DESTINATION GOLF 2022 SCOTLAND 2022
Dundonald Links
Trump Turnberry
( Ailsa )
Few courses can boast such a setting , such space and such luxury . The recent makeover of the Ailsa course ( by Martin Ebert ) and the hotel has vaulted Turnberry back to golf ’ s top table . Everything here is on a big scale and that sense follows you from one hole to the next . It bristles with confidence and swaggers from one hole to the next . The back-and-forth nature of the opening holes might sound tame on paper , but you ’ ll quickly appreciate how good they are as they slip down to the sea . Big bearded bunkers ripple along fairways while their greenside brethren favour the deep pothole variety , nestling under greens . From the 5th the course opens up and one excellent hole follows another as you head out and back to the famous lighthouse . The new par threes ( 9 and 11 ) are outstanding .
Dundonald Links
Sitting right alongside Western Gailes , Dundonald Links is a much younger creation . Kyle Phillips designed this low , weaving and modern links in 2005 , using the gentle and exposed dune land to establish ( and embellish ) the flow of holes and embrace the modern game . The elegant routing moves in every direction so you can be sure wind will be a factor but , to balance this wind , you ’ ll welcome the generous fairways . The strategic bunkering will , however , keep you in check . You ’ ll need a razor sharp short game and the ability to find the right part of the magnificent , swaying greens . A brand new , sparkling clubhouse is in progress and new luxury lodges are already available . Dundonald has stepped up a gear or three .
Trump Turnberry
( King Robert the Bruce )
The King Robert the Bruce may be regarded as the smaller sibling of the mighty Ailsa alongside , but it is an impressive links in its own right . Donald Steel redesigned the course in 2001 , and he was able to use additional land – Bain ’ s Hill – to add new holes . These create drama and beauty in equal measure . Located at the farthest reaches of the links on the coastline this is where the short par four 8th drives from an elevated tee towards the sea and a green hidden in a gully near the rocks . Change , however , is coming as Mackenzie & Ebert are renovating the course and the holes around Bain ’ s Hill will be reversed to make maximum use of the views to the sea . Additional changes are being introduced elsewhere .
Glasgow Gailes
Glasgow Gailes makes up the wonderful links foursome on this stretch of the Ayrshire coast . Tucked in beside Western Gailes , the links dates back to 1892 , with Willie Park Jr redesigning the course in 1912 . Set slightly inland – the railway line hooks around it – this is a stern links test where accuracy is paramount . Gorse and heather dominate , appearing constantly on the low ridges which typify this course . They will swallow any errant shots . It makes for a round where your judgement and nerve will be tested constantly . Those narrow fairways will be daunting to many , but what joy when you find them . It really is that sort of place where you ’ ll find yourself holding your breath . Known for its springy turf , its wonderful greens and its variety of holes , perhaps Sandy Lyle said it best : “ One of the world ’ s truly great tests of links golf .”
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