29 Hillhouse Rd, Barassie,
Troon, Ayrshire KA10 65Y
Office
+44 (0)1292 313 920Pro shop
+44 (0)1292 311 322Fax
+44 (0)1292 318 300Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Gregor Howie (PGA, Head Professional).The Course:
27 holes. Links course. Relatively flat terrain - easy to walk.
Surroundings:
Coastal duneland and rural countryside.
Designer:
Theodore Moone
Above distances are for the par-72 Barassie Links, the longest layout, combining nine original holes with nine newer holes. The Traditional course (par-71) is played over the original 18 holes. A less frequently used third layout, the Dundonald course (par-69), incorporates all the par-3s.
55.562505
-4.650669
11 miles N of Ayr
East of Troon, heading north on the A78, take the A759 Troon / Barassie exit and follow direction Troon. After o.4 miles turn right into Kilmarnock Road (B746) direction Barassie. After 1 mile, at end of Kilmarnock Road, turn right and then right again into Hillhouse Road. After 500 yards golf is on your left.
Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club: In the mid-1880s, golfers in the nearby town of Kilmarnock sought a golf course closer to home than those located in Troon, Prestwick and Irvine. They initially laid out a course at Holmes Farm near Kilmarnock, but this only provided nine holes. In 1894 new land was secured at the present site alongside the village of Barassie. With the course conveniently located adjacent to the railway line, members enjoyed easy access by train from Kilmarnock.
Although the layout here includes one or two tree-lined sections, it is essentially a classically open links layout. The course is characterised by firm, gently undulating links terrain, where pot bunkers, gorse bushes (whins), swathes of heather and knee-high fescues pose the biggest threat should you stray too far from the fairways. Unusual for courses on the Ayrshire coast, Kilmarnock Barassie comprises 27-holes, with the newest nine extending out into the most open terrain.
Located across the railway line from Western Gailes Golf Club, the Barassie course does not enjoy the frequent sea views of its neighbour (something it has in common with the Dundonald Links, directly to the north, which also sits behind Western Gailes). Rather than sea views, the course looks out onto open countryside, with some housing and a rather large paper mill also getting into the picture from a few parts of the course, especially on the newer nine.
Kilmarnock Barassie is a much loved and respected member of the Ayrshire golfing scene. It is well worth a visit and definitely deserves its reputation as a challenging Open Championship qualifying course.
Visitors welcome on weekdays; more restricted on weekends.
Must book in advance.
Contact club for full details, discounts, packages, etc. [Last updated: 2023].
Players generally walk this course. Golf carts available for hire.
Good
Kilmarnock Barassie has been used as a final qualifying course when the Open Championship was played at Royal Troon. Over the years it has also hosted many top-level amateur and professional championships, with a distinguished list of winners that includes, among others, Sir Henry Cotton, Eric Brown, Howard Clark, Ronan Rafferty, Vikki Laing, Peter Dawson, Rebecca Hudson and Nick Dougherty.
Scotland's 85th best course (Golf World, 2023).
Craigend Road, Troon, South Ayshire KA10 6HD
+44 (0)1292 314 747
Visit websitePiersland House Hotel in Troon is a beautifully restored, William Leiper inspired country house hotel. Occupying wondefully maintained grounds and gardens, and with a sun facing terrace, the house was the former residence of Sir Alexander Walker, son of Johnnie Walker of Scotch whisky fame.
No
Royal Troon (Old and Portland courses); Prestwick; Prestwick St Nicholas; Kilmarnock Barassie
Dundonald; Western Gailes; Glasgow Gailes; Irvine (Bogside); West Kilbride; Belleisle; Turnberry (25 miles).
Crosbie Road, Troon, Ayrshire KA10 6HE
+44 (0)1292 314 444
Visit websiteLocated alongside the opening and closing holes of Royal Troon, the refurbished Marine Hotel provides excellent quality accommodation, combined with superb sea and golf course views. An ideal base from which to explore the many wonderful and historic golf courses on the Ayrshire coast.
Royal Troon (Old and Portland courses)
Prestwick; Prestwick St Nicholas; Kilmarnock Barassie
Dundonald; Western Gailes; Glasgow Gailes; Irvine; West Kilbride; Belleisle
The Sentry: known for many years as the Tournament of Champions, the PGA Tour’s 2025 season-opener gets underway on Kapalua’s Plantation course (Jan 2-5). Chris Kirk defends.
Tournament of Champions: the LPGA Tour’s 2025 season is launched at Lake Nona with the their Tournament of Champions (Jan 30-Feb 2). The 2024 edition gave Lydia Ko her 20th LPGA Tour title.
Attahya Thitikul: also known as “Jeeno”, the Thai golfer won the LPGA Tour’s 2024 CME Group Tour Championship … and an eye-watering $4 million, the richest first-prize in women’s golf.
Rory McIlroy: scooped the 2024 European (DP World) Tour season-long Order of Merit title, joining Seve Ballesteros as a six-time winner of this prestigious award.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.