Most Scottish golf trips center around a visit to The Old Course and The Home of Golf. While that is certainly a mandatory destination, there is a ton of golf that needs to be seen in Scotland. In the latest edition of the golf blog, we discuss Ayshire county, a less traveled but equally important area of Scotland. A flight into Glasgow will leave you with a modest 40 minute drive into Ayrshire county. With all 5 of the golf courses covered here in close proximity, you are in the “catbird seat” for some serious golf exploration.
Royal Troon
The 18th green at Royal Troon
A Scottish golf trip that starts with the word Royal is starting off on the right grassy path. At Royal Troon those grass paths lead the way to a walk in golf history. The world was treated to one of the all time greatest duels in golf when the Open came to Royal Troon in 2016. Henrik Stenson held off Mickelson’s final round 65 with an earth scorching 63 to win the Open in record setting fashion.
Think about that… Mickelson shot a 65 in the final pairing on Sunday of a major and lost by 3 shots. Mickelson was 11 strokes clear of 3rd place. He would have lapped the field in just about every other Open ever played. Stenson was simply a man on fire playing some of the best golf that the world has ever seen.
“We were sitting there checking our cards. There was a screen behind us. Phil looked at it and turned to me and said, “Ten birdies? Really? F—- off!” But he did it with a big smile.”
One might think that Royal Troon is a birdie fest after observing such low scores from Stenson and Mickelson. However, I was able to confirm that Royal Troon is a stern test of links golf… even from the member tees.
The famed “Postage Stamp” green at Royal Troon
At only 123 yards, the par 3 8th hole nicknamed “The Postage Stamp” is the shortest hole in Open championship golf. The surrounding bunkers will almost certainly ensure a bogey but a well struck short iron will give you a chance for a memorable 2 on one of golf’s most infamous golf holes.
“For many years, the Postage Stamp hole haunted me. I feared it.”
The view from the tee on “Postage Stamp”
In an article for “Golf Illustrated” published by William Park in the early 1900’s, the author gave the par 3 it’s nickname. The name has remained in place ever since.
“A putting surface skimmed down to the size of a postage stamp.”
The view from the ‘Smoke Room’ at Royal Troon
Dundonald Links
The view of 18 from the clubhouse at Dundonald Links
A golf course existed on this site back in the early 1900’s but was transformed into a military installation called Dundonald Camp where D-Day landings were practiced during World War II. It wasn’t until 2005 that Kyle Philips would bring the current Dundonald Links to life. Since its opening, the course gained notoriety when it hosted the Scottish Open in 2017.
The short yet treacherous 11th hole at Dundonald
Since most golf courses in Scotland focus primarily on the golf and offer little in the way of a resort style experience, it can be difficult to find suitable accommodations for a group of golfers. Dundonald solves this problem by offering an assortment of golf cottages. With a common room for dining and shenanigans, each cottage is designed to provide an ideal post and pre golf experience. The Canny Crow restaurant also provides a convenient and delicious dining solution.
The golf cottages at Dundonald are located just off of the 10th hole.
“The wise golfer will select Dundonald Links as home base for Ayrshire golf operations.”
The par 5 14th at Dundonald Links
The opening hole at Dundonald Links
The par 4 17th in the middle with the 12th hole on the far left
Highlights of the golf course include the short par 4 12th hole and the difficult dogleg 17th. Note: Bias might be involved as I made a peculiarly long putt for birdie on the 17th.
The 17th hole at Dundonald Links
Prestwick Golf Club
If the Old Course at St Andrews wins gold In the golf course history olympics, Prestwick wins the silver medal. Hosting the first 12 Opens, only the Old Course has hosted more Opens than Prestwick. A stone cairn identifies the very spot where the first tee shot of The Open was struck on October 17th, 1860. Not only does It identify the first hole of the original 12 hole routing but marks the beginning of modern competitive golf.
The original prize was not the Claret Jug but the Challenge Belt. Made of red Moroccan leather, the Challenge Belt would find the waist of Willie Park. Park shot a 174 over 3 rounds on the 3,799 yard 12 hole routing, besting Old Tom Morris by several strokes. However, the Morris family would not be denied. Old Tom would go on to win the Open 4 times and his son, Young Tom, would win four times as well.
Young Tom has also achieved some of the golf’s biggest firsts by recording The Open’s first hole in one and establishing the modern day albatross by making a 2 on Prestwick’s 578 yard opening hole.
The finishing hole at Prestwick
The last Open at Prestwick would be hosted in 1925 due to the golf course’s inability to handle the increased crowd sizes that the Open was generating. Thousands of people simply overwhelmed the marshals resulting in many of the player’s shots bouncing off of the spectators. Since this effected the outcome, Prestwick was deemed too cramped to host The Open.
The wildly unique “Cardinal” hole at Prestwick
Since Prestwick moved to an 18 hole golf course in 1882, very little has changed. The quirky routing and unusual golf holes are a beautiful reminder of golf’s past. Visiting golfers may question the golf but they certainly won’t doubt how fun Prestwick is to play. Holes like “Alps” and “Cardinal” are the very first of their kind and have inspired generations of golf design. It’s pretty much like getting to play golf on a living museum.
“I think what is most memorable about Prestwick is the course has remained the same and still withstood the test of time.”
The Claret Jug along with the Challenge Belt
Barassie Links
The railway runs alongside the 5th hole at Barassie Links
The majority of visiting golfers might be inclined to skip over Barassie Links as it doesn’t carry the golf pedigree of it’s neighbors. This is a serious error. In order to fully understand how golf is played in Scotland, it is imperative that the visiting golfer explore courses like Barassie Links. I don’t care if the dunes don’t rise quite as high and it doesn’t directly border the sea. Barassie Links is understated, simple and pure links.
The 6th green at Barassie Links
Resting snugly in between Dundonald Links and Western Gailes, you will find Barassie Links. The course has two distinct sets of vibes broken up by a set of directional par 3’s. The first 4 holes march outwards playing through farmland and towards open links land. Holes 5-11 highlight the links experience and stoke the golfer’s soul. The journey home is satisfying but the middle 7 holes are where the action is at.
The 4th hole marks the beginning of the links experience.
Hole 12 begins the trek back to the clubhouse
“That Barassie is plenty sassy”
Western Gailes
I don’t always save the best for last but when it comes to Western Gailes, a special effort was made to give this course the spotlight that it deserves. Situated between a railway and the sea, Western Gailes plays back and forth along the Firth of Clyde. A stiff breeze often accompanies a round on the Gailes and visiting golfers will need to bring a strong mental and physical game to conquer this classic links test.
The 16th at Western Gailes shows off at sunset.
The highlight reel picks up as the routing reverses course on the 6th hole. The par 5 “Lappock” curves deliciously back and forth and requires a well placed golf ball amongst the dunes. It’s easily a 3 shot hole when playing into the wind, but calmer conditions can yield some eagles and birdies. It scores 10 out of 10 every time in the looks category.
The par 5 6th hole at Western Gailes
“Sea” is the aptly named 7th hole and it brings the heat with some serious scenery along the waterfront. At 198 yards from the back tees, only a true linksman will find success staring this one down in 30mph winds. It’s a freaking glorious test of golf. I nearly blasted one into the firth but managed to scramble for par from the fescue like a seasoned Scotsman. After making an 8 on the 5th hole, I needed a confidence boost.
The par 3 7th hole
The 18th green
The back and forth routing at Western Gailes ensures that the golfer will encounter an equal number of holes into and with the wind. The centrally located clubhouse leaves 11 holes to the south and 7 to the north. A plentiful supply of pot bunkers and a series of meandering burns litter the road home.
The opening hole at Western Gailes
“All hail the Gailes”
The land at Western Gailes is what makes this course so special. With large dunes and rumpled turf on every hole, interesting options for play and photography exist at every turn. Western Gailes is an absolute must play and a true playground for any golf photographer.
The rumpled fairways of the first at Western Gailes
If this little video doesn’t convince you that you need to explore Ayrshire then you may be infected with some sort of golf virus. Consult your local PGA professional immediately.
Wait for it. pic.twitter.com/DK0uG1CoTR
— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) July 4, 2022