Off the Beaten Path Golf on Scotland's West Coast

When it comes to exceptional courses and the heritage of the game, the lineup runs deep for golf trips to the west coast of Scotland. This is the birthplace of The Open Championship. The Champion Golfer of the Year has been crowned here 37 times. Prestwick, Royal Troon, and Turnberry bring untold numbers of globetrotting golfers to the Ayrshire region every year. But those who are willing to venture just off the well-worn path will find that there’s far more to be discovered in this area than just the Open Championship venues.

Here are a few of the less-heralded golf courses near Royal Troon and Turnberry that are worthy of a visit during your trip to the west coast of Scotland.

Western Gailes

Although Western Gailes Golf Club may be lesser-known than its illustrious neighbors in Ayrshire, H&B members have enjoyed its charms for decades. The wind is often the biggest challenge to contend with on links golf courses, but even more so at Western Gailes where the 18-holes are brilliantly routed through a narrow sliver of land. Several of the outward holes run far too close to the railway for comfort, followed by a taxing stretch along the sea. If the wind is up, keeping your ball off both the tracks and beach is certainly a reason to celebrate. There’s a good chance that you’ll come away from Western Gailes believing it to be the most appropriately named course in golf.

Credit: Western Gailes Golf Club

Prestwick St. Nicholas

If you enjoy golf history and pleasant rounds, Prestwick St. Nicholas may be worthy of a place on your golf itinerary on the west coast of Scotland. Founded in 1851, Prestwick St. Nicholas is the 26th oldest golf club in the world. Old Tom Morris was instrumental in the club's formation and was made an Honorary Member in celebration of his first Open Championship win. The course is a traditional Scottish links where the turf runs hard and fast. In a somewhat untraditional twist, however, out of bounds comes into play on no less than 12 holes, placing accuracy at a significant premium over distance.

Credit: Prestwick St. Nicholas Golf Club

Dundonald Links

The new kid on the block in Ayrshire, Dundonald Links has worked hard in recent years to earn a place in the “must-play” category. Despite being less than 20 years old, architect Kyle Phillips - perhaps best known for his co-design at Kingsbarns Golf Links - crafted a course that feels as though it has been around for a century or better. Like Kingsbarns, Dundonald Links provides both an enjoyable experience for the average golfer and a stern test for the professional. A feature that was on full display when the course hosted the 2017 Scottish Open. In addition to the course, Dundonald is set to unveil a collection of on-site lodges, which may entice more golfers off the well-worn path for a visit.

Credit: Dundonald Links

Shiskine

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a course as unique as Shiskine Golf Club. That is, unless you’ve run across a bunch of 12-hole courses during your travels. Shiskine wasn’t always half a dozen holes short of a full set. Several holes on their 18-hole layout fell into disrepair during the Great War and, rather than go to the trouble of repairing them, the club simply decided to press on with those that remained. Shiskine is equal parts thrilling and spectacular. It’s also likely to leave you craving more. Thankfully, the whole round only takes a couple of hours, leaving plenty of time for another loop. Just be sure you don’t miss the last ferry off Isle of Arran.

Machrie Golf Links

When it comes to golf trips to the west of Scotland, the Machrie Golf Links is literally and figuratively off the beaten path. For starters, getting there requires at least one ferry ride and usually a couple of hours or more on the road. Once you’ve arrived, however, the reward is one of the best all-around golf experiences to debut in Scotland in the last 25 years. The Machrie Links is an absolute joy to play. The hotel is a comfortable oasis of Scottish hospitality. The nearby whisky distilleries are some of the most notable in the country. All of which combine to make The Machrie a detour that’s always worth taking.

The Kintyre Peninsula

Although most golfers will pair golf on the Kintyre peninsula with an Ayrshire golf trip, it’s not the kind of place that you want to rush through. Paul McCartney understood this so well, he decided to buy a home here. The three courses of Kintyre can keep you occupied for days. Machrihanish Dunes is the newest of the bunch, and is billed as the “world’s most natural golf course.” It was also crafted by David McLay Kidd of Bandon Dunes fame. Nearby, Dunaverty is a journey to golf the way it used to be played. And then there’s the headliner of the trio: Machrihanish Golf Club. The opening tee shot of this Old Tom Morris golf course is why most make the trip to Kintyre, the rest of the course is why many choose to return.