In September 2024, a group of friends and I embarked on an unforgettable golfing journey through the stunning landscapes of southwest Scotland, particularly around Ayr. This region is renowned for its exceptional golf courses, all conveniently accessible from Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Reflecting on this trip, it’s no exaggeration to say that southwest Scotland offers some of the finest golfing experiences available anywhere in the world. Each course brought its unique charm and challenges, and I highly recommend the area to any golf enthusiast.
The Golf Courses
We had the pleasure of playing at several prestigious courses: the iconic Ailsa Course at Turnberry, Prestwick, Western Gailes, Glasgow Gailes, Kilmarnock Barassie, and Dundonald. Among these, Turnberry stood out as the crown jewel, with its breathtaking views and challenging layout. Prestwick and Western Gailes also provided remarkable experiences that we thoroughly enjoyed.
Accommodation
We stayed at the Gailes Hotel (Gailes Hotel), perfectly situated near Glasgow Gailes and Dundonald courses. With Western Gailes just a 10-minute drive away and Barassie 15 minutes away, it was an ideal base for our golfing adventure. The hotel features a superb driving range with top tracer technology, a well-stocked golf shop, and a delightful spa. The dining options were satisfactory, with breakfast being particularly commendable. The staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful throughout our stay.
Dining Experiences
Dining has often played a significant role in our trip, with a mix of hotel meals and local restaurants. We dined at Scott’s in Troon,(Scotts) which boasts a prime harbor-front location and exceptional food and service. Another highlight was The Ship Inn in Irvine (The Ship) recently renovated and offering a cozy atmosphere right by the water. Their specialty steak pie, available in “a wee wan” or “a big wan,” is a must-try.
We also adhered to our tradition of visiting a fish and chip shop. While The Wee Chippy in Anstruther remains the gold standard, we found the Blue Lagoon Fish and Chip Restaurant in Ayr quite ok but lacking in comparison.
Transportation
Traveling to Ayr was seamless thanks to Fraser (Silverswan) from Gullane, who provides excellent transportation services for golfers across Scotland. While in Ayr, we utilized Streamline (Streamline) for local transport, which proved efficient with timely notifications about vehicle arrivals.
Golf:
The Ailsa Course at Turnberry
Despite its controversial owner, Turnberry (Turnberry) is undeniably a fabulous golf course. The course has undergone various modifications that have enhanced its playability while maintaining most of its links character. The biggest criticism is that it has less “linksy”fairways and approaches, lending itself to more of a US style of play. Seems harsh.
The course features challenging holes with strategically placed bunkers and difficult greens. Notably, the par 5 third hole exemplifies this challenge with its repositioned green complex nestled among dunes. The views from the course are nothing short of spectacular, particularly around from the famous lighthouse that serves as a halfway house.
We enjoyed lunch at the "Duel in the Sun" restaurant overlooking the 18th hole—an experience that complemented our round beautifully.
The hotel that overlooks the entire complex is superb too. A fine experience to have a drink after the round and watch the sun go down.
When we played, it was quite windy, but fortunately no rain. I have decided that playing in the wind is just very difficult - not just because its more difficult to gauge where the ball is going (!), but the impact it has on your swing. I certainly feel it encourages you to rush and come more from out to in. I have even more admiration for the pros when you see how well they can play in such conditions. I had to play a 3 wood into the par three 4th hole. Its only 180 off the tee, but joy! I made the putt! The par three 6th hole was only 130 and it required a 6 iron for me. I made notes on all the holes on my stroke saver - a bit of a misnomer given the state of my game at the moment- and I note reading back through the little book that “ another gorgeous hole” features heavily throughout. I agree that holes 3-11 are really amazing, but 14 is a very tough par 5. There was a real sense of accomplishment on the par 3 15th as we all hit the green. The 16th stroke index 1 is a bit odd in the context of the design of the other holes as there is water in front. On 18, I too had a 7 iron into the green, as Tom watson did for his famous win. My outcome was not to 2 feet.
I had arranged for us to have lunch at the “duel in the sun“ restuarant and it was very good. It overlooks the 18th for both the Ailsa course and the King Robert the Bruce course. The service was excellent and the food was really good and a great way to start a round.
There is so much history here, with more recent contests such as The Open in 1977 that Watson famously won int that “duel in the sun” against Nicklaus, and then that amazing performance in 2009 when he almost won again, losing in a playoff to Cink. Trump bought it in 2014 for $60m, then plowed another reputed $200m in. Of course, no-one is quite sure where got the money for this, nor if the place has ever made any money. For 2025, he’s going to allow you to play for a mere £1200 per round if you are not staying at the hotel. Apparently, Eric runs the place, and certainly all the people we spoke to thought he was a super guy who had done a real good job.
Western Gailes
Despite inclement weather during our round at Western Gailes, (Western Gailes) we really enjoyed the challenge of this course. The Club was founded in the late 19th century, The course layout offers a mix of holes that wind along the coast and return alongside a railway line—creating both scenic views and strategic challenges. From the pro tees, its 7,000 yards; we played the yellow tees at 6100 and to demonstrate how difficult the course is, that rating is 71.2 and 137. Difficult! It is much more playable than Turnberry: offered the choice of a week at either, I would plump for this place every time.
Prestwick
Playing at Prestwick (Prestwick) was an absolute delight; it has an aura that is distinctly special. It’s history goes back to the mid 19th century, and Old Tom Morris laid out the 12 hole course as was then, and it boosted the first 12 Opens. The first hole requiring a 180 yard tee shot for an approach into a small green while avoiding fade onto the railway line is a thrilling start to an exceptional golfing experience. Some folks appear not to like the fact that there are a few blind shots, but I really enjoyed the entire experience. I do think if I was doing this again, I would have arranged to play another round. There’s a guide to the course here: the course guide.The starter and club staff were very welcoming, and we enjoyed the caddies. One or two were quite direct in their comments about the play - totally deserved on my part. We had lunch in the formal dining room - an experience not to be missed. An exceptional lounge followed by a gorgeous dining room with lots of history, it’s on a par with Muirfield in East Lothian.
Glasgow Gailes
Just a short walk from our hotel, Glasgow Gailes (Gailes )surprised us with its charm and history as one of the oldest clubs (1787) in the world. We received a very nice welcome and also had a nice lunch at the clubhouse after.The course is less punishing than others in the region, but still offers enjoyable play for golfers of all skill levels. It has hosted The Scottish Amateur, and is an Open qualifier.
Kilmarnock Barassie Links
I’ll be honest, I had never heard of this Club, (The Club) but am very glad to have played it. It was founded in 1887. The course proved to be an enjoyable experience with friendly locals and interesting holes that kept us engaged throughout our round. There’s a very nice Clubhouse, and friendly proshop.
Dundonald
The Dundonald Club (the Club) which began life in 1911, is highly rated and is in the top 30 courses in Scotland. In my humble opinion, this seems excessive. Perhaps our expectations were relatively high, but the course was much less interesting than the others that we played during the week. I can’t really recall any of the holes as being terribly memorable. Certainly the clubhouse is extremely nice plus the practice areas are really very good indeed. The Crows Nest restaurant was extremely disappointing. The food was really very very poor quality and the service was quite mixed.
Finally, Ayr, located on Scotland's southwest coast, is not only famous for its exceptional golf courses but also offers a range of must-see attractions that showcase the region's rich history and stunning natural beauty. Here are just three to consider during your visit:
Robert Burns Birthplace Museum
This museum is dedicated to Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. Located in Alloway, just a short drive from Ayr, it features the poet's birthplace and several exhibits showcasing his life and works. The beautiful gardens and the nearby Auld Kirk add to the charm of this historical site.
Culzean Castle
A stunning 18th-century castle set atop cliffs overlooking the Firth of Clyde, Culzean Castle is surrounded by expansive gardens and parkland. Visitors can explore the castle’s opulent rooms, learn about its history, and enjoy breathtaking coastal views.
Electric Brae
This (The Brae) is one of those weird tricks of the eye: it looks like a vehicle is rolling uphill on this stretch of the A719 road into Turnberry. We tested this, and can assure you it seems real.
I wrote the below in 2022 in anticipation of playing, but covid got in the way: Here we are in February 2022 and Trump’s still immensely popular as significant portions of the us believe the election was rigged, and he has announced he will pardon all those involved in the Jan 6th assault. It’s an absolute disgrace and US politics have entered a phase that can best be described as worrying. I firmly believe that if Trump is re-elected American democracy could be at risk. It’s already happening with election laws being passed in many states that make it very hard for fair election. The problem is compounded as the Democrats offer little in reply. They are also filled with loony views and no spine. The polarisation required to win is just incredible and harmful.
And I listed some of the many many books that have been written about Trump and his Presidency:
John Bolton - The Room Where it happened. Bolton is no liberal but even he couldn’t take some of Trump’s lack of understanding of global policy; https://www.amazon.com/gp/your-account/order-history/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_pagination_9_10_search?ie=UTF8&orderFilter=months-3&search=books&startIndex=90
Michael Cohen - Disloyal. Trump’s former fixer tell all. https://www.amazon.com/Donald-Trump-United-States-President/dp/1984854666/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=schmidt&qid=1608996681&s=books&sr=1-1
Andrew McCabe - The Threat: How the FBI Protects America. https://www.amazon.com/Threat-Protects-America-Terror-Trump/dp/1250207576/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=andrew+mccabe&qid=1609003874&s=books&sr=1-1
H R McMaster - Battlegrounds. An adult in the room discussion of real politik. Left Trump in March 2018. https://www.amazon.com/Battlegrounds-Fight-Defend-Free-World/dp/0062899465/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=mcmaster&qid=1608996969&sr=8-1
Timothy O’Brien - The Art of Being Trump https://www.amazon.com/TrumpNation-Donald-Timothy-L-OBrien/dp/044669617X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+art+of+being+trump&qid=1609003764&s=books&sr=1-1
Rick Reilly: The Commander in Cheat - How Golf Explains Trump. A dazzling array of information about how bogus Trump is. He is a member at Winged Foot and stories of his cheating and misbehavior are legend. https://www.amazon.com/Commander-Cheat-Golf-Explains-Trump/dp/0316528080
Mary Trump: Too Much and never Enough - How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man. The niece spills all in a shocking tale. https://www.amazon.com/Too-Much-Never-Enough-Dangerous/dp/1982141468/ref=sr_1_1?crid=116W7CGRLTJ8S&dchild=1&keywords=mary+trump+too+much+and+never+enough&qid=1608758076&s=books&sprefix=mary+trump%2Cstripbooks%2C147&sr=1-1
Bob Woodward - Rage. This is the book that exposes that Trump knew the virus was much worse and then hid it from the American people. https://www.amazon.com/Rage-Bob-Woodward/dp/198213173X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=woodward&qid=1608996538&s=books&sr=1-1
James Zirin: Plaintiff in Chief - A Portrait of Donald trump in 3,500 Lawsuits. Unbelievable account of Trump’s use of the legal system to stiff contractors, and impose his will. https://www.amazon.com/Plaintiff-Chief-Portrait-Donald-Lawsuits/dp/1250201624/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1QUE9R40UR92P&dchild=1&keywords=plaintiff+in+chief&qid=1608757931&s=books&sprefix=plaintiff+in+Ch%2Cstripbooks%2C150&sr=1-1
Michael Schmidt - Donald Trump vs The US. Story on White House Counsel McGahn, before he got fired. https://www.amazon.com/Donald-Trump-United-States-President/dp/1984854666/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=schmidt&qid=1608996681&s=books&sr=1-1
Cliff Sims - Team of Vipers. https://www.amazon.com/Team-Vipers-Extraordinary-Trump-White/dp/125022389X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+team+of+vipers&qid=1609003916&s=books&sr=1-1
Cliff Stevens - It was all a Lie. https://www.amazon.com/Was-All-Lie-Republican-Became/dp/0525658459/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=it+was+all+a+lie&qid=1609003718&s=books&sr=1-1
Vicky Ward - Kushner Inc. More relevant after Trump’s pardon of Jared’s Dad, who committed a crime that Chris Christie described as “heinous”. https://www.amazon.com/Kushner-Inc-Ambition-Corruption-Extraordinary/dp/1250185947/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=kushner+inc&qid=1609003832&s=books&sr=1-1
I bought these in 2018-19-20; I suspect there will be more in 2021… .
Here we are in February 2022 and he’s still immensely popular, significant portions of the us believe the election was rigged, and the latest is he has announced he will pardon all those involved in the Jan 6th assault. It’s an absolute disgrace and US politics have entered a phase that can best be described as worrying. I firmly believe that if Trump is re-elected American democracy could be at risk. It’s already happening with election laws being passed in many states that make it very hard for fair election. The problem is compounded as the Democrats offer little in reply. They are also filled with loony views and no spine. The polarisation required to win is just incredible and harmful.