Craigmillar Park Golf Club

Overview: Craigmillar Park Golf Club plays across the slopes beneath Blackford Hill on Observatory Road in south Edinburgh. The undulating parkland measures about 5,825 yards to a par of 70, so position and short game count for more than power. From the higher holes there are long views over the city towards the Firth of Forth and Fife, and the sloping lies make club selection a constant puzzle. The slope beneath Blackford Hill also shapes the view: higher ground opens towards the city, while approach shots must negotiate the changing levels of the old farmland.

History: The club was inaugurated in 1895 and played elsewhere before settling at its present site by Blackford Hill. James Braid was engaged to design and expand the layout, and the full eighteen-hole course on this ground opened in 1927. Since then Craigmillar Park has become a fixture of the Scottish amateur calendar through its April open strokeplay event.

Did You Know? The Craigmillar Park Open, played over 72 holes each spring, is traditionally one of the first major events of the Scottish amateur season. Nick Faldo won it in 1976, a year before his Ryder Cup debut.