Braid Hills Golf Course

Played this course on 22nd April 2012. Course was in superb condition, fairways well manicured, greens in good condition, much better than you'd expect for a municipal course, better than most private in fact. Course is rated amongst top 20 hardest courses in Europe (by the PGA) and you can see why, it is very hilly, with abundance of gorse bushes to punish anything slightly off line. Many other courses may have penal rough, here, its either unplayable (if you find it) or re-load. A few reviews have said you will lose many balls here, I don't agree with that, for everyone you lose, whilst you are looking, I think you'll find at least another 2 !!!!! Really good course, that will test you with many varieties of shot needed, blind shots, long carry, straight, draw, fade, you name it, bring you "A" game here. The green fess are also very reasonable with it being council owned. Only downside, and it must be mentioned, there is no clubhouse, or facility for refreshements when your finished. Put a slight damper on what otherwise would have been a great day.

we played here on the 28th June 2011 and i found the course to be in great nick and a good test of both your long and short game. the course starts off with a slight dog leg left hole and if you can get a good drive away it can set up a birdie chance and a good start to your round. local knowledge is a definate advantage on this course as there were several holes where you played blind. the course gives you great views across edinburgh, especially as we had a beautifully clear day with no wind whatsoever. speaking to the guy in the shop before hand he mentioned that the course was rated the 16th hardest course in europe (as rated by the pga) and i can imagine the course playing REALLY tough with a strong wind to contend with. the only downfall for the course was a lack of markers and "next tee" signs and it is also run by edinburgh leisure which means no where to have anything to eat or drink after play unless the privately owned bar above the shop is open. friendly staff, good green fees and a brilliant course all added up to a great days golf. not quite as good as lothianburn in my opinion but still a good golf course in its own right. overall 8 out of 10

Played here on 28 June 2011. Great little course that will bite you if you cant hit straight. from the first hole to the last I thoroughly enjoyed this course, it meanders through terrain up and down which has gorse in abundance on every hole. A great test for any golfer. Alot of good holes too many too mention, great views of edinburgh castle and the city itself, and on a clear day which we had you can see berwick law and we just made out Bass Rock. A definite course I would return, the staff friendly, we were told no buggies as course is too hilly and they would just topple over but I found Lothianburn the day before hillier than braid hills. Shame they have no fancy clubhouse to service golfers with meals etc throughout the day (run by edinburgh leisure) so this maybe ehy I am not sure, BUT if this was in private hands the course would make a mint as it was very busy when we played, an absolute joy

Played the #1 course. Considering the difficulties that Scottish courses have had this year, the course itself was in excellent condition. Greens were a little lumpy in places but no worse and than some more expensive private clubs and better than many. I have to say that this is certaintly one of the top 3 municipal courses in Scotland and a real credit to Edinburgh City Council. It may be a short course but I have to disagree strongly with the very average difficulty scores. When playing it for the first time (as I was) there are a number of daunting tee and approach shots that are completely blind. The gorse is punishing and when the wind blows (which it does frequently in Edinburgh) this is a real challenge in course management and club selection. Of course there are some short 4s and the 5s are not as challenging as some, but this gives the course balance as there are some real beasts. Also worthy of note are the spectacular views. I would consider this course a must-play.

Played on the 8th and 9th of september 2007. Beautifully maintained fairways and superb greens. Breathtaking views over Edinburgh. Some tee shots are into the blind, so course management is very important. Holes are short, yet challenging for the average golfer (hcp 10-25) Greenfees are a laugh (we're from the Netherlands, used to expensive greenfees)

I played the Braid Hills #1 course in the very hot and sunny summer of 2006. A classic golf course, short but with many interesting shots. The short and straight player will get many birdie attempts here. The longhitter will be tempted to go for many greens, but will pay the price if visiting the gorse. Despite the hot and dry conditions the course was in a very good shape. The price was modest and the views absolutely breathtaking. In summary, one of my top five golf experiences ever.

A party of 12 of us played Braid Hills recently, and we all agreed that it was a fantastic course offering great value for money. While only being about 5500yds off the yellows, it was still a very stiff test, and one that demanded laser accuracy on most of the holes.Couple these qualities with breath taking views of the city, and you have a course which is very tough to beat. From the first hole to the last, each hole is different from the next, demanding your full repetoir of strokes. I urge you to play it.

I first played on Braid Hills #2, a hilly, short, 18-hole municipal course in Edinburgh favoured by kids and youths and old men. It’s a rough course with small greens, but the hill turf makes the fairways a delight to walk on and to hit from. There are lots of blind shots, in the tradition of older Scottish courses. Many holes call for shots to be made to small hollows in the hill, surrounded by terrifying rough, which features wiry, tussocky grass and big patches of whins or gorse, a spiny, sprawling shrub covered in yellow flowers in early summer. When one’s supply of golf balls was low, it was a matter of searching among the whins for some more; we youngsters knew all the best spots to look. In those immediately post-war days the fairway grass was kept short by flocks of grazing sheep. The Braid Hills were also, and still are, a favourite place for Edinburgh folk to walk, and for young lovers to lie in sheltered spots among the whins. Braids #1 is a full-length course, though not long by today’s standards. It too is hilly, but better cared for than #2. It winds its way through and over the Braid Hills, an ancient outcropping of volcanic origin, weathered and scoured by ice, located in the southern suburbs of Edinburgh. There are some dramatic changes in elevation, areas of scrubby exposed rock and rock screes, and more of that springy hill turf. Some of the fairways are narrow defiles between steep slopes of rock and grass and whins, while others on the tail of the hill are gentle and wide open. It has many holes that one would never see in a modern course, but which make Braid Hills #1 an adventure in Scottish hill golf. The first hole rises from the tee for a distance of about 150 yards and then dips down to a green cut into the side of a slope something over 300 yards from the tee. The green cannot be seen from the tee and it is not unknown for a big drive to reach the green if the wind conditions are right and the ground is dry. The second is an uphill par 3 where only the side of the bank around the green can be seen from the tee. The third is a short par 4 that runs along the side of the hill. I have driven the green on this hole, but I have also lost balls in the devilish whins and tussock grass that line both sides of the right to left sloping fairway. The 6th tee is near the top of one of the many rocky hillocks that dot the Braids. The drive is into a grassy bowl shaped like a small amphitheatre. Out of this rises another rock outcrop with a dense covering of shrubs and small trees, which swallows any shot hit to the right. The dogleg 7th requires the golfer to hit blind over a rocky ridge to a fairway that slopes up to a severely elevated green. The tee of the 16th is cut into the side of a hill and the narrow fairway runs through a valley between steep slopes of rock and whin. In an exciting climax, the 18th features a blind tee shot to a tiny landing area on a shelf 50 feet higher and 200 yards distant, followed by another blind shot to a green on a still higher hilltop another 100 yards or so away.

What arrogant fool thought he could improve on a masterpiece? What monumental ego thought he could change such an historical layout? The bottom portion of the course has been completely spoiled with the addition of hundreds of trees. The whole character of the course has changed. Someone, somewhere obviously has a friend with a tree farm. I was completely disappointed. Shame on you Edinburgh City Golf Courses.

We played Braids Hill No.1 after attending The Open. The course was an absolute delight, not to mention a great value. I would highly recommend it to anyone traveling near Edinburgh.

A challenge in every sense of the word,as a regular player at the Braids it is a continual stuggle to play to your handicap,which is all the more fun.Visitors are made welcome and I have patrnered players from most parts the world.The comments from them have all been favourable.I maintain that as far as value for money this is well worth a visit--the views from the hill are a bonus

Played July 2002. Just a short cab ride from city center. An in town course that delivers spectacular views of Edinburgh from its very hilly layout. Very short, but the gorse will get the greedy---and there's plenty of it. We were fortunate to be paired with a local golfer who led us to the tee boxes, some of which were well hidden. Greens were not consistent, but that just added to the challenge. Watch out for the 18th hole. Lay up or lose your ball. There are no facilities at the course, but we got a fine reception and meal at the pub in the Braids Hills Hotel just two blocks from the course.

Braids 1 is a challenging course. Short par4 holes maybe but a course you have to think about every shot. Anything wild and your in big trouble with gorse or the tree lined rough. Excellent greens. The views are great especially when having a rest when recover from walking these hills.

I played the #1 course at Braid Hills in August of 2001. This course, while being one of the most inexpensive rounds I've ever played, offered me a glimpse into the history of golf. The terrain and the views are breathtaking. The course itself was on the "shorter" side, but absolutely required straight, accurate shots....both off the tee and onto the green. I would go back and play there again in a heartbeat. My only regret is that the guys in my normal 4-some couldn't be with me to experience golf the "Scottish" way.

I found Braid No. 1 to be a good, fair test of golf. Short by today's standards (many par fours at or under 300 yards) the course requires one to keep the ball in play. Severe slopes and gorse await errant shots. Easy to write this one off as a "muni" but locals hold the place in some esteem for it's challenge and history. The views over Edinburgh rival Arthur's Seat.

Have to disagree. Played Briad Hills No2 and the course was short and had no structure. Too many blind tee shots. No yardage charts, so couldn't really tell what you were hitting at. Good price, but will not be playing there again.

Braids golf courses are second to none in terms of the magnificent views over Edinburgh and the Firth of Forth. The hilly aspect provides challenging holes and much energy expenditure. Gorse can be troublesome for the inaccurate. Greens especially in good condition. Braids 2 provides a series of interesting blind drives. Basically this is the home of golf.