Bruntsfield Links to get new signature hole in £1m revamp

A new signature par-3 hole is part of course changes in the pipeline at Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society as part of an ambitious £1 million investment programme at the historic Edinburgh club.

Bruntsfield Links is to undergo a £1m revamp masterminded by acclaimed golf course architects Mackenzie & Ebert. It will include a new par-3 signature hole.

Re-bunkering will provide the main focus of the work, which is being carried out by Mackenzie & Ebert, the acclaimed course design company that has also been tasked with tweaking seven of the nine courses on the Open Championship rota.

But the introduction of a new 16th hole, which will replace the current 12th, as well as the 13th being extended to a par 5, will undoubtedly be the most exciting aspects of the programme for members of the Davidson’s Mains club.

“Bruntsfield has always been one of Edinburgh’s premier courses but more than 40 years have passed since the last major course work by Fred Hawtree in 1974,” said club captain David Paterson.

“We are delighted to appoint Mackenzie & Ebert to lead this project to ensure our members and visitors will enjoy our course for the next four decades and beyond. Mackenzie & Ebert are the best in the business, with an impressive track record of redesigning famous British courses such as Turnberry, Cruden Bay and Royal Portrush.”

As well as Hawtree, Willie Park Jnr, Dr Alister Mackenzie of Augusta National fame, and James Braid all carried out work on Bruntsfield Links, which dates back to 1761 and, in recent years, was used for Open Championship regional qualifying.

“Bruntsfield has always set out to select the best possible golf course architects,” said architect Tom Mackenzie. “It is therefore a great privilege to advise Bruntsfield on this project and we are confident that the work will elevate Bruntsfield to be one of the top parkland courses in Scotland”.

Initial course work will commence later this year while the new 16th, which is to be built on an area of practice ground, is set for completion in April 2019.