Many will focus on why The Renaissance Club is not on par with the classic links of Scotland - to focus on that is to miss what is a great modern links.

Situated on the East Lothian coast, TRC has a plethora of high-calibre neighbours. Muirfield, North Berwick and Gullane are all within close proximity. With that as a backdrop, creating a modern links course was never going to be easy but Tom Doak has managed to create an intriguing course with a non-traditional parcel of land.

The conditioning of the course was excellent. The tee boxes and greens were immaculate and playing the week after the Scottish Open, the set up certainly increased the challenge. I thought the bunkering was exceptional throughout the course and showed a great variation in depth, visual intimidation and in some instances used very well for architectural deception. I enjoyed the inclusion of some of the crumbling walls as green features around the ninth and eleventh and it certainly added a uniqueness to the holes.

Doak, famous for the minimalist approach to moving land had to be creative on the opening stretch. The first 5 inland holes are a loop out and back towards the club house and a mixture of par 4s leading to the par 3 fifth. The terrain is relatively flat and uninspiring but there is excellent use of bunkering to provide some defence to the the green sites. It would be a mistake to simply write these holes off and they often receive a lot of criticism for not being in-tune with traditional links golf. While it is true that the routing becomes significantly more interesting from the 6th, I would argue that Doak has done well with what he had to work with on the opening stretch. The variety amongst the opening par 4s incorporate elevated greens, an interesting use of the inland trees and subtle, yet challenging green surfaces.

The 6th is a great par 3 with a long and narrow green protected by pot bunkers on both sides. You’ll be rewarded for a solid shot out to the right side of the green. Anywhere else and you may find a funnel taking your ball straight into the bunkers. The 7th is a par 5 where the challenge is delayed until the semi-blind approach to a green with drop-offs to tightly mowed run-off areas. The 8th is a difficult par 4 with a dog-leg right protected by a large tree and swale. Play out to the left and you’ll have yourself a seemingly straight forward approach shot. Your eye line will want to push you away from the wall right of the green but be wary the hidden pot bunkers left. A feature that makes you simultaneously love and hate links golf.