The best known courses here are in the south west, bordering the Firth of Clyde. The likes of Royal Troon, Prestwick and Turnberry need no introduction but the Gailes courses are also excellent tests and shouldn't be overlooked.

Nor should any serious golfer forego the challenge - or the scenery - of a trip to Machrihanish or Machrie. More recently-built courses include Loch Lomond and the Dundonald Course.


Machrie Golf Club - West Scotland
Don't Overlook This Traditionalist's Delight

The Machrie Golf Links was designed in 1891 by Willie Campbell. He described the land as, "the best ground for a golf course that I have ever had the pleasure of viewing."

Donald Steel made a few small alterations in the 70's and 80's, but overall the course remains very much as the same. It was at Machrie that a meeting of 'the Great Triumvirate' (James Braid, John Henry Taylor, and Harry Vardon) took place.

James Braid had just won the Open Championship and came to play at Machrie which awarded the highest prize money for any open competition at that time. In the end, Braid lost to John Henry Taylor after his putt hit a piece of sheep dung.

Golfers today will not face the same fate, but they will experience natural hazards, multiple blind holes, and sense of golf history make this links a wonderful place to play. Machrie is a traditionalist's delight with acres of wonderful duneland, windswept, sandy beaches and Atlantic Ocean views.

This demanding course, combined with extraordinary scenery, makes for a memorable experience you will not soon forget.  James Finnegan, author of 'Blasted Heaths and Blessed Greens' stated, 'No mere golfer deserves it, this extraordinary combination of beauty, solitude, and freedom.'

Machrie invites you to visit the Isle of Islay and enjoy the wonderment of the land and the golf course.

Call IGT to book your golfing vacation package to the Machrie Golf Club, in western Scotland, today.


Machrihanish Golf Club - West Scotland
Cut The Corner Over The Ocean... And That's Just the First Hole!

The Machrihanish Golf Club was founded in 1876 and is located on the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland.

Old Tom Morris, four time Open Championship winner, made extensive alterations in 1879 and stated, "Machrihanish was specifically designed by The Almighty for playing golf."

J.H. Taylor was a three time open Champion and he altered the course in 1914. Thirty years later Sir Guy Campbell added the finishing touches and the result is the course that remains today.

The Machrihanish has everything a links purist would be searching for. The opening shot requires a golfer to cut over a corner of the Atlantic Ocean and was recently voted the finest first hole in the world.

The outer nine holes track the hills and hollows throughout the sand dunes. The ocean is in constant view and each shot demands accurate tee shots. The Kintyre Hills serve as a backdrop for the inner nine and contains two par 5 s and three complicated par 3's. There is an additional nine-hole course with a Ladies Clubhouse and two practice areas.

The startling beauty and unique golf make this golf club a favorite among amateurs and professionals alike. The Machrihanish Golf Club hosted the Scottish Ladies Amateur Championship in May 1990 and the Scottish Boys Amateur Championship in July 2004. Machrihanish invites golfers from around the world to enjoy their unique links course.

Remote but invariably worth the effort in getting to, this links classic near Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsula offers great views, memorable holes and a special ambience.

The opening hole is world-famous, requiring a drive across the beach or, if the tide is in, over the breaking waves coming in from the Atlantic Ocean. The course was laid out by Old Tom Morris.

Call IGT to book your golfing vacation package to Machrihanish Golf Club, in western Scotland today.


Prestwick Golf Club - West Scotland
You'll Feel A Warm Welcome And Historic Spirit At Prestwick

Prestwick was founded in 1851. Old Tom Morris came over from St. Andrews to not only design the course, but also to be the Keeper of the Green and Club Maker.

He bought a cottage, across from the Red Lion Inn, for his family to live in while he worked. The cottage still stands today, as a historical tribute.

The course Morris created hosted the first twelve Open Championships, but overall the course hosted the event 24 times. Old Tom Morris even won four of the championships himself.

Unlike most courses, this course has not been revised or redesigned several times. Prestwick expanded the course to 18 holes in 1883, but beyond that only very small changes have been made. Most of the course remains exactly as it did when Old Tom designed it.

It's good to know there are many blind shots, which can result in challenging second shots. Each hole has its own distinctive features and some of the steep-faced pot bunkers are over six feet deep. The appearance of the course may seem chaotic to new visitors, but every detail was well thought out. Some say the course is unfair, but Prestwick is among the most traditional links courses a golfer could find.

The Earl of Eglinton is another important person in Prestwick s history. He was the first Captain of the club and he presented the winning gold medal at the annual competitions. In his honor, the Eglinton Gold Medal is still played today. Prestwick held the first Open Championship in 1860 and Willie Park won with a score of 174 over 36 holes.

Young Tom Morris won three successive Opens from 1868-1870. His score in 1870 was 47 over 12 holes, and no one has ever equaled or beat this score.  The Open Championship was revived in 1872 and Young Tom Morris won again. Young Tom became the only person to ever win the Open four times in a row. Harry Vardon did win the Open six times, but not in a row. Three of his wins were at Prestwick. The course has also hosted the Amateur Championship eleven times.

The Prestwick Golf Club is proud of its relaxed and friendly club. They welcome golfers from around the world and players are encouraged to use their temporary membership as much as possible.

The clubhouse offers an amazing collection of golf memorabilia and the historic spirit that surrounds the club is unique. Playing at Prestwick is one experience every golfer should have.

As the venue for the very first Open Championship in 1860, over what was then a 12 hole course, Prestwick provides traditional links golf in an historic setting.

The Himalayas and the Alps are two holes which have been copied repeatedly, but no replica has ever matched the original. With blind shots, humps, streams and sleepered bunkers this is not a course for the modernist.

Call IGT to book your golfing vacation package to the Prestwick Golf Club, in western Scotland, today.


Royal Troon Golf Club - West Scotland


With past Open Champions of the calibre of Arnold Palmer, Tom Weiskopf and Tom Watson, Royal Troon can surely claim to sort the best from the rest.

The 8th hole (Postage Stamp), a fiendish par 3 and one of the most famous holes in world golf, is a feature of the front nine but the homeward nine holes create the greatest challenge. The journey back to the clubhouse, against the prevailing wind, can be a heart-breaking experience!

Call IGT to book your golfing vacation package to the Royal Troon Golf Club, in western Scotland today.


Turnberry Ailsa Golf Club - West Scotland


Redesigned by Mackenzie Ross after World War Two use as an airfield, the Ailsa Course curves around Turnberry Bay with spectacular views across to Ailsa Craig, the Isle of Arran and Kintyre.

A magnificent Open Championship venue, the Ailsa was the scene of the epic head-to-head between Watson and Nicklaus in 1977. The views from the 9th tee onwards of the coastline and adjacent lighthouse are some of golf's most instantly recognisable images.

Call IGT to book your golfing vacation package to Turnberry Ailsa, in western Scotland, today.


Western Gailes Golf Club - West Scotland
Another Excellent Test Of Skill, Concentration, And Patience

The Western Gailes Golf Club was founded in 1897 by a group of merchants from Glasgow.