5-Hole Course Layout on East Links

Each year during our July Golf Week, with kind permission of the City of Edinburgh Council and support of Leith Links Community Council, tees and greens are marked out on East Leith Links parkland by an expert greenkeeper. It avoids other sports pitches to create a 5-Hole course. It mirrors in places the rough turf character of the original, starting from the North side of the East Links and is usually played in three rounds.   

The 5 Holes on East Links are much shorter than the 400 yard holes of the historic 1744 Course across the whole of Leith Links.    Shown below is the Modern 5-Hole Course laid out only in Golf Week - playable only through our Society events days - see 'Events Calendar'.  An arboretum of 80 trees was planted in 2022 near 2nd Tee. 

Each July since 2002, the Society hosts several golfing events using hickory clubs to honour the Leith's golfing history. Competitors can dress traditionally if they wish and play is based on the traditional foursomes format.   

Competitions - Our main event is the Saturday Hickory Open when teams compete for the Foursomes Trophy.  Philip Knowles and David Kirkwood donated as a prize  a 1903 mounted hickory club which is awarded to the Hickory Open Final winners. A similar mounted club trophy was presented by Philip Knowles in 2009 to be awarded annually to the Hickory Handicap final winners.    

Challenge Matches - The emphasis of these matches is on friendly rivalry against Clubs representing other Early Golf pioneers, including annual matches with Musselburgh Links 'Old Course' Golf Club and Bruntsfield Short Hole Golf Club. Winner names are attached to the club trophies in the  traditional Leith manner.   

The Foulis Medal was donated by Society President Douglas Foulis in 2007 as a competition for local Leith businesses and establishments, ill.  It shows Old Tom Morris and his son Young Tom Morris who played here, particularly in a 1867 Tournament (see 'History', '1800s Growth of Golf' photos).