Scotland’s Renaissance Club: How the modern competes against the old

Scotland is known for its centuries-old golf courses, but the Scottish Open has been played on one of Alba’s modern wonders since 2019.

The 18 holes of the Renaissance Club are the work of the renowned American course architect Tom Doak.

The course is located in the Archerfield Estate in East Lothian, next to Muirfield, and was opened in 2008.

It was a significant undertaking to build the course from forested land, with real estate developer Jerry Sarvadi revealing that over 8,500 tons of timber were cleared from the site.

The result is 18 spectacular holes cut into a 300-acre pine forest. Due to the number of trees preserved, the course is not eligible for “True Links” status.

If you’re hoping the trees will provide you with some protection from the wind, you’ll probably be disappointed, as they pose more of a danger than a help to the players.

In 2013, the owners acquired land from the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers in an exchange agreement and used this piece of land to create three new holes along the coast.

As a result of this renovation, the original first three holes were removed from the old 18-hole layout. These holes are still maintained and used at the club for practice. Other changes included combining the former 12th and 13th holes to form the current 12th hole and adding a new par 3 15th to the course layout.

The new holes 9 to 11 are vital to the club and its appeal to players. They connect the course to the coast in a way that was not previously the case and undoubtedly enrich the playing experience at Renaissance.

This stretch of coast is the crowning conclusion to a round at the Renaissance Club.

It is framed by par-3 holes and this small section, together with the preceding 8th hole, can be considered the main feature of the course.

The par 4 10th hole was a particularly dramatic addition to the Renaissance. Its incredibly tight little fairway and steeply sloped green, which sits close to the edge of the cliffs high above the Firth of Forth, make this hole both a great challenge and a visual spectacle.

In 2017, the Renaissance Club hosted the 25th edition of the Scottish Senior Open, which was won by Paul Broadhurst.

Since 2019, the Renaissance Club has been the nominated venue for the Scottish Open, a stop on both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour and a key pre-Open event in the calendar.

The club hosted the Scottish Open for the first time in 2019, when Austrian Bernd Wiesberger won the title after defeating Frenchman Benjamin Hebert in a play-off.

Wiesberger and Hebert finished the match at 22 under par, the lowest under par score in tournament history this time.

England’s Aaron Rai beat fellow countryman Tommy Fleetwood on the first play-off hole to win the 2020 title after both men finished with a score of 11 under par.

At the 2021 Scottish Open, Australian Min Woo Lee won a three-way play-off to claim his second European Tour title.

The 2022 Scottish Open turned out to be the worst scoring event since joining the club, with Xander Schauffele winning with a score of 273 (seven under par) in his four rounds.

In 2023, the venue was the scene of a great victory by Rory McIlroy, which raised hopes of a major challenge at the Open for the Ulsterman.

Although the club also offers a private membership, allowing visitors to stay on site and play on the course, this is not the cheapest option given the status of the facility.

A single round will cost you between £300 and £450, depending on when you join the schedule.