Best golf courses: Ayrshire & Arran

Ayrshire & Arran: the table below provides brief details about the top golf courses in this country or region. Each golf club has been visited and/or researched by Where2Golf. Click on the course name below to discover more. The course ratings below range from 5 highest, to 2 lowest. They attempt to provide an indication of the golfing experience you might expect at the course (based on its design, condition and surroundings). Hover your cursor above the Rating Key for the rating definitions.
3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Ayr
Braid, James

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

James Braid

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Ayr
Phillips, Kyle

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

The short-lived (and never to open) Southern Gailes Golf Club was completely redesigned by Kyle Phillips in 2002, and re-opened as the Dundonald Links in 2005.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Ayr
Park Jr, Willie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

The current course at this location was laid out by Willie Park Jr in 1912.

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Wkends restrictd
Ayr
Braid, James

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

James Braid

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Wkends restrictd
Ayr
Moone, Theodore

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

Theodore Moone

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Weekends restricted
Ayr
Morris, Old Tom

Visitors?

Weekends restricted

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

Old Tom Morris

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Wkends restrictd
Ayr
Hunter & Allen

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

Charles Hunter & John Allen

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Wkends restrictd
Ayr
Montgomerie, Colin

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

Colin Montgomerie

5-star: Fabulous – courses don’t get much better than this.
Mon, Tues, Thur
Ayr
Fernie, Willie

Visitors?

Mon, Tues, Thur

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

Current layout by Willie Fernie (1910); significant renovation and bunker modifications by James Braid (1922).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Mon, Tues, Thur
Ayr
Fernie & MacKenzie

Visitors?

Mon, Tues, Thur

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

Original layout by Willie Fernie, with major modifications and re-routing by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1921).

3-PLUS: Good course - several memorable features; worthy of 3½ stars.
Visitors welcome
Arran (Isle of)
Fernie, Willie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Arran (Isle of)

Designer

Willie Fernie, with later substantive changes designed by Willie Park Jr.

5-PLUS: In the world’s elite - has few peers; one of our top-rated 5s!
Visitors welcome
Ayr
Ross, Mackenzie

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

Original course at Turnberry laid out by Willie Fernie (1901); later revisions by Major Cecil K. Hutchison (1938). Following WW2, when the course was transformed into an airbase, major renovations and revisions were made by Philip Mackenzie Ross (1945), and more recently by Martin Ebert of Mackenzie & Ebert (2016).

4-star: Above average course - well worth a visit.
Visitors welcome
Ayr
Steel & Ebert

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

Donald Steel significantly revised and extended the old Arran course to create the new Kintyre layout (2001). The course was then revamped by Martin Ebert of Mackenzie & Ebert (2016) and renamed the King Robert the Bruce course.

4-PLUS: Must play course - excellent standard; worthy of 4½ stars.
Wkends restrictd
Ayr
Unknown

Visitors?

Wkends restrictd

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

Designer of original layout was the first greenkeeper, Mr Morris. Subsequent modifications made by Tom Simpson, and then by Frederick W. "Fred" Hawtree.

3-star: Good course – an enjoyable test for your game.
Visitors welcome
Ayr
Morris & Braid

Visitors?

Visitors welcome

Nearest city

Ayr

Designer

Original 9-hole course laid out by Old Tom Morris (1893). Extended to 18-holes by James Braid (1905).

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Tournaments

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.

Who's Who

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

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.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

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

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