Ayrshire

After Donald Trump purchased Turnberry, he also went about further improving the course, renaming it King Robert the Bruce (the Scottish king from 1306 – 29) who is said to have lived on the site of Turnberry, residing on the beach immediately below the famous lighthouse at the 10th tee on the Ailsa course. The old Kintyre course was substantially improved by Martin Ebert whilst working on the Ailsa and Trump Turnberry can now boast 36 great holes.

The “Golf Monthly” no 1 course in the world. This course which saw the “duel in the sun” battle for the Open championship between Nicklaus and Watson with Tom winning his second Open in 1977.

It was always a great golf course, continually amongst the top 20 in the world and as scenic as any in the world, and was improved even more after Donald Trump purchased it in 2014.
In conjunction with the R&A and their architects MacKenzie & Ebert, the redesigned Ailsa Course now spectacularly utilizes the shoreline and land to make MacKenzie Ross` 1906 design even better.

Rated the best courses they have ever played by many of our clients, don`t miss it on any visit to the Home of Golf!

In the same year as Old Tom started laying out Prestwick he became aware of there being enough interest in golf in Ayrshire to justify a second course so in the same year 1851 The Prestwick Mechanics Club was formed and evolved to become Prestwick St Nicholas. A lovely little links course good enough to have staged Open championship qualifying which you will love with great views and conditioning.

Old Tom Morris became the “keeper of the green” at Prestwick in 1851 when he set about laying out a golf course and was still at the club in 1860 when it was decided that they should establish who the “Champion Golfer for the year” was. Thus championship golf was born with 8 professionals playing 36 holes to find out the Open champion. Willie Park became the first champion thus making Prestwick the “Home of the Open championship”. A magical club with friendly staff who will make the Prestwick experience a truly memorable one for you.

The Ayrshire coast has one of the best concentrations of golf courses anywhere in the world and Western Gailes is typical of the sort of great Links that clients are bowled over by and is a true “hidden gem.”

Good enough to have hosted the PGA championship in 1964 this natural links course was originally laid out by the club`s first greenskeeper and shows how great a course can be produced on natural links land.

Don`t miss this one when visiting Turnberry, Royal Troon or Prestwick!

This many times Open championship qualifier course and scene of Sandy Lyle`s 1979 Scottish Open win dates back to 1892. The Glasgow Golf Club, founded in 1787, began in the early 1890`s to find that their course in the city was becoming over played so built a second course here at Gailes, designed by Troon Pro Willie Fernie and later updated in 1912 by two times Open champion Willie park Jnr into the fabulous Links it is today.

This stern test of links golf designed by Kingsbarns architect Kyle Phillips, is only divided from Western Gailes by the train line and provides as great a test. The host course for the European tour`s Scottish Open in 2017 where its test of driving and softly undulating greens provided a test for the world`s best.

Host course for the Open championship 9 times with the most recent being the epic duel between Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson in 2016. A great test of golf with strategy required in the front 9 where you must navigate great bunkering and then show your very best hand to successfully overcome one of the toughest back 9`s anywhere.

After Donald Trump purchased Turnberry, he also went about further improving the course, renaming it King Robert the Bruce (the Scottish king from 1306 – 29) who is said to have lived on the site of Turnberry, residing on the beach immediately below the famous lighthouse at the 10th tee on the Ailsa course. The old Kintyre course was substantially improved by Martin Ebert whilst working on the Ailsa and Trump Turnberry can now boast 36 great holes.

The “Golf Monthly” no 1 course in the world. This course which saw the “duel in the sun” battle for the Open championship between Nicklaus and Watson with Tom winning his second Open in 1977.

It was always a great golf course, continually amongst the top 20 in the world and as scenic as any in the world, and was improved even more after Donald Trump purchased it in 2014.
In conjunction with the R&A and their architects MacKenzie & Ebert, the redesigned Ailsa Course now spectacularly utilizes the shoreline and land to make MacKenzie Ross` 1906 design even better.

Rated the best courses they have ever played by many of our clients, don`t miss it on any visit to the Home of Golf!

In the same year as Old Tom started laying out Prestwick he became aware of there being enough interest in golf in Ayrshire to justify a second course so in the same year 1851 The Prestwick Mechanics Club was formed and evolved to become Prestwick St Nicholas. A lovely little links course good enough to have staged Open championship qualifying which you will love with great views and conditioning.

Old Tom Morris became the “keeper of the green” at Prestwick in 1851 when he set about laying out a golf course and was still at the club in 1860 when it was decided that they should establish who the “Champion Golfer for the year” was. Thus championship golf was born with 8 professionals playing 36 holes to find out the Open champion. Willie Park became the first champion thus making Prestwick the “Home of the Open championship”. A magical club with friendly staff who will make the Prestwick experience a truly memorable one for you.

Located very close to Souter Johnnie’s cottage looked after by the National Trust and the home of John Davidson who is Souter Johnnie, the friend of Tam O`Shanter in the poem whose character was based on Burns` old crony John Davidson. Again close to Turnberry and another excellent property for gin or whisky tasting, A.D. Rattray also in the village of Kirkoswald, Souter`s is part of the Costley & Costley chain where their 30 plus years of culinary excellence in Ayrshire is maintained in this lovely, traditional restaurant.

Originally owned by Aldo Cecchini and now run by his son Anthony the restaurants (one in Ayr in historic Wellington Square and one right at the Ferry terminal where you will return from Arran or from a trip through Arran to Machrihanish) you can dine on traditional Tuscan cuisine or more traditional Scottish fare from the extensive menu.

Our clients are split 50/50 on which is the best Michelin* restaurant in the Kingdom of Fife evenly split between the Cellar and the Peat Inn. Both rightly wear that Michelin badge of honor. Chef patron Billy Boyter continually creates one of the best menus available anywhere – why not try both and you choose!

Amongst the fishing village of Anstruther`s great venues is the generally accepted best fish and chip shop in Scotland! If you like that British favorite you`ll love the Anstruther version!

A very close second to Anstruther – a fabulous value experience

A wonderful addition to the tourism offering of Fife and one of our clients` favorite add on activities

There are very few better days than golf at Kingsbarns and then a “wee dram” at the distillery next door with its 5* distillery and visitor centre in the East neuk with its 4 great whisky tours and lovely café

One of our clients’ favorite venues the fabulous Ship Inn in the beautiful harbor of Elie. The 2016 AA pub of the year and its sister the 19th hole both owned by Graham and Richard Brucknall, are a great addition to golf at Elie or Dumbarnie with its menu featuring many local producers and changes with the seasons.

The South Beach has been run by the same family since the early 80`s with Stewart and son Johnny who both work in the business, being members of Royal Troon. You are assured a hearty friendly Scottish welcome and a keen knowledge of how to make a golf break special with excellent food and a lovely, local bar.

Built by owners Simpsinns on the site of an old coaching Inn some 18 years ago the owners Karen and Malcom Simpson are frequent winners of Awards for this hotel the latest – for the third year in a row – being the 2019 “Best Small Golf Hotel of the Year” at the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards.

A great welcome and service can be expected here in lovely, well appointed rooms with fabulous traditional Scottish cuisine, all sourced locally.

Another of the Simpsinns properties and their first venture, launched in 2000. A slightly larger property that Old Loans, with just as good service and cuisine.

The hotel which has a full leisure club and 2 small 9 hole golf courses is ideally located 200 yds from the entrance to Gailes Links, immediately adjoins the 3rd tee at Dundonald and is less than a mile from Western Gailes.

This magnificent exclusive use property on the outskirts of Troon is one of most requested repeat visit venues by our clients. Hillhouse was in the ownership of the MacKerrells from the early 1500`s until 1895 when the Bentincks, Duke of Portland, took it over then selling it to the Vernon family where Major Vernon and his family lived for many years. It is still run expertly by Alice Vernon. We would recommend that Alice`s and her chef Gordon`s expertise is not to be missed during your stay at Hillhouse.