Play the Original Redan Online, Free
The 15th hole at North Berwick West Links is one of the most important holes in golf history. Known simply as "Redan," this 190-yard par 3 on the East Lothian coast of Scotland has been the template for hundreds of holes at courses around the world. Its diagonal green, angled front-right to back-left and sloping away from the player, is the single most copied design concept in golf architecture. Now you can play a links-inspired version of it free in your browser, no downloads and no sign-ups.
Click here to play the Redan now →
About the Hole
The Redan is a par 3 of approximately 190 yards, played from an elevated tee toward a green set diagonally to the line of play. The putting surface runs from front-right to back-left, and the entire green slopes away from the player — meaning a ball that lands on the front edge will not stay there. It will kick left and roll off toward the back of the green or beyond it.
The main defense is a deep bunker guarding the front-left of the green. This bunker catches any shot aimed at the safe side of the green that comes up even slightly short. A second, smaller pot bunker sits behind and to the right, punishing the bail-out shot that misses long-right. Between the two bunkers and the diagonal slope, there is no comfortable place to aim. Every line involves accepting a specific type of risk.
On the links of East Lothian, the wind off the Firth of Forth adds another layer. A crosswind can turn a well-struck iron into a bunker shot. A helping wind can send a ball through the green entirely. The Redan demands that you read the conditions, pick a line, commit to a shot shape, and trust it. Indecision is punished more than any bad bounce.
How Far Is the Redan at North Berwick?
The 15th at North Berwick West Links plays at approximately 190 yards. That is a mid-iron for most amateurs and a comfortable 7- or 8-iron for tour professionals. But the distance on the scorecard is almost secondary to the challenge. What makes the Redan difficult is not how far you hit it — it is where the ball ends up after it lands. The diagonal green slopes away from the player so aggressively that even a perfectly struck shot can funnel off the putting surface if it lands in the wrong spot.
The ideal shot is a long, drawing iron aimed at the right-center of the green, landing with enough height to hold the surface before the slope carries it toward the pin. In practice, this is one of the hardest shots in links golf to execute consistently, because the margin between a ball that holds and a ball that runs off is measured in feet.
Why Is the Redan So Famous?
The Redan is not famous because it is the hardest par 3 in golf. It is famous because it is the most influential. Since the early 1900s, golf architects have studied the 15th at North Berwick and replicated its core concept — the diagonal, sloping green defended by a front-left bunker — at courses around the world. Here is why it has endured:
- The diagonal green. The putting surface is angled roughly 45 degrees to the line of play, running front-right to back-left. This means the effective depth of the green changes depending on your line. Aim straight at the flag and the green is shallow. Aim at the wide part and you are farther from the hole. There is no free lunch.
- The away slope. The green slopes away from the player — back-to-front becomes front-to-back from the golfer's perspective. A ball that lands on the front half of the green tends to roll toward the back-left. This is the opposite of what players instinctively want from a green, and it forces you to land the ball in a very specific zone to get it close to the pin.
- The front-left bunker. A deep bunker sits exactly where most players would instinctively aim — short-left. It catches the conservative shot, the slightly pulled shot, and the shot that comes up a few yards short. It is the primary defense of the hole, and it works because the diagonal green makes the left side look like the safe play.
- Deceptive simplicity. From the tee, the Redan looks straightforward — a mid-iron to a visible green with one obvious bunker. There are no water hazards, no forced carries over chasms, no visual intimidation. The difficulty is architectural, not scenic, and most golfers do not fully understand how the green works until they have played it several times.
- Infinite replayability. The wind, the pin position, and the firmness of the links turf change the hole every day. A Redan that plays as a comfortable 7-iron on a calm morning can become a punishing 5-iron into an afternoon sea breeze. The same hole presents a different puzzle every time.
The Redan Template: Golf's Most Copied Hole
No hole in golf has been replicated more often than the Redan. In the early 1900s, American golf architect Charles Blair Macdonald traveled to the British Isles to study the great holes of links golf. He identified the Redan as one of the essential "template" holes that every great course should include, and he built his own version at the National Golf Links of America on Long Island. His protege Seth Raynor carried the concept forward, building Redan holes at dozens of courses across the United States.
Today, Redan-inspired holes can be found at some of the most prestigious courses in the world:
- Shinnecock Hills Golf Club — 7th hole. One of the most famous American Redans, on a course that has hosted multiple U.S. Opens.
- National Golf Links of America — 4th hole. C.B. Macdonald's original American Redan, the one that started the trend.
- Yale Golf Course — 15th hole. A Seth Raynor design, considered one of the finest college course holes in America.
- Chicago Golf Club — 9th hole. Another Macdonald design at the oldest 18-hole course in North America.
- Somerset Hills Country Club — 15th hole. A.W. Tillinghast's interpretation of the Redan concept.
- Fishers Island Club — 5th hole. Seth Raynor's Redan on a stunning coastal site in New York.
All of these holes share the same DNA: a diagonal green sloping away from the player, defended on the short-left by a deep bunker. The details vary — some are longer, some shorter, some have water instead of sand — but the strategic concept is always the same. And it all started at the 15th hole of North Berwick West Links.
Play the original Redan and see why it has been copied for over a century →
Where Does the Name "Redan" Come From?
The name "Redan" comes from military engineering. A redan is a V-shaped or arrow-shaped defensive fortification used in siege warfare, designed to deflect and channel attacking forces. The most famous redan in military history was part of the Russian defenses at the Siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War (1854-1855), where British forces suffered heavy casualties trying to storm the fortification.
The angled green at North Berwick's 15th was thought to resemble these military earthworks — an angled surface that deflects and repels anything that approaches it head-on. The name stuck, and it has been used to describe this style of hole for well over a century. Today, "Redan" is a standard term in golf architecture, used to describe any par 3 with a diagonal, sloping green defended by a front-side bunker.
North Berwick West Links
North Berwick West Links is one of the oldest golf courses in the world, with golf played on the site since at least the 1830s. The course sits on the East Lothian coast of Scotland, looking out across the Firth of Forth toward the volcanic plug of Bass Rock. It is a classic links layout — firm turf, pot bunkers, stone walls, blind shots, and constant wind off the sea.
The course is beloved by golf architecture enthusiasts for its variety and creativity. Beyond the Redan, North Berwick is home to other famous holes including the "Pit" (13th) with its stone wall in the middle of the fairway, and the "Gate" (14th) played through a gap in a stone wall. The course is a living museum of links golf, and the 15th — the Redan — is its masterpiece.
Features of Our Redan Simulator
- Diagonal green — angled front-right to back-left, faithfully recreating the Redan's defining feature. The slope pushes everything toward the back-left.
- Deep front-left bunker — the main defense of the hole. Short-left is dead.
- Back-right pot bunker — catches the bail-out shot that misses long and right.
- Links mounds — undulating terrain around the green, creating the rumpled links landscape.
- Sparse vegetation — windswept links character with low scrub rather than manicured parkland trees.
- Real shot physics — control your power, angle, and flight. A weak shot drops into the front bunker. A pushed shot rolls off the back of the green.
How to Play
Drag backward from the ball in the direction opposite where you want to send it — like pulling back a slingshot. The farther you drag, the more power you apply. A trajectory arc previews your shot while you aim, so you can fine-tune direction and distance before releasing. The game works the same way on desktop (click and drag with the mouse) and on mobile (touch and drag with your finger).
On the Redan, the ideal shot is a controlled iron aimed at the right-center of the green, allowing the slope to feed the ball toward the pin. Aiming directly at a left-side flag brings the front bunker into play and risks the ball rolling off the green entirely. Play the slope, not the flag.
Strategy Tips for the Redan
- Aim right-center. The diagonal green slopes left, so a ball landing right-center will feed toward the middle. Aiming left brings the deep front bunker into play.
- Use the slope. The green is designed to move the ball from right to left. Work with it, not against it. Land on the right third and let gravity do the rest.
- Avoid the front-left bunker at all costs. It is deep and the green slopes away from you on the recovery shot. Getting up and down from the front-left bunker is one of the hardest short-game shots in golf.
- Long-right is better than short-left. If you are going to miss, miss long and right. You will have a chip with the slope working in your favor rather than a bunker shot against it.
- Commit to your line. The Redan punishes indecision. Pick a target, pick a club, and swing with conviction. A half-hearted swing on a links par 3 is the worst shot you can hit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I play the North Berwick Redan online for free?
Yes. This page hosts a free, browser-based version of the famous North Berwick 15th hole, the Redan. There is no download, no sign-up, and no payment required. Click the Play button at the top of this page to start.
Is this the official North Berwick Golf Club game?
No. Let's Golf Online is an independent fan project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by North Berwick Golf Club or any other real-world golf organization. The real-world course reference is used descriptively to identify the hole we have recreated. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
What is the Redan?
The Redan is the 15th hole at North Berwick West Links in East Lothian, Scotland. It is a par 3 of approximately 190 yards featuring a diagonal green that slopes away from the player, defended by a deep bunker on the front-left. It is considered the most copied hole design in golf history, with Redan-inspired holes at hundreds of courses worldwide.
Why is the Redan so difficult?
The Redan is difficult because the diagonal green slopes away from the player, meaning the ball does not behave the way golfers instinctively expect. A ball that lands on the front of the green rolls away toward the back-left instead of stopping. The deep front-left bunker catches the conservative miss, and the back-right pot bunker catches the bail-out. There is no safe miss.
Do I need to download anything to play?
No. The game runs entirely in your browser. It works on desktop, tablet, and mobile phones. Any modern browser will work — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge.
What other holes can I play?
The full game includes 9 iconic real-world holes: Augusta 12th (Golden Bell), TPC Sawgrass 17th (Island Green), Pebble Beach 7th, St Andrews 17th (Road Hole), Royal Troon 8th (Postage Stamp), Cypress Point 16th, Royal County Down 4th, and Banff Springs 4th (Devil's Cauldron) — plus a 9-hole fantasy course that regenerates every time you play. Visit the main page to play the full course list.
How far is the Redan at North Berwick?
The 15th hole at North Berwick West Links is approximately 190 yards. The challenge is not the distance but the diagonal green that angles front-right to back-left and slopes away from the player, making it extremely difficult to hold the putting surface in the right spot.
What courses have a Redan hole?
Hundreds of courses worldwide have Redan-inspired holes. The most famous include Shinnecock Hills (7th), National Golf Links of America (4th), Yale Golf Course (15th), Chicago Golf Club (9th), Somerset Hills (15th), and Fishers Island (5th). All share the diagonal green and front-left bunker concept from the original at North Berwick.
Where does the name Redan come from?
The name comes from a military fortification — a V-shaped defensive earthwork used in siege warfare. The most famous redan was part of the Russian defenses at Sevastopol during the Crimean War. The angled green at North Berwick was thought to resemble this type of fortification, and the name has been used in golf architecture ever since.
What is North Berwick West Links?
North Berwick West Links is one of the oldest golf courses in the world, located on the East Lothian coast of Scotland. Golf has been played on the site since at least the 1830s. The course is a classic links layout with firm turf, pot bunkers, stone walls, and constant wind off the Firth of Forth. It is home to several famous holes, but the 15th — the Redan — is its most celebrated.
Is the Redan the most copied hole in golf?
Yes. No other hole design has been replicated as often as the Redan. Beginning with C.B. Macdonald's version at the National Golf Links of America in the early 1900s, the Redan concept has been built at hundreds of courses on every continent where golf is played. The diagonal green defended by a front-left bunker is the most recognizable template in golf architecture.