Scotland – The Birthplace of Golf

Southwest Scotland

By Leonard Finkel

The game of golf has its roots in Scotland and every true golfer at some point must make a pilgrimage here. Among others in the southwest, noted courses in this district include Royal Troon, Turnberry and Prestwick, where the first British Open was played. Golf memorabilia abounds at every turn and the locals are more than happy to share their views on specific courses and the game itself over a fine Scotch whiskey.
Playing links golf is quite different from the game we play in America and it presents unique challenges that we rarely if ever see here. Links courses require a creative imagination to get around. Wind is usually a factor and it can play havoc with your ball. Deciding whether to take it high, bore in low or bump-and-run are not usually decisions we have to make in American golf. Undulation is an understatement describing the unusual contours of some greens, which demand careful thought as to how to approach or chip on. There is usually no rough around the greens and you can be fifty yards away and elect to putt. Anywhere near the green, putter is usually the best option.
The term rough does not adequately describe the misfortune you will find should you miss the fairway. Heather, gorse, fescue…all curse words. Heather is so friendly sounding, light as a feather, but it is deadly. This purple flowered plant grows in large patches and will literally grab the clubhead and stop it. Gorse is like a mini pine bush with very sharp quills that are hard as nails. Fescue is long gnarly, reedy grass. Unless the full back of the ball is visible and the clubface can be placed squarely on it, suck it up and hit a wedge back to the fairway. Do not try to advance it too far forward, lest you remain trapped in these prisons for another stroke. There are more than 100 courses in the southwest of Scotland. Below are just a few of the best.

Turnberry
Set in a spectacular venue, in my mind, the Ailsa Course at Turnberry was the cream of the crop of the courses I played. With the Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy on hand, it is also a good place to start.The academy has an elaborate practice facility enabling you to experiment with all the unique shots associated with links golf. A lesson with instructor Chris Brown taught me the low punch shot so necessary in windy conditions. It worked on the golf course too!
Turnberry was the most immaculately maintained of the courses, manicured to the point where the rough was not quite as penal, a thinned out area before the prison. It was also the best-marked course in terms of distances. But more than anything, it was placed in the most beautiful of settings. Ailsa has hosted three British Opens including what many consider the greatest in Open history, the battle between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson in 1977.
Rolling links with the Isle of Arran and the Mull of Kintyre in the background peak with views from nine, ten and eleven as you play next to the castle and lighthouse. The initial holes pose a fairly tough opening, particularly when the wind blows from the direction of volcanic Ailsa Craig, the dramatic rock 11 miles out to sea. From the short fourth to the 11th the course follows the shoreline, five through the eight are framed by dunes and the ninth, tenth and eleventh flanked by craggy rocks.
The ninth is Turnberry’s trademark, the remote tee set on a rocky premonitory on the edge of the sea, a drive across the corner of the bay with a glimpse of the site of Robert the Bruce’s Castle. The panorama from the back tee box should be seen, if not played. The spectacular view from the elevated eleventh tee box looks out over the rock formations, back to the lighthouse and across the golf course. A monument on the twelfth commemorates the convergence of the golf course to an RAF runway during the world wars. The scenic glories of the Ailsa Course are to be savored, the granite dome of Ailsa Craig, the low form of the tip of Argyll and the peaks of Arran highlighting the changing patterns of light and shade.
Loch Lomond
Considered one of the most exclusive clubs is the Tom Weiskopf – Jay Moorish designed Loch Lomond Golf Club. Weiskopf considers Loch Lomond “my finest work ever” and insists the piece of property with which he had to work was the finest in the world. The club sits on the historic Clan Colquhoun estate, steeped in Scottish tradition dating back to the 12th century nestled alongside the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. Home of the Barclay’s Scottish Open, Loch Lomond enjoys the history and tradition associated with golf in the homeland, yet the club provides an experience uniquely its own. The Rossdhu clubhouse is a Georgian manor home constructed in 1773, exactly 200 years before Weiskopf won the Open Championship at Troon. The facilities are luxurious.
The Par-three fifth is the defining moment at Loch Lomand. From the tee you face the green 190-yards away set against the backdrop of the loch and surrounding mountains. A tree-lined tunnel over a marshy conservation area of brings the scene to a heightened focus. Just to the right of the 12th green sits the aptly named, “Hanging Tree”. Branches extending straight out of its trunk, in centuries past, poor souls were hung here for crimes such as sheep or cattle rustling or offending a royal.
The tenth is a scenic yet demanding 455-yard par-four. Hitting the fairway is a must as there is trouble left and right. Driving from the elevated tee looking towards Glen Fruin, the ball seems suspended against the mountain backdrop. Eighteen is a great driving hole with water bordering the entire left side of this right-to-left dogleg. A player must decide how much of the angle he dares to cut off. Penal bunkers guard the right side of the fairway, only 42 yards wide.
A parkland course, Loch Lomond offers a pleasant change from the links. Natural marsh and forest surrounding the loch has been skillfully fashioned into trouble areas. Conservation areas sprouting with heather, reeds and thistle enhance the natural beauty while doubling as hazards. Loch Lomond extends across 660 acres on the edge of Britain’s longest stretch of inland water in the shadow of the beautiful 3000-foot Arrochar Alps hills. Weiskopf acknowledged from the start that the site, crisscrossed by streams, awash with marshes and cloaked in fabulous mature trees, such as beeches, Douglas firs, larches, limes, pines and vast oaks, was a venue to behold. “I had never seen a site like the one at Loch Lomond before,” said Weiskopf. “Perhaps no designer ever will. It is the finest course I have ever been involved with and I don’t mean just outside the United States. It is my favorite by far.”
Western Gailes
The view from the clubhouse above the course is a picturesque sight, holes framed by tall fescue bordering the Atlantic Ocean. It is a picture of things to come. The beautiful fine-bladed links turf spans out in varied directions between intruding patches of heather and protruding sand dunes. The hill off the island of Arran and the sharp outline of Ailsa Craig burst out from the shimmering sea.
The stretch from the 4th through number seven is the strength of Western. The fourth is a moderate par-4 to an angled jagged green. Number five contains a pot bunker minefield to a well-protected green. The fairway of the par-5 fifth twists and tumbles to a green tucked behind tall dunes. From the seventh tee box, the view is the prettiest on the course. Set alongside the ocean dunes, you arrive through an alleyway looking down upon a green set between huge mounds, framed by large clusters of fescue.
A good many holes have small burns (streams) fronting the greens, which are more American in style, less like down turned saucers and more receptive. They also sport less severe undulations. Sod walled bunkers blend in well with the surrounding terrain and set down in the fairways, are often hidden. They are beautifully shaped and the consistent, fluffy sand is the best I have played out of in Scotland. The course regularly hosts British Open qualifying.

Southerness
Playing with the locals has been quite a pleasure and today I had my finest pairing. Alan Maxwell and Bill Ross made this my most pleasant round. Early on, the wind gusted mightily, though for my compatriots it was a just “wee breeze” When I pull-hooked one deep into the gorse and heather, Alan pointed out, “We have an old Scottish saying for that shot here, Sayonara.” As I struggled with the wee breeze, Bill advised that instead of swinging harder, I should swing better. “Well-struck balls aren’t at the mercy of the wind.” He was right. I hit the next shot over the green.
Southerness is an out of the way course on the Firth of Solway, a two-hour drive from Troon. Built it 1947 with the goal of hosting the British Open, its remote location and lack of extensive facilities necessary today rule out that possibility. The course itself however, is of championship quality. Southerness winds its way through the terrain in a circle that returns to clubhouse at eighteen. The short par-four eighth is delightfully framed by the native grasses, which are flowering beautifully this day. The 12th, another four par, turns into a peninsula, the green set against the beach. With the wind battering into your face, waves crest in the background. The course finishes with a wonderful par-five. Generally playing with the prevailing wind, it is eminently reachable in two. The green is a bit deceptive, and looks closer than it really is, so do not leave it short.

Machrihanish
The drive to Machrihanish is part Colorado, Virginia’s Shenandoah Forrest, the rugged California coast between Monterey and Big Sur and areas around the Great Lakes. If you have the time the drive is beautiful, or take a short flight. Much of the drive is on narrow, winding roads, where small bridges only allow traffic one direction at a time. Signs stating “Give Way” are posted in both directions. The larger bridges will have stoplights. The Colorado-like area resembles the back road from Aspen to Vail with mountain pools and streams, winding roads and sheer rock peaks through the Argyll Forest. Then add castles and ruins that are distinctly European.
Fairways here are more than mounded, they are like roller coasters. The green contours are the most unique and present lies and situations I have never before come across. It is so quiet and peaceful; it is as if you are standing on the edge of the earth. Located on the Mull of Kintyre, the setting is stunning. The course goes out along the ocean, the first hole requiring a long drive over water to have any chance to reach the green in two. The ocean breeze (or gale force winds) generally blows in your face on this par-four. A group of superintendents and golf architects voted Machrihanish the finest first hole in the world. On the return, the Firth borders on the right, tall fescue surrounding as you face the scenic mountain vista.

Where to Stay
There are lodging options from modest rooming houses and Bed & Breakfasts to elegant resorts. Three I would recommend are Turnberry Resort, Enterkine House and Stonefield Castle. Standing high above the Kintyre Peninsula, the castle commands spectacular panoramic views over Lock Fyne. Built in 1837, the castle is an example of baronial Scottish architecture. Many of the original period furnishings have been retained to compliment the elegant character of the castle. As is the case with all properties, a full Scottish breakfast is included. The dining room commands a breathtaking view of the surrounding property.
Situated on 310 acres of woodland, meadows and valleys is Enterkine House. Everything about this marvelous property exudes five stars. Driving up the winding country lane, the trees part to reveal the stately manor. In addition to the luxuriously appointed rooms and suites, guests can avail themselves of the striking grounds, magnificent fireplace lounge and impressive library. Enterkine belongs to its guests for it is very much your home during your stay. A quaint gourmet restaurant utilizes the freshest local ingredients to create appetizing dishes. Enterkine is located within a thirty-minute drive to both Turnburry and Troon.
The view from the Westin Turnberry Resort Hotel looking down over the course defies description. The turn of the century hotel on the Ayrshire coast, sits on a coastal stretch of intermingling turbulent dunes and rocky crags, the broad green ribbons of fairway contrasting against the whiteness of its lighthouse. With Arran’s peaks, the Mull of Kintyre and the distant shores of Northern Ireland imprinted clear and sharp against the Ailsa Craig, this is a glorious setting for a magnificent hotel. After opening, in 1906, Turnberry flourished before being converted to an airfield, not once, but in both world wars.
In addition to the Ailsa course, the property houses the Kintyre eighteen and the new Arran Academy nine-hole practice course. The Spa at Turnberry is an oasis of peace and tranquility. Their holistic philosophy aspires to harmonize mind and body in an environment of pure relaxation. As the sun sets over the water, sitting in the clubhouse bar with a Scotch in hand is a fine way to end the day as bagpipes play each evening.
A Little Knowledge Goes a Long Way

Additional Info
Most of the better clubs are private but accept outside play on several days of the week. Some require a minimum age or a maximum handicap for admittance. Call or visit the websites of each course for the details. You will need a jacket and maybe a tie to enter the dining rooms and it is considered poor etiquette to wear a hat inside the clubhouse. Most clubs have few if any golf carts, or buggies as they are referred to here. Pull carts (trolleys) are readily available and caddies, with advance notice can be had. Rest assured, unless you have a note from a doctor, you will be walking.
Though the weather was spectacular during my trip, it can be testy and can change at a moments notice. Quality rain gear is a must. Be sure to bring twice as many balls as you think you’ll need. A wayward shot usually means sayonara. Purchasing balls in Scotland will lead to sticker shock.
For a trip such as this, you may want to consider using a tour operator. Designing a schedule is basically putting pieces of a puzzle together. A tour operator brings ease and quality. He brings knowledge and expertise to many aspects of the arrangements including itinerary layout, course and hotel knowledge, and resources you don’t have, including an office in Scotland.