Archerfield Links Fidra Course

"No snugger, cosier, more delightful links can be found anywhere, for pure, unalloyed enjoyment of a summers days play, give us Archerfield" So wrote the Reverend John Kerr in The Golf Book of East Lothian back in 1896. Today the Reverend Kerr's needs would be met by Archerfield Fidra Links where a classic East Lothian links is protected by towering pines which lead to protected, guarded greens. Leave the tree lined fairways at the 12th hole and the follow those sweeping fairways down to the famous Yellowcraigs beach where stunning views of the iconic Bass Rock and it's rocky partners that guard the Forth abound. DJ Russell designed the course and today he represents the Archerfield Links on the European Senior Tour.

The Archerfield Fidra course is set in the wonderful Archerfield development. When you arrive the clubhouse and practice area highlight the fact that you are in a 5 star resort and the service inside more than lives up to this. The clubhouse has an almost continental feel to it, but the course is most definitely Scottish. The first couple of holes go through the trees and it is a little disappointing to break out of them at the 3rd as the par-5 2nd is a great dog-leg. You return into the tree lined fairways after another good par-5 at 5 and from there on the course really takes off. All the par-5s on the Archerfield Fidra course are excellent and very much risk reward, especially the last with its double fairway. The par-3s are good too, but the short par-4 12th is a gem with a narrow fairway and large waste bunker. There seems to be a lot of space around the course and even though the sea is not visible the views are good, apart from 14th and 15th next to the houses. This is nit picking though, as the Archerfield Fidra is a very good course in a lovely setting and well worth playing if you can get on.