Royal Troon
Troon
Open Championship links with the Postage Stamp, one of the shortest and most feared holes in championship golf.
Golf in Ayrshire & The West Coast
Open Championship history on the Firth of Clyde, with Arran and Ailsa Craig on the horizon.
Turnberry lighthouse and the Ayrshire coast
The first Open Championship was played at Prestwick in 1860, and the Ayrshire coast has been central to the game ever since. Royal Troon and Turnberry have both hosted The Open, and between them lie links such as Western Gailes, Glasgow Gailes and Dundonald.
The light on this coast is distinctive: long sunsets over the sea, with the peaks of Arran beyond. It suits a slower pace, with a historic country house to return to each evening.
The courses
Turnberry: Ailsa
Turnberry
Dramatic coastal golf beneath the lighthouse, looking out to Ailsa Craig and Arran.
Prestwick Golf Club
Prestwick
Birthplace of The Open in 1860, with blind shots and quirks that delight those who love golf history.
Western Gailes
Irvine
A narrow ribbon of pure links between the railway and the sea.
Machrihanish Golf Club
Kintyre
Remote and romantic, with a celebrated opening drive across the beach.
Visitor policies, handicap requirements and tee-time procedures are set by each club and can change. We confirm the current position for every course in your journey, and never assume access.
Practical notes for visiting golfers
- Getting there
- Around 45 minutes from Glasgow Airport to Troon, and about 1 hour 30 minutes from Edinburgh. Prestwick Airport is close by for private aviation.
- Seasons and conditions
- The west is generally milder and a little wetter than the east. May, June and September are particularly lovely.
- How long to stay
- Three nights allow Troon, Turnberry and one other links without long drives.
- Pairs well with
- Easily combined with St Andrews or Edinburgh for a coast-to-coast journey.
Beyond the golf
- Culzean Castle and its clifftop country park
- Robert Burns country around Alloway
- Glasgow's galleries and architecture
- A day on the Isle of Arran
- See all experiences
Journeys that include Ayrshire & The West Coast
Signature Collection
7–9 nights
The Scottish Links Expedition
Fife, Angus, the Highlands and Speyside
From St Andrews to Royal Dornoch, with whisky country and the hills of Perthshire on the way. The fullest picture of Scottish golf.
Explore journey
Reserve Collection
7–10 nights
The Grand Scottish Golf Journey
Scotland's most prestigious golf destinations
Coast to coast and up into the Highlands, staying in Scotland's most remarkable houses. Every element is made for your party alone.
Explore journey
Play Ayrshire & The West Coast, beautifully arranged.
Tell us which courses you have in mind and we will shape a journey around them, with honest advice on what is realistic for your dates.
Begin Planning Your Journey