In November 1889, the bunkers were strengthen with railway sleepers (railroad ties) to allow the green to be enlarged. The green is blind from the tee and the player has to shape the shot into the prevailing wind, allowing for the ball to finish below the flag stick. The slope of the green runs diagonally from right to left, and anything above the hole is in three putt country. The bunkers on two sides, deep enough for the player to disappear from view add to the difficulty of securing par. The wind direction plays an integral part on every hole and the 192 yards can be covered from an eight iron to a driver, depending on the conditions.

Ladies Links

The Ladies Course at North Berwick with bunkers and greens is the oldest nine-hole ladies course in Scotland, laid out in 1867. The Ladies Club was formed twenty years later, when Tom Dunn redesigned the course. In 1888, William Law, the overseer at Auchiewillie Farm, Dunoon was appointed green-keeper on the Ladies Course. He was the father-in-law of Tom Anderson head green-keeper on the West Links. Until 1935 the Ladies employed their own greenkeeping staff and were responsible for the lease of their own course. They had a timber clubhouse in the grounds of the Marine Hotel. Today their course is called the Children's course situated adjacent to the 16th fairway. The Ladies play all their competitions over the West Links and in 2005, became full members of the North Berwick Golf Club.

Since the 1860s the Visitor's Golfing Association held competitions for juveniles over the Ladies course and the seven-hole West Links, organised by James Lewis and secretary James Bryson. In August 1867, Major A.V. Smith Sligo organised the first competition for boys over ten but under fifteen years of age. Played on the short or Ladies course with bunkers and greens but no record has been kept of the prize winners. The following year Lord Elcho donated a silver medal for the best handicap score and the first winner was 13 year old Andrew Peacock. The Elcho Medal for boys under fifteen years is still contested today and is the oldest open junior golf competition in the world.

David Huish the golf professional and course manager at North Berwick for over forty years retired in April 2009 and was succeeded by his son Martyn Huish who heads up the club's teaching programme. Martyn has worked for his father as assistant since 1989. He has a first class reputation as a teacher, and as a club pro.

Course Manager

Darren McLaughlan was appointed West Links Course Manager on 5th October 2020. He has a wealth of experience, including working at Machrihanish Golf Club and more recently Montrose Golf Club where he held the position of Course Manager. Darrenn's career has spanned from Ayrshire to the La Force Country Club, Miami Beach, Florida then to Wentworth where he organised the BMW PGA championship. Darren McLaughlan resigned in August 2022 when he took up a position at Turnberry Golf Club. Kyle Cruickshank replaced him as Course Manager on the North Berwick West Links in October 2022.

Stuart Bayne was appointed General Manager of North Berwick West Links in February 2023. Originally from Yorkshire, Bayne has been at Archerfield for the past seventeen years. After graduating with a business degree he took up a job at Foxhills in Surrey alongside Alasdair Good. When he moved to Gullane as the head professional he offered Bayne the opportunity to join him in East Lothian. Stuart Bayne spent two and-a-half years working at Gullane before moving to Archerfield Links.