Since 1894, Marine & Lawn Troon has stood beside one of the great links in the game, overlooking Royal Troon and the Firth of Clyde. Built as Troon emerged as one of Scotland’s leading seaside destinations, the hotel has spent more than a century at the centre of life on the Ayrshire coast.
The nineteenth century transformed Troon. The railway and harbour arrived in 1812, bringing new industry and growth before the town began its next chapter as a seaside destination.
Then, in 1878, a group of golf enthusiasts met in a local pub and founded what would become Royal Troon Golf Club. Their original five-hole course soon grew to eighteen — and one of the world’s great links began to take shape.
Designed by distinguished Glasgow architects Salmon and Gillespie, the Marine opened in 1897 in grand Scottish Baronial style.
Turrets, crowsteps and substantial stone walls gave the hotel a commanding presence beside the links — and a front-row view across the Firth of Clyde to the Isle of Arran.
The Marine formally opened in May 1897, when the Duke and Duchess of Portland were presented with a ceremonial golf key to unlock the doors.
At the opening, chairman W.T. Hammond declared that the new hotel would be “second to none outside of London” for its comforts. A seven-course formal dinner followed that July.
Royal Troon hosted The Open for the first time in 1923, with the Marine perfectly positioned to welcome players, press and visitors.
The championship has since returned to Royal Troon nine more times, most recently in 2024, cementing the course — and the hotel beside it — as part of one of golf’s great traditions.
The Marine’s archives tell the story of championships past, with photographs of players including Seve Ballesteros, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Peter Oosterhuis passing through during the Open years.
Ahead of the 1981 championship, work even continued “around the clock” to complete a new suite, conference room and bar before the tournament arrived.
Beyond golf, the Marine continued to change with the times. New generations gathered in its dining rooms and public spaces, while a spa and pool arrived in the 1990s.
Through new wings, new owners and more than a century of change, the original hotel remained unmistakable on the Troon skyline.
Marine & Lawn Troon reopened in 2022 following a careful restoration that brought new life to its grand public rooms and historic character.
In 2024, the hotel once again welcomed guests as The Open returned to Royal Troon for the tenth time. Outside, the view remains much as it was in 1897: the 18th green, the links, the Firth of Clyde and Arran on the horizon.