Winter Golf in Ayrshire – It may not be your first thought to book a golfing break in Scotland over the winter! But it is a sure fire way to play some of the best courses when they are a lot quieter & at a fraction of their peak season price.
The reasons for reduced green fees may be because you will be playing off winter mats & winter tees? Winter greens may be in operation or there may be restrictions on visitor tee times? The clubhouse may not be open for changing, showering, food & drink before & after golf?
If you stick to links courses, you find that there is a better chance that the full course will be open most of the time, without winter greens. You may also be able to avoid mats on some links courses or play from the first cut of rough.
By keeping an eye on the weather forecast, you increase your chances of ticking off some top courses, at half their summer price.
If you are able to stay close to the golf course, you can keep a good eye on what the local weather is like. You may be able to move your tee time whilst waiting for a change in the weather or for the frost to lift.
And finally, if the clubhouse is closed when you finish, it doesn’t matter, as you are staying close by!
Here are nine top links courses which are ideal for winter golf in Ayrshire. they all offer greatly reduced green fees over the winter months.
The Open Championship has been played at Turnberry four times – it needs no introduction from me!
Ailsa Course
Hotel Guest – £100 (M-Thu) & £120 (F-Sun) from 1 Nov to 31 Dec 2019
Non Hotel Guest – £175 (M-Thu) & £200 (F-Sun) from 1 Nov to 31 Dec 2019
King Robert the Bruce Course
Hotel Guest – £60 from 1 Nov to 31 Dec 2019
Non Hotel Guest – £70 from 1 Nov to 31 Dec 2019
WHERE TO STAY (click for details) – Trump Turnberry
– more Ayrshire hotels at the end of this post
Prestwick St.Nicholas is a beautiful links course right on the edge of the Firth of Clyde. As you can imagine, it comes with stunning views over the water and out to the Isle of Arran.
Round: w/d £35 from November to March 2020
WHERE TO STAY (click for details) – Carlton Hotel, Prestwick
– more Ayrshire hotels at the end of this post
Prestwick Golf Club
(Open Championship Venue)
www.prestwickgc.co.uk
As many of you will know, Prestwick Golf Club is the birthplace of the Open Championship. It was first played here in 1860. Prestwick Golf Club went on to host 24 Open Championships, the last of which was held in 1925. If you want a bit of history along with some winter golf inAyrshire, then add Prestwick to your list.
Round: £110 w/day £145 w/end
from 1 November to March 2020
WHERE TO STAY (click for details) – Parkstone Hotel, Prestwick
– more Ayrshire hotels at the end of this post
Barassie Links is an Open Championship qualifying links course. It has also hosted the qualifying for both the Scottish Open & the Senior Open. Needless to say, many prestigious amateur events have also been played on this wonderful links course.
Round: £45 (single) £150 (fourball)
from 1 November to March 2020
WHERE TO STAY (click for details) – Old Loans Inn, Troon
– more Ayrshire hotels at the end of this post
In typical Scottish links course style, Western Gailes is no more than two holes wide. As a result, it is wedged between the railway line and the sea. The Scottish Seniors Open Championship was held here in 1996, as well as, many top amateur events over the years.
Round: £70 (Mon-Fri) from 1 November to 15 March 2020
WHERE TO STAY (click for details) – Gailes Hotel
– more Ayrshire hotels at the end of this post
Gailes links has been host to 32 international championships since 1927. Most notably, from 2014 to 2017, Gailes Links was the sole Final Open Qualifying course in Scotland – an ideal spot for some winter golf in Ayrshire.
*Round: £50 (single) £160 (fourball) from 1 November to 31 March 2020
*Still to be confirmed
WHERE TO STAY (click for details) – Gailes Hotel
– more Ayrshire hotels at the end of this post
The links at Irvine Golf Club is another Ayrshire course steeped in history. So it is no surprise that it is an Open Championship qualifying course.
Round: from £30 from 1 November 2019
WHERE TO STAY (click for details) – Gailes Hotel
– more Ayrshire hotels at the end of this post
Dundonald Links has been growing in stature over the last 10 years. Furthermore, from 2008 to 2011, it held the 1st stage European Tour Qualifying School. 2012 saw the course host the Senior Open qualifying, followed by the Boys Amateur Championship in 2014.
The Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open was held at Dundonald Links in 2015 and 2016. And most recently, in 2017 the course hosted the European Tour’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
Round: £55 from 1 November to 31 March 2020
WHERE TO STAY (click for details) – Lochgreen House
– more Ayrshire hotels at the end of this post
A hidden gem on the Ayrshire coast, is the 6523 yard championship links course at West Kilbride. It is a few miles from its Ayrshire neighbours (20 mins drive to Irvine) but it is no stranger to hosting championship golf. It held the Scottish Boys’, British Girls’ and Scottish Women’s Amateur Championships in recent years.
It is a great golf course, with breath taking views across Irvine Bay and the Firth of Clyde. With the Isle of Arran sitting proudly in the background, what’s not to like? If you’re going to play winter golf in Ayrshire, then don’t miss out West Kilbride GC!
Round: £30 from 1 November to 31 March 2020
WHERE TO STAY (click for details) – Seamill Hydro, Seamill
– more Ayrshire hotels at the end of this post
….. And Finally
Just in case you thought that I had missed it out, I can confirm that Royal Troon (www.RoyalTroon.co.uk) does not allow visitors over the winter period.
So that’s it for winter golf in Ayrshire – keep a eye out for our next post coming soon!
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