Ayrshire Courses - recommendations please!

[HeftyHacker]

Hello,

A couple of friends and I are heading up to Scotland in April/May next year for biking/hiking/golfing trip.

in terms of golf - so far we're planning on playing silloth, mach, mach dunes and shiskine.

After Arran we'll be in Ayrshire for the 1st/2nd May and obviously there's an overwhelming choice of courses available - I was wondering if anyone could give any pointers as to the must plays or any hidden gems in the area?

We'd be looking at a round each at 2 courses. But one of them will be on a Saturday afternoon and it is a bank holiday weekend. So want to get booked in ASAP, we're staying in the centre of Ayr.

Price wise we'd probably want to pay up to 160 for one (maybe a smidge more), and then a cheaper option for the other.

Thanks in advance for any advice/recommendations.

HeftyHacker

 

[Grant85]

I'd guess your Saturday afternoon slot will be tough to get on, without playing a big touristy place.

Dundonald might be an only realistic option (away from Turnberry or Troon) - which will be likely at the top of your budget. Not played there, but very well thought of as a relatively new layout.

Others I can give a view on;

Prestwick St Nicks I played last year. Enjoyable course, but good to have a member shepherding your round as there's a few holes you can't see all that much. Should be accessible enough away from competition days.
Glasgow Gailles - tough championship course. I played it twice in Feb a few years ago and didn't much enjoy it in terms of getting heavily beat up. But I'd like another go with a bit more run on the fairways. Fairway bunkers are brutal but not too many blind holes that I can remember (still 1 or 2).

Fullarton - one of the links in the municipal stable. Decent course for the money - tough again, but good value to be playing Scottish Links.
There's also the Darnley in the municipal courses (which I haven't played). These may be your only 'cheap' options to play links golf.

 

[DCB]

Any of the three municipal courses in Troon will give a good test of golf at a reasonable cost. My own favourites would be Darley and Lochgreen in that order. Barassie might be an option, again a tough but fair test, its a members club, so a lot will depend on comp diary as to weekend availability. Glasgow Gailes, nice layout and a fair test. London Golf Club although parkland is a nice course.

Plenty of other options around though.

 

[KenL]

I really enjoyed Glasgow Gailes when I played it last year. Not played the municipal courses at Troon for a good while but they will be great value for money.

Friends of mine rate Irvine Bogside, I haven't played it.

If looking for a course when heading south, Southerness is fantastic and a real challenge.

 

[Golfnut1957]

I really enjoyed Glasgow Gailes when I played it last year. Not played the municipal courses at Troon for a good while but they will be great value for money.

Friends of mine rate Irvine Bogside, I haven't played it.

If looking for a course when heading south, Southerness is fantastic and a real challenge.

Would be up near the top of any list if it wasn't so far from civilization.

It has always struck me as somewhat frustrating that two of the best links courses in the land are in essence so close together but so far off the beaten track, the other one being Silloth of course.

 

[Backache]

Darnley on the Troon municipal courses a bit scruffy about the edges but a really good test of golf. Ayr Belleisle as a public course has a decent reputation but I've not played it.
West Kilbride is not spoken about as much as some of the other courses but was absolutely superb when I played it earlier this year. A wonderful links course with great views over Arran.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Would be up near the top of any list if it wasn't so far from civilization.

It has always struck me as somewhat frustrating that two of the best links courses in the land are in essence so close together but so far off the beaten track, the other one being Silloth of course.

Even more frustrating standing on 4th and 5th tees at Silloth every week looking towards Criffel knowing Southerness is only 8 miles away but a 90 minute drive.....

 

[HeftyHacker]

Thanks for the replies gents, much appreciated.

Sounds like one of the municipal courses is definitely the way to go for one of the rounds then, I'll check out availability on the other suggestions as it will probably come down to that ultimately.

I'd never heard of Southerness but we're heading out in Glasgow on the BH Sunday and I'm not sure I'll get another round out of them for the way home. A mate played it in October, along with Silloth and preferred Silloth (which he said was the best he'd ever played, and thats as a guy who plays Royal Lytham 5 or 6 times a year). However, I think conditions were horrendous at Southerness but he got Millionaires golf at Silloth.

This was supposed to be a balanced holiday of walking, biking and golf but they left me in charge so its ended up as 6 days of golf, 3 biking and 1 walk (hopefully up Ben Nevis). But golf counts as a walk right??

Thanks again.

 

[patricks148]

for me no trip to that part of the world could be done without playing Western Gailes

 

[KenL]

for me no trip to that part of the world could be done without playing Western Gailes

I haven't played it but I hear it is great.
Is jacket etc required for the clubhouse?

 

[patricks148]

I haven't played it but I hear it is great.
Is jacket etc required for the clubhouse?

not if you are a paying visitor, its only J&T if you are a member or guest of a member

 

[Liverbirdie]

Even more frustrating standing on 4th and 5th tees at Silloth every week looking towards Criffel knowing Southerness is only 8 miles away but a 90 minute drive.....

Has there ever been a ferry across the firth, even in antiquity?

 

[KenL]

not if you are a paying visitor, its only J&T if you are a member or guest of a member

How bizarre! Can visitors use the clubhouse?

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Has there ever been a ferry across the firth, even in antiquity?

There was a railway in the late 1800's early 1900's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solway_Junction_Railway

 

[Deleted member 17920]

How bizarre! Can visitors use the clubhouse?

Yes visitors can use the clubhouse at WG, its just a rule the members have in place.

I know when we played it I found it really odd we had to arrive in J&T and the tourists that arrived at the same time were just in normal golf attire.

 

[patricks148]

How bizarre! Can visitors use the clubhouse?

yes, they even let ladies in the lounge... and they have the most prestine changing room at any club, well except Muirfield

 

[KenL]

Western Gailles should be avoided, especially if you have any women in your party. The frostiest welcome in golf and the most overrated course in Scotland.

Controversial. ?

 

[Liverbirdie]

There was a railway in the late 1800's early 1900's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solway_Junction_Railway

Interesting, what was it like?

 

[Liverbirdie]

Western Gailles should be avoided, especially if you have any women in your party. The frostiest welcome in golf and the most overrated course in Scotland.

Agreed on the latter bit, very good front 9, peters out for a bit, good 17 and 18, if I recall correctly. Loved the 9th hole - par 5?

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Interesting, what was it like?

I've only just hit senior golfer ranks this year just missed out on the opportunity to use it