Ayrshire Golf Courses
An Eden for Golfers
You’ll find an abundance of golf course gems along Ayrshire’s Clyde coast, with around 50 clubs to visit and play. The area also boasts a serious golf heritage: known as the “Birthplace of The Open,” the first Championship was played at Prestwick in 1860.
See our list of top courses to explore during your stay, including Royal Troon Golf Club, host to The Open in 2024, and learn about dedicated golf amenities at the hotel.
The Royal Troon Golf Club – Old Course
Host of The 152nd Open Championship, 17–21 July
Explore Hospitality Packages at Marine Troon
Royal Troon’s infamous Old Course is considered tricky for many reasons: the wind whips off the sea, the linksland terrain is typically undulating, while deep rough and bunkers abound for wayward shots. But that’s part of its attraction. The Old Course is a thorough test of golf skill and one of the reasons the The Open has been played here nine times. Founded in 1878 and featuring 18 holes of increasing difficulty, it’s a bucket list course for many and a must-play while in Ayrshire.
Portland Course at Royal Troon Golf Club
A shorter course than its neighbour, Portland opened for play in 1895 and is laid out in two loops of nine holes. It’s a good test of linksland skill, although considered less demanding than the Old Course. Don’t be fooled though. Similar challenges remain in terms of terrain and hazards to provide a testing game.
Dundonald Links Course
Originally a 12 hole course designed for Offering a classic linksland experience, Dundonald delivers a first-class game to players of all abilities. Originally designed by 1883 Open champion Willie Fernie, the course opened in 1911 and was one of the longest of its time. Today’s 72 par course was reimagined in 2003 by US architect Kyle Phillips, using natural landscape features to remodel and modernise this well-respected course.
Kilmarnock Barassie
Simply known as Barassie, this course is a tale of two halves: nine of its original holes, created in 1887 are complemented by nine newer holes developed in the early 1990s to provide a fabulous linksland experience. This classic 72 par course is a serious test of skill: expect to play super-fast greens while encountering all manner of challenges.
Hillhouse Course – Part of Barassie
Comprised of nine traditional holes from Barassie’s original course, Hillhouse is considered an excellent test of links golf. If you really fancy a challenge, perhaps play all 27 holes available at this highly-rated club.
Prestwick
This historic course and ‘Birthplace of the Open’ is a linksland delight. Featuring all the classic terrain challenges – bumps, rough, undulations, coastal weather – the course has some interesting features too: hole 17, Alps, offers one of the largest and oldest bunkers in golf and hole 1, Railway, one of the most notorious opening holes in the game. Watch out for the wall!
Western Gailes Golf Club
Dating back to 1897, this stunning course offers plenty of opportunity for both skilled and novice players. It uses the narrow natural terrain to its full advantage, which when combined with cleverly positioned greens, meandering burns, bunkers, and gusts of sea wind make for a challenging yet memorable game.
The Ailsa
The Ailsa is part of the Trump Turnberry Course family and was reopened after extensive redevelopment in 2016. Its 18 holes are framed by stunning sea views, while the ruins of Robert the Bruce’s castle can be admired from the 9th hole. It’s long been regarded as a superb if challenging course, one to test even the most talented of players.
Marine & Lawn Golf Amenities
Tee Times
Our Concierge team is happy to help arrange tee times at nearby courses, as well as transportation. Please contact reservations@marinetroon.co.uk for assistance.
Golf Club Shipping
We’ve partnered with Ship Sticks for hassle-free golf club shipping to and from Marine Troon. This convenient service picks up golf gear and luggage right at your door and sends it straight to the hotel, where it will be waiting for you at check-in.
Golf Club Storage & Rental Sets
Complimentary golf bag storage is available during your stay in Troon. We also have full sets of Titleist clubs that you can borrow.
Private Putting Green
Practice your short game on our private putting green, with views of Royal Troon Golf Club’s Old Course.
For more about the hotel, visit our FAQ page.
