre here – and then to golf. They’re all, as Gary explains, part of Scotland’s unique appeal, things that couldn’t have evolved without this terrain, coastline or weather.

“When you see those links course…” Gary laughs. “I mean, a 30mph wind on the East Coast means it’s a nice day! They’re not the longest of courses but you’re not just playing the course, you’re playing the elements. They’re unforgiving but ask any pro or midhandicapper where they want to play and they’ll say Scotland.

“And if you have a great game, you come back and celebrate. If you have a bad game, you’ve got the food and drink of Scotland to soothe and drown your sorrows in. It’s all good.”