{Edinburgh} Free Family Fun at Bruntsfield Links Short Hole Golf Course

Scotland is widely accepted as the birthplace of golf, but you don’t need a membership – or even a budget – to give it a go.

If you have tweens or teenagers, you’ll already know the struggle: finding something that isn’t too “babyish”, doesn’t cost a fortune, and actually gets them away from a screen. Enter: Bruntsfield Links Short Hole Golf Course in Edinburgh.

Set in a public park just south of the city centre, Bruntsfield Links is home to a historic short hole golf course. Unlike a traditional golf course, it’s more compact, with the holes closer together, making it ideal for beginners, families, and anyone who just wants a relaxed game. Think of it as real-life mini golf…just without the plastic windmills! Best of all, it’s completely free and open to everyone.

Why It’s Great for Tweens and Teenagers

No experience needed
This is a short hole course, which means everything is compact. You’re not trying to drive a ball halfway across a field – just short pitches and putts towards each flag.

No equipment pressure
You don’t need a full set of clubs. A pitcher (wedge/short iron) and a putter are more than enough.

A casual vibe
Because it’s in a public park, you’ll be playing alongside dog walkers, joggers, and people heading home from work, so don’t be surprised if your game includes a few polite pauses.

How to Visit Bruntsfield Links Golf Course

There’s no booking system; just turn up and play.

If you’ve got some old clubs at home, bring those along with a few balls. We’ve picked up a couple of pitchers and putters from local charity shops (and Morningside charity shops are particularly good for golf balls).

No equipment? No problem. You can hire clubs and balls from The Golf Tavern nearby for a few pounds, and it’s easy to share a set between you to keep costs down.

You can download scorecards from The Golf Tavern website too, but we usually just bring a small notebook – or skip scoring altogether and play for fun.

The full course has 36 holes, but you don’t need to do it all in one go. It works really well to play in sections and pick up where you left off another day. A helpful regular told us that holes 1–9 are the trickiest thanks to the bumpier ground…which did make us feel slightly better about our performance.

How to Play the Course

Start at The Golf Tavern
Pick up or hire clubs here if you need them.

Find the Golf Hut
Look for the green hut on the grass near the tavern. This is your starting point, and there’s an information board with a course map. You can also view the course map online.

Look for the tee blocks
These are rectangular stone slabs set into the grass, your starting point for each hole.

Follow the arrows
Arrows on the ground and near tee blocks guide you to the next hole.

Take turns
If someone is ahead of you, wait. If a faster group is behind you, let them play through.

The Simple Rules of the Links

Play each hole from the designated teeing area (see above).
Watch the paths! Hitting balls over or across public paths is strictly prohibited!
Replace any displaced turf you hit off the greens before you move on.
Maximum group size is four players.
Maximum of seven strokes per hole per player.

And, it goes without saying, keep the course clean take any litter home with you.

You can read the full local rules here:
www.bruntsfieldshortholegolfclub.co.uk

When to Visit (Seasonal Info)

The 36-hole summer course runs from late April to September.

From October to April, there’s a shorter 9-hole winter course on the far side of the Links:
www.bruntsfieldshortholegolfclub.co.uk/course-map/winter-9-hole-course

It’s the kind of activity that takes an hour or two, costs next to nothing, and gets everyone moving. Easily one of Edinburgh’s best low-key wins for families.

How to Find It

Address:
The Golf Tavern is on the west side of Bruntsfield Links, at 30 – 31 Wright’s Houses (between Barclay Terrace and Glengyle Terrace), Edinburgh EH10 4HR. The green hut – your starting point – is on the green directly opposite the tavern.

Public Transport:
The nearest bus stop is on Bruntsfield Place at the junction with Whitehouse Loan, and is serviced by several Lothian buses included the 11, 15, 16, 23, 36 & 45. Lothian Bus 24 also stop nearby, at the north tip of Bruntsfield Links on Melville Terrace, just a few minutes walk away.