Barassie
Par 72, 6817 Yards
Now 27 holes, the main 18 holes at Kilmarnock Golf Club is called The Barassie Links. The championship course incorporates nine holes from the original 18 (which dates back to 1887) and the entire new nine. The Links measures over 6800 yards from the "medal" tees and has earned a reputation as one of Scotland's best links. The Gailes burn is a persistent hazard and comes into play on five holes. Barassie is often used as a qualifying course when the Open is held at Turnberry or Troon.
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Dundonald Course
Par 72, 6765 Yards
Dundonald is an excellent, traditional new course located on the West Coast of Scotland nearby Royal Troon and Western Gailes. The golf course is owned by the world famous Loch Lomond Golf Club and was designed by Kyle Phillips whose other excellent course designs in Scotland include Kingsbarns. Dundonald is a great addition to the other fantastic courses on the Ayrshire coast.
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Glasgow Gailes
Par 71, 6535 Yards
Owned and managed Glasgow Golf Club, the 9th oldest golf club in the world, the links at Glasgow Gailes dates back to 1787. It's a challenging seaside course located about 27 miles southwest of Glasgow airport in the heart of Scotland's Ayrshire Coast. The course is often used as a qualifying course when the Open Championship is held at Royal Troon or Turnberry.
The clubhouse dates back to 1894 and, although facilities are completely modern, the club still maintains some traditions of old. Gentlemen are required to wear a jacket and tie in the Main Lounge and ladies are asked to dress to "an equivalent standard." There's also the more relaxed McLaren Room where golf attire is accepted.
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Machrie
Par 71, 6226 Yards
This unforgettable links course remains mostly unchanged from the 1891 layout designed by Willie Campbell. Although hard to get to (you either have to fly from Glasgow or take a ferry), the course is well worth the trip to its remote location on the Isle of Islay. Reminiscent of its neighbor Machrihanish, the course provides stunning views and a real taste of links golf. If time permits, make a pilgrimage to Machrie. You can even spend a few nights at the Machrie Hotel, located at the golf club.
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Machrihanish
Par 70, 6225 Yards
There may be no cooler place for golf than Machrihanish. First of all, to get there you need a keen sense of adventure. The club is located way out on the Mull of Kintyre, about 90 miles west of Glasgow airport. However, those 90 miles would take you about 3-1/2 hours by car. Unless you plan to stay for a few days, a better way to get there is to fly from Glasgow to Cambeltown. The club will send someone to pick you up at the airport. After golf, they'll drive you back to Cambeltown for a return flight to Glasgow.
Even cooler than the trip to get there is the golf course itself. Laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1876, the course remains one of Scotland's best-kept secrets and is a magnificent links course. The first 14 holes contain some of the most dramatic dunes golf on the planet with brutal rough and easy-to-find bunkers. The finish is somewhat of a breather, but you'll need it after those first 14. Michael Bamberger wrote extensively about Machrihanish in his fine book To the Linksland.
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Machrihanish Dunes
Par 72, 7300 Yards
Set hard against the shores of the Atlantic Ocean on the Mull of Kintyre, Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club shares breathtaking views with the adjacent Machrihanish Golf Club links. Open for play in 2009, it is the first golf course to be have been built on a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSi) since the days of "Old Tom" himself. It is also the first 18-hole links golf course to be built on the west coast of Scotland in 100 years. Designed by renowned Scottish architect David McLay Kidd, the course measures 7,300 yards and features six greens and five tees at the ocean's edge. True to the way golf began, the site of Machrihanish Dunes links featured 23 "natural holes" (definition: a hole which fits so well into the natural landscape prior to construction that only minimal effort is required to ready it for play in terms of grading and shaping work). In a world with over 32,000 golf courses, the development of an authentic links course (there are only 270 in the world) on the west coast of Scotland is most unique. Machrihanish Dunes promises to be a true testament to The Way Golf Began.
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Prestwick
Par 71, 6544 Yards
One of Scotland's most prestigious courses, Prestwick was founded in 1851 when the club members enticed Old Tom Morris from St. Andrews to become their first professional. In 1860 they announced 'A General Golf Tournament for Scotland,' which afterwards became known as the Open Championship. The course hosted the first 12 British Opens and features the vast Cardinal Bunker that stretches the width of the third fairway—a treacherous hazard. A caddy is highly recommended at Prestwick to help find your way from one hole to the next.
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Royal Troon
Par 71, 6641 Yards
Site of the 2004 Open Championship, the Old Course at Troon has both the longest hole (the 6th at 577 yards) and the shortest hole (the 126-yard 8th known as the "Postage Stamp") of any Open Championship course. Ranked #38 in the world by Golf Magazine (2003 rankings), Royal Troon is a magnificent links with stunning views of the islands of Arran and Alisa Craig.
The green fee here includes an additional round on the adjacent Portland Course and a buffet lunch in the Ailsa Room of the Troon Clubhouse. Jacket & tie are not required for lunch in the Ailsa Room; however, they are required in the dining room.
Please note: Royal Troon has a handicap restriction of 20 for men and 30 for ladies.
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Turnberry - Ailsa Course
Par 70, 6976 Yards
Of all the courses you'll play in Scotland, the Ailsa at Turnberry may turn out to be your favorite as well as the most challenging. The unrelenting links course follows a craggy shoreline from holes four through 11 with some of the most unforgettable views in all of golf. The Ailsa Craig, 11 miles out to see, is a constant companion as you grind your way through the dunes of the Ayrshire coast. The course is ranked #17 in the world by Golf Magazine (2003 rankings).
The Ailsa is on the British Open rota and is particularly memorable for the famous Nicklaus-Watson duel in the 1977 Open. The course was tamed by a brilliant, but dry summer and the two golf giants battled for four days. Watson prevailed to the delight of the huge crowds that followed their every move. It was one of the great head-to-head matches of all time.
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Turnberry - Kintyre Course
Par 72, 6504 Yards
Step out of the hotel and enjoy 18 holes on the newly redesigned Turnberry's Kintyre Course. The Kintyre, like its sister course (the Ailsa), is a very good test of golf. Though not as long as the Ailsa, accurate tee shots are required to keep your ball on the narrow fairways. In addition, wayward irons are punished by well-guarded green-side bunkers.
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Western Gailes
Par 71, 6714 Yards
Founded in 1897, the delightful course at Western Gailes Golf Club is very popular among the Scottish golf community. This par-71, 6,714-yard layout is a magnificent seaside links with excellent turf and wonderful greens. It is often used as a qualifying course when the British Open is at Turnberry or Troon and has played host to many other events including the Curtis Cup and the Scottish Amateur Championship. Like its neighbors at Troon, Prestwick and Turnberry, the course offers outstanding panoramic views of the Ailsa Craig and Firth of Clyde.
Special Note: The green fee also includes lunch in the clubhouse on weekdays.
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