Muirfield - hole 18
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Muirfield - hole 18
Muirfield's finishing hole sits just steps from the clubhouse. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Dunbar Golf Club - hole 12
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Dunbar Golf Club - hole 12
The 12th green at Dunbar Golf Club sits at land's end. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
North Berwick Golf Club - hole 14
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North Berwick Golf Club - hole 14
There's a reason the 14th hole at North Berwick Golf Club is called "Perfection." Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Gullane Golf Club - No. 1 course - hole 11
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Gullane Golf Club - No. 1 course - hole 11
The 11th hole might be the best par 4 on the No. 1 course at Gullane Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Musselburgh Links - Old Golf Course - hole 1
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Musselburgh Links - Old Golf Course - hole 1
The first hole at Musselburgh Links features a deep front bunker. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Craigielaw Golf Club - clubhouse and lodge
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Craigielaw Golf Club - clubhouse and lodge
Hotel rooms have been added to the extended clubhouse at Craigielaw Golf Club. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Kilspindie Golf Club - hole 8
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Kilspindie Golf Club - hole 8
Kilspindie Golf Club's signature hole, the par-3 eighth, plays over the beach to the green from the white tees. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Glen Golf Club - hole 13
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Glen Golf Club - hole 13
The 13th at Glen Golf Club (also called "North Berwick East") is one of the region's most dramatic holes. Courtesy of Golf East Lothian
Gullane Golf Club - No. 2 Course
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Gullane Golf Club - No. 2 Course
Some golfers actually prefer the No. 2 course at Gullane Golf Club to its more famous sister, Gullane No. 1. Courtesy of Gullane G.C.
Gifford Golf Club - hole 7
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Gifford Golf Club - hole 7
The seventh hole at Gifford Golf Club in East Lothian, Scotland. Courtesy of Gifford G.C.
Longniddry Golf Club - clubhouse
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Longniddry Golf Club - clubhouse
Longniddry Golf Club's stone clubhouse overlooks the golf course and the sea, and the locker room was redone in 2008. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor
Luffness New Golf Club
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Luffness New Golf Club
Luffness New Golf Club was founded in 1891, when members broke off from what is now called Kilspindie Golf Club. Courtesy of Golf East Lothian
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Discover all 22 courses along Scotland's Golf Coast in East Lothian

EAST LOTHIAN, Scotland -- Too many golfers visiting Scotland chase a pipedream of playing all the great links -- St. Andrews, Muirfield, Turnberry, etc. -- in one trip. It's better to pick one region to stay a while and explore.

Staying and playing "Scotland's Golf Coast" along the southern shores of the Firth of Forth will charm and delight any golf group. There are 22 courses within close proximity to one another, providing convenience and variety.

All of the links are easily found by following the coast roads from Musselburgh near Edinburgh, Scotland's capital, to the quaint town of Dunbar, home to the under-appreciated Dunbar Golf Club.

Gullane serves as its golf epicenter. Gullane Golf Club boasts three courses, including the famed No. 1 Course. Nearby Muirfield, which will host its 16th Open Championship in July 2013, only allows visitor to play Tuesdays and Thursdays, so book well in advance to secure a tee time.

The West Links at North Berwick Golf Club starts and ends at the clubhouse right in town, although it's the thrill ride in between -- along a scenic beach, over ancient stone walls, onto the world's wildest green -- that everybody remembers most.

There's a great mix of historic (the nine-hole Musselburgh Links is the oldest course in the world) and new attractions (the new lodge opened at Craigielaw Golf Club in May). Donald Steel designed Craigielaw adjacent to Kilspindie Golf Club in 2001. The two relatively flat links share similar views of the shore, a scene that never gets old.

Jason Scott Deegan has reviewed and photographed more than 1,100 courses and written about golf destinations in 25 countries for some of the industry's biggest publications. His work has been honored by the Golf Writer's Association of America and the Michigan Press Association. Follow him on Instagram at @jasondeegangolfpass and Twitter at @WorldGolfer.
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Discover all 22 courses along Scotland's Golf Coast in East Lothian