Situated at the foot of the Pentland Hills looking out on a thousand acres of woodland, the Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club is only seven miles from the centre of Edinburgh. There are two golf courses at Dalmahoy - the championship East Course and the shorter West Course. Like many of Scotland's great golf courses, the East Course at Dalmahoy was designed by the great James Braid in 1927 and has played host to many major championships over the years, including the 1992 Solheim Cup, nine Scottish PGA Championships and three Scottish Senior Open Championships. The West Course was also designed by Braid and its par 68 layout measures just 5,168 yards but with narrow fairways and small greens, it is still a fine test.
Different to the majority of great Scottish golf courses in that this is a parkland layout, in playing the East Course at Dalmahoy, you will be treading in the footsteps of many legends of the game, including Ballesteros, Norman and Montgomerie. With a championship length of just under 6,700 yards, the East Course is not overly long but it still provides a great test for even the most accomplished golfers. The manicured fairways, well-positioned bunkers, large undulating greens and beautiful setting will certainly make this a course, one that will not soon be forgotten.
Following a reasonable start to the shorter outward journey, the 2nd and 3rd holes are a tougher proposition. Only the longest hitters can carry the upslope from the drive on the 406-yard, 2nd hole and failure to do so leaves an uphill lie for your approach to the green, while the 427-yard, 3rd hole is rated as the second hardest on the course. The short 4th hole requires only a short to mid-iron but to be sure of recording par, you must miss all five bunkers around the green. Out of bounds runs all the way up the left hand side of the 6th, while the par five, 9th hole, is a nice par five, where you have to either lay up short of, or strike over, what is known as the "Ha Ha Wall".
Like the front nine, the back nine starts with a fairly easy par five of about 500 yards and is followed by a tough par four of 433 yards. You should be wary of the out of bounds to the right side of the 12th fairway, as the last thing you'll want is to lose a few needless shots before taking on the 457-yard, par four, 14th hole, which is rated as the most difficult on the course. Length is not the only factor here. A little stream runs across the fairway some 45 yards in front of the green and this will ensnare any weakly hit approach or over-hit lay up. A feature of the short par threes on the East Course is that they are very well bunkered and the 150-yard, 15th hole is no different. Water is a feature of the 16th and 17th holes, while at 329 yards in length; the 18th is surely an easy enough par. Maybe it is?
ONLINE GOLF TRAVEL RATING
Dalmahoy East can prove to be a welcome addition to an itinerary featuring mostly links courses. And given its proximity to the likes of Gullane, Dunbar and North Berwick, this is an option, which should be considered.
Situated on the A71 route approximately seven miles southwest of Edinburgh and five miles northeast of Kirknewton.
NEARBY RESTAURANTS:
Atrium Restaurant, 10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh EH1 2ED
Tel: + 44 131 228 8882. Fax: 0131 228 8808.
The basic things are done well and there is not too much mucking about with some top quality ingredients. The menu offers the likes of white bean soup, roast chicken or loin of venison.
Haldanes, 39A Albany Street, Edinburgh EH1 3QY
Tel: + 44 131 556 8407. Email: dinehaldanes@aol.com.
Country house cooking hardly comes better than this. Scottish fare is prominent in the guise of west coast king scallops, along with Highland venison and Scottish beef.
Martins Restaurant, 70 Rose Street, North Lane, Edinburgh EH2 3DX
Tel: + 44 131 225 3106. Email: martinirons@fsdial.co.uk.
Tucked away along a quiet side street, the kitchen plays it safe with a modern European menu that takes few risks. Combinations are well judged and cooked with precision.
Off the Wall Restaurant, 105 High Street, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1SG.
Tel: + 44 131 558 1497. Email: otwedinburgh@aol.com.
Boasting an uncomplicated approach to cuisine, diners can expect modern cooking made from the finest Scottish ingredients, with a few unexpected combinations.
Restaurant at The Bonham, 35 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH3 7RN
Tel: + 44 131 623 9319. Email: restaurant@thebonham.com.
Long windows, wooden flooring and a chic colour scheme make for stylish dining here. The main courses are simple contemporary dishes with well-matched flavours.
Situated at the foot of the Pentland Hills looking out on a thousand acres of woodland, the Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club is only seven miles from the centre of Edinburgh. There are two golf courses at Dalmahoy - the championship East Course and the shorter West Course. Like many of Scotland's great golf courses, the East Course at Dalmahoy was designed by the great James Braid in 1927 and has played host to many major championships over the years, including the 1992 Solheim Cup, nine Scottish PGA Championships and three Scottish Senior Open Championships. The West Course was also designed by Braid and its par 68 layout measures just 5,168 yards but with narrow fairways and small greens, it is still a fine test.
