North Berwick Golf Club

After postponing my trip twice due to the pandemic, I was finally able to return back to the style of golf I love the most, which is that in the magical British Isles. Although I have written about North Berwick before, I couldn't resist doing another because I hit the course on a sparkling day which was very accommodating to picture taking. Even though I played the course three years ago and it is difficult to choose which courses to play when organizing a trip, I included it on my itinerary again. It my fifth time playing the historic links and I can't get enough.

Minimal words . . . maximum pictures . . . especially of the 13th "Pit" hole . . . remarkable . . .

The roly-poly second fairway at North Berwick sets the tone for the day

The third hole is the golfers introduction to one of North Berwick's defining features, the old stone walls

The green on the par three 4th hole

The brilliance of the Firth of Forth is the backdrop for aptly named "Bass" hole, the 12th, with its namesake rock in the distance, right

When one looks to narrow down the hundreds of thousands of golf holes in the world to the best handful, North Berwick's 13th ("Pit") is on the short list. Seen here from the fairway at a distance

The approach to the 13th as seen from a bunker on the far left side of the fairway, with the green tucked behind the stone wall

The green as seen from behind, shows the absolute genius of the design, and its sheer fun

Did I mention I liked the hole? Another shot with a wider view of the beach

I missed taking any pictures of the Redan hole, but did make a par, which I am thrilled with. Hit the ball eight feet from the cup. The trick was to aim at least thirty yards right of where the flag is. Difficult to do but rewarding. 

The par four sixteenth with one of the craziest greens in the world

My ball is the one closest to the camera. I was here in two but am too embarrassed to tell you my score. Sadly it was not a three or a four 

The "Home," hole. Very easy but one of the most satisfying in the game to play

Traveling for me these days is a production. I had to take an extra suitcase to carry all my medicines and I brought everything I might need should something go wrong. The eye drops I use need to remain frozen/refrigerated and the inhaler machine I use for my lungs takes up a lot of space. All this rigmarole is like an umbrella: if you don't bring it, it's sure to rain. It worked, and I warded off Murphy's Law from coming into play, so it was worth it to ensure a successful trip. 

I am blessed to be able to travel to Scotland and play such fantastic courses.