Golf courses in Ayrshire

Ayrshire is one of the great heartlands of links golf, a stretch of the south-west Scottish coast where the game has been played for centuries. Around 34 courses line the Firth of Clyde here, many of them true links rumpled into the dunes and exposed to the sea wind, with the island of Arran rising on the horizon. The coastline is rich with renowned ground: the Ailsa course at Turnberry, the famous Old Course at Prestwick, and the modern championship links of Dundonald Links and Glasgow Gailes, all within a short drive of one another.

For the travelling golfer, Ayrshire is a pure links pilgrimage. The classic Scottish ingredients are all here, firm fast turf, deep revetted bunkers, blind shots over dunes and the constant challenge of the wind, while inland clubs such as Beith Golf Club and the King Robert the Bruce course add variety to a trip. The season runs strongly from spring through autumn, with summer offering long daylight and the firmest, fastest conditions. With Glasgow and Prestwick airports close by, this is one of the most convenient and rewarding links coasts in the world, an essential destination for anyone who loves golf in its oldest and purest form.