What Should Visitors Know About Playing Dunbar Golf Course?

Dunbar Golf Course is a true championship links course in East Lothian on Scotland's Golf Coast, established in 1856 and shaped over the years by designers including Old Tom Morris. Visiting golfers should plan around three things before booking: confirm the current course status and weather, review the visitor booking and green fee information, and decide whether a casual visitor round or an open competition fits the trip. The club describes itself as regularly voted among the best courses in the country, so tee times are worth arranging ahead rather than on arrival.

What kind of course is Dunbar?

Dunbar is a links course in the strict sense, not a parkland layout by the sea. The holes follow the natural contours of a narrow strip of linksland between an old red sandstone deer park wall and the rocky shoreline. That setting produces the well-defined holes and exposed, ground-running character that golfers associate with links play.

The club notes over 400 years of documented golf at Dunbar, with the club itself founded in 1856. Old Tom Morris is among the designers who have reshaped the course, and it has served as an Open qualifying venue. For a visitor, that history is part of the round: you are playing a course moulded by nature and by generations of design work rather than a modern resort build.

Where is it and what is the setting?

The club is at Fluke Dub View, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1BW, reachable by telephone at +44 (0)1368 862317 or by email at [email protected]. Its position on Scotland's Golf Coast makes it a natural stop on an East Lothian golf trip, and the site includes area and accommodation information for visitors building a longer itinerary.

The coastal location is also the practical catch. Weather and wind are part of the experience, so the club publishes a weather and course status section. Check it before travelling, especially outside the main season.

What should you arrange before visiting?

The site separates visitor information from booking, which tells you the order to work in:

1. Read the visitor information page to understand what is offered to non-members.
2. Check the visitor booking page for how tee times are arranged, including the club's "Visiting in 2026" information.
3. Review green fees so you know the cost before committing to a date.
4. Look at open competitions if you would rather play in a structured event than a casual visitor round.
5. Confirm course status and weather close to your date, since conditions can change the plan.

The site does not publish prices in the material available here, so treat green fees as something to confirm directly rather than assume.

What should you expect on the day?

Expect Scottish hospitality alongside a serious test. The club presents itself as welcoming visitors while offering a championship links that has hosted Open qualifying, and it is confident you will enjoy your round on a course it describes as among the country's best. In practice that means arriving prepared for links conditions: wind, firm ground, and holes that reward keeping the ball low and reading the terrain.

The club also maintains a pro shop and a new clubhouse, so changing and post-round arrangements are on site. Course videos and testimonials on the site give a sense of the layout and the visitor experience before you go.

Who is this course best for?

Dunbar suits golfers who want a historic, natural links rather than a manicured modern layout, and who are willing to plan around weather and book ahead. It works well as part of an East Lothian itinerary on Scotland's Golf Coast. If you need guaranteed calm conditions or a spur-of-the-moment tee time, check the course status and booking route first, because the coastal setting and the club's competition calendar both shape availability.