BELLEISLE Parkland, 18 hole – par 71 6431 yards

Belleisle Golf Course was designed by James Braid in 1927 and is set in a mature parkland estate, which provides a challenge even for the best of golfers. A true championship course with only 2 par 4’s under 400 yards. Of many challenging holes, perhaps the second is most likely to test the unwary golfer’s skill and nerve. The sheer length of the hole, four hundred and seventy yards off the medal tee, poses sufficient threat in itself. In addition, the drive must favour the left side of the fairway to avoid a group of mature trees blocking out the approach shot.

SEAFIELD Parkland & Links, 18 hole – par 68 5246 yards

A classic combination of 8 hole links and 10 hole parkland set in the magnificent grounds of the Belleisle Estate. The course has traditional tight and deceptively testing greens and strategically placed bunkers, many a scorecard tells a torrid tale. Seafield’s opening hole is short, some 218 yards played from an elevated tee, over the Curtecan Burn, towards the green set against the panoramic view of the Firth of Clyde, with the skyline of Arran dominated by Goatfell.

DALMILLING Parkland, 18 hole – par 68 5724 yards

Dalmilling Golf Course was opened in 1961 on land that was populated by Monks in the 13th century. The gently undulating parkland layout is characterised by trees and water. The river Ayr borders the southern end of the course, with some of its tributary burns adding interest to the early holes, especially the sixth, a 135 yard par three that is virtually surrounded by water.

DARLEY Links, 18 hole – par 71 6501 yards

Darley course was opened on 9th June 1951. It is a tight course with natural hazards of heather and gorse, hugging both sides of many fairways, with a particularly difficult stretch between the fifth and the fifteenth. The burn comes into play on a number of holes and there are quite a few blind approaches. Driving would need to be more accurate in places due to the rough, the course provides four excellent short par three each with different hazards around them.

LOCHGREEN Links, 18 hole – par 74 6785 yards

Lochgreen course runs parallel at points to Royal Troon and has been used for several years as the qualifier for the Open. The course is an excellent test of golf, with five par fives and three par threes, giving you a wide variety of golf and some of the shorter par fours will allow you to make a good score, there are also some narrow fairways with well-placed bunkers.

FULLARTON Links, 18 hole – par 66 4822 yards

Fullarton is a testing links course with narrow, undulating fairways generally flanked by heather and gorse. The longest hole is the first at 434 yards. There are six par three holes demanding great precision and accuracy.

GIRVAN Links, 18 hole – par 64 5095 yards

Girvan Golf Course was designed by James Braid in 1902. The first eight holes are a pure Scottish links course, which run parallel with the beach; the remaining holes are parkland and provide a varying challenge to any golfer. The fifth hole is probably the most picturesque hole on the course, with the backdrop of Ailsa Craig.

OPEN QUALIFIER COURSES

KILMARNOCK BARASSIE Links, 18 hole – par 72 6484 yards

The 18 hole Barassie Links is an Open Championship qualifying venue, with some of the best-kept greens in Scotland. The course is quite long with very testing narrow fairways and small fast greens. Excellent par 3 fourth holes with ample opportunity for disaster, due to the burn and sleeper edged greens and a double dog leg par 5 demanding the greatest respect.

GLASGOW GAILES Links, 18 hole – par 71 6535 yards

The Gailes course was opened on the 19th May 1892. Willie Park completed the current layout in 1912. The course has superb turf, fine greens and subtle qualities, is used as a final qualifying course for the Open Championship when it is played at nearby Royal Troon and Turnberry. In recent years, the Scottish PGA Championship, the Scottish Amateur Championship and the British Youths Championship have also been played over the Glasgow Gailes.

IRVINE BOGSIDE Links, 18 hole – par 71 6408 yards

James Braid in 1927, a traditional 18 hole links course, designed Bogside Golf Course. Bogside course has been used as one of the Open Championship final qualifying courses since 1989 and whilst not the longest in the world, sets a challenge via a number of blind holes and difficult approaches to tight greens.

TURNBERRY KINTYRE Links, 18 hole – par 72 6827 yards

The Kintyre course is links golf at it’s best. Undulating greens, glorious fairways, magnificent ocean holes, and all with stunning views of Kintyre, Arran and the famous Turnberry Lighthouse. The holes range from a delicate pitch to a rocky dell on the eighth to a thrilling second along the shoreline on the ninth. Regarded as the Kintyre’s signature hole, the eighth, involves a drive from an elevated tee towards the sea and an unforgettable blind second shot to the green set in a gully by the rocks. Unseen from the tee, hidden by a narrow ridge, the green is in a cove that seems to merge with the beach.

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP COURSES

TURNBERRY AILSA Links, 18 hole – par 69 6976 yards

The first three holes pose a fairly tough opening, particularly when the wind blows from the direction of Ailsa Craig, the dramatic rock 11 miles out to sea. From the admirable short forth to the short eleventh the Ailsa course follows the shoreline, the fifth to the eighth framed by dunes and the ninth, tenth and eleventh flanked by craggy rocks. It is a thrilling passage full of stout hitting. Perhaps the ninth is Turnberry’s trademark, the remote tee set on a rocky premonitory on the edge of the sea, the drive across the corner of the bay and a glimpse of the site of Bruce’s Castle.

ROYAL TROON Links, 18 hole – par 72 7079 yards

Royal Troon golf course was founded in 1878. Troon mainly runs straight out and back along the coast. The prevailing southwesterly wind is off the sea which means that the course changes drastically from a true links course on the 9 holes out and 9 back through the dunes. The middle six holes are recognised as some of the most difficult and interesting in golf, with the wind to deal with and deep rough with gorse and broom.

OTHER COURSES IN THE AREA

PRESTWICK OLD COURSE
Classic Links, 18 hole – par 71 6544 yards

Prestwick Old Course was designed by Tom Morris in 1850. The first Open Championship was held at Prestwick in 1860. The course has the toughest first in Scotland and the biggest cardinal bunker in the world can be found at the third hole. Due to the numerous blind shots from the tee to the greens, huge sand hills and tight fairways, accurate and imaginative iron play is required to construct a score.

ST NICHOLAS Links, 18 hole – par 69 5952

St Nicholas is a challenging tight traditional links course, with magnificent views over the sea. It features many natural hazards of gorse which is a main contender, heather and dunes, as well as railway lines, roads and an old quarry which is now a large water hazard protecting a sunken green between the seventh and eighth fairways.

WESTERN GAILES Links, 18 hole – par 71 6539

Western Gailes is used often as an Open qualifying site. Generally accepted as being a difficult course and a great test of ones patience with the first few holes playing north with heather, gorse and wispy grass providing hazards. Then it turns into folds of high, sandy dunes interspersed with inventive, sensuous greens. Despite having just two par fives and three par threes, this is as fine a links course as can be found anywhere in the British Isles. The course is placed between the railroad lines and the sea, making for narrow holes that demand exact tee shots.

BRUNSTON CASTLE Links, 18 hole – par 72 6662 yards

Brunston Castle Golf Course was designed by Donald Steel and is situated in the heart of Ayrshire amidst the naturally sheltered valley of the Water of Girvan. The early holes climb a little but generally it is easy walking though it plays quite long in a wind. The seventeenth is an interesting test over the duck pond. Despite having just three par fives and three par threes, this is a fine links course.