Haddington claims to be the 19th oldest golf course in the world. This is from it’s website:http://www.haddingtongolf.com/Home.aspx
Located a half-mile (1 km) northeast of Haddington, Amisfield Park is today the home of Haddington Golf Club. It was once the estate of the infamous gambler and rake Colonel Francis Charteris, whose daughter married James, 5th Earl of Wemyss (1699 - 1756). This was once the site of Amisfield House, regarded as the finest example of Orthodox Palladianism in Scotland, which was built c.1755 by Isaac Ware for Francis Charteris of Wemyss, who inherited the estate, but not the title, from his father. It was extended in 1785, but was demolished in 1928. Some of the sandstone from this house was reused to build a school at Prestonpans, the Vert Hospital (in Haddington) and Longniddry Golf Clubhouse. The land was sold to Haddington Town Council in 1960 for £49,000 and houses were built at Amisfield Mains and, on the edge of the park, a small estate also called Amisfield Park.
Originally part of the lands of a 12th Century Cistercian Nunnery, the estate had been used for the Tyneside Games held annually for 20 years from 1833. Haddington Golf Club was established here in 1865. The park was occupied by the military during the Jacobite Rebellion (1745) and the Napoleonic Wars (1793 - 1815). The house was used as officer's quarters during the First World War and the estate once again as a camp during the Second World War.
A modern clubhouse for the Haddington Golf Club now occupies the site of the house, but the stable-block by John Henderson (1785) remains, although is in poor condition (2001), along with an ice-house, temple, walled garden and grand gate piers situated at the west entrance from Haddington.
So much history! Gill and I played here in August 2021. It’s a fun parkland course with wide open fairways, not many features, bunkers not really in play but all in need of a lot of work. Greens were ok, bit slow but covid has been tough for a lot of clubs so not surprising there is some work to do. The quarry hole is one of the more challenging: a short par 3 but uphill and with a cliff face drop in front. Some of the other holes required some imagination to figure out where to shoot, but it was another absolutely gorgeous day in the 70’s and the Proshop was very welcoming and friendly.
We scooted round in 3 hours. I shot 41-35 with several sh@nks in the first 9; I have no idea what has happened but when I play my sand wedge around the greens this seems to be happening. Bit alarming! The second 9 I played well off the tee and most holes were driver-pitching wedge or 9 iron in only. The only other comment is that the farmers were out spraying their fields! We were uncertain if it smelled like eau du cochon or vache brut, but man it was potent at times! I think you could take 4 clubs and play well on this course.
Here’s a link to a flyover of the course: http://www.haddingtongolf.com/page.aspx?pid=47571
Haddington is located in a really pretty part of East Lothian. There are a few things to see and do here - couple of castles to visit for example. Here’s a link to some more information: https://www.haddington.org.uk
We had dinner at The Waterside; this was a place we used to go to maybe 40 years ago, and while it may be under new ownership, it’s a really nice venue for lunch or dinner or just hanging out at the bar or alongside the river.
Gill at the Waterside from the Nungate Bridge.
The Waterside website is: https://thewatersidebistro.co.uk