Ayrshire's Clyde coast is home to around 50 golf clubs and some of the game's most storied linksland. The area has deep Open Championship roots — Prestwick hosted the first Championship in 1860, and Royal Troon, right on the hotel's doorstep, has hosted The Open ten times, most recently in 2024. A selection of top courses to explore during your stay:
Royal Troon's Old Course has hosted The Open ten times, most recently in 2024. Wind off the Firth of Clyde, undulating linksland, deep rough and punishing bunkers make it one of the most demanding tests in the game. Home to the Postage Stamp, the shortest hole in Open Championship golf, and the Railway hole, one of the most difficult par-4s in major championship history. A must-play while in Ayrshire.
The Portland Course at Royal Troon opened in 1895 and offers a different kind of challenge from the Old Course next door. Laid out in two loops of nine, it's shorter and more accessible, but the Ayrshire wind, linksland terrain and natural hazards keep it honest. A worthy round in its own right.
Prestwick hosted the first 11 Open Championships and its place in the game's history is unmatched. The course still plays like a proper test: the Railway hole is one of the most notorious openers in golf, the Alps at the 17th features one of the largest bunkers in the game, and a stone wall runs the length of the first fairway. Worth every minute on the Ayrshire coast.
Founded in 1897, Western Gailes runs through a narrow strip of natural linksland between the railway and the sea. Cleverly positioned greens, meandering burns, bunkers and coastal wind make it one of the most respected courses on the Ayrshire coast — and a worthy challenge for any level of golfer.
Dundonald Links opened in 1911, originally designed by 1883 Open champion Willie Fernie and reimagined in 2003 by American architect Kyle Phillips. The par-72 course offers a modern links experience for golfers of all levels.
Kilmarnock Barassie has been a fixture on the Ayrshire coast since 1887, with nine original holes complemented by nine added in the early 1990s. The par-72 layout delivers a classic linksland challenge — fast greens, natural hazards, and enough variety across its two distinct halves to keep any golfer honest.
The Hillhouse is nine holes drawn from Barassie's original layout, sitting between the links and the railway line from Ayr to Glasgow. A par-34 with the same fast greens and linksland challenge as its longer neighbour — and with 27 holes available across the club, there's no reason to stop at one loop.
The Ailsa Course at Turnberry reopened in 2016 following an extensive redesign and remains one of Scotland's most spectacular tests of golf. All 18 holes play along the Ayrshire coast, with the ruins of Robert the Bruce's castle visible from the 9th. Challenging enough to have hosted four Open Championships, and one of the finest views in the game.
Founded in 1787, Glasgow Golf Club is one of the world's oldest golf clubs. Its renowned Gailes Links has hosted Final Open Qualifying for decades and remains one of Scotland's most respected championship links.
Set along the Firth of Clyde with sweeping views towards the Isle of Arran, West Kilbride is a classic Ayrshire championship links. Known for its strategic layout and year-round playability, the course has hosted prestigious events including the Scottish Boys’ Open Championship and Scottish PGA Championship.
Designed by legendary course architect James Braid, Irvine Bogside is a classic Ayrshire links set between the River Irvine and River Garnock. With views towards Arran and a long history as a Final Qualifying venue for The Open, it offers a rewarding test in the heart of Scotland’s golf country.