About Turnberry (Ailsa Course)
Turnberry's Ailsa Course is a links of extraordinary beauty and championship pedigree, set on the Ayrshire coast with views to Ailsa Craig, Arran and the Mull of Kintyre.
The Ailsa Course at Turnberry has one of the most dramatic settings in British golf: the white lighthouse at the 9th tee, the volcanic plug of Ailsa Craig rising from the Firth of Clyde, and the mountains of Arran on the horizon combine to create a backdrop that is genuinely without parallel in the British Isles. The current layout was redesigned by Philip Mackenzie Ross after the Second World War, when the site had been used as an RAF base, and his work produced a course that went on to host four Open Championships and some of the game's most celebrated moments. Now operated as a luxury resort, the course is open to visitors via the hotel.
- Turnberry, Girvan KA26 9LS, UK
Turnberry (Ailsa Course)
The Ailsa Course has a history unlike any other in Scottish golf. The original course at Turnberry dates from 1906, but when the site was requisitioned for use as an RAF airbase during the Second World War, the fairways were torn up and runways laid over much of the links. When peace came, Philip Mackenzie Ross was commissioned to rebuild a course from what remained. His work was not restoration but reinvention: starting largely from scratch on a coastal site of extraordinary natural quality, he produced a layout that opened in 1951 and was good enough to host The Open within 26 years. The lighthouse at the 9th tee, a remnant of the pre-war landscape, became the most recognisable image in Scottish golf.
The routing along the Ayrshire coastline creates a variety of hole orientations that give the course a different character depending on wind direction. The opening holes play inland through duneland before the course breaks onto the shoreline, and the sequence from the 7th through to the 10th, where the lighthouse marks the turning point, is among the most spectacular in British links golf. Martin Ebert's 2016 renovation ahead of the Open Championship, extending the course and sharpening the challenge, was widely praised by those who played the revised layout during the 2017 Scottish Open, which Turnberry hosted as a test of the new design.
The 2009 Open provided perhaps the most emotionally resonant near-miss in the championship's history. Tom Watson, aged 59, playing on the course where he had won his most celebrated Open 32 years earlier, led with one hole to play and needed only to hold on. His approach to the 72nd green finished in the fringe, his chip ran past, and the putt to win failed to drop. Watson himself handled the defeat with extraordinary grace, and the episode underlined what Turnberry produces more reliably than most courses: sporting theatre of the highest order, set against a backdrop that needs no embellishment from the game itself.
Opening Hours
- MondayOpen 24 hours
- TuesdayOpen 24 hours
- WednesdayOpen 24 hours
- ThursdayOpen 24 hours
- FridayOpen 24 hours
- SaturdayOpen 24 hours
- SundayOpen 24 hours
What Golfers Say About Turnberry (Ailsa Course)
A selection of recent visitor reviews from Google.
MAX KIM6 months agoTrump Turnberry’s Ailsa Course is one of the most visually stunning and emotionally stirring courses in the world. Set along the rugged Ayrshire coastline, it offers dramatic views of the Firth of Clyde and Ailsa Craig on nearly every hole. The recent redesign by Martin Ebert has elevated the course to a new level—strategic bunkering, improved routing, and spectacular use of the natural terrain make every hole memorable. The iconic lighthouse between the 9th and 10th holes serves as both a landmark and a symbol of Turnberry’s heritage. The conditioning is immaculate, the green complexes are challenging but fair, and the wind off the sea adds variety and test. Turnberry combines championship pedigree with breathtaking beauty, making it not just a golf course, but a pilgrimage for those who love the game. It's hard to imagine a more complete and inspiring golf experience.
Mike4 months agoExcellent course. Played in October and it was still in great condition, greens were excellent. Bit more forgiving than the RTB course but it’s still a good test, well placed bunkers off the tee, very hard to avoid them. Holes by the Lighthouse are spectacular. As expected the food in the clubhouse is overpriced and the service could be improved on. Stayed in the lodges which are very nice. Not worth £1000 but if you can get it at a reasonable rate it’s well worth playing.
Eric Lechat2 years agoFor sure one of the best golf course in Scotland. Beautifull views,, very nice design, well maintain fairways and greens. We play it the 05 of July 2023 just after Royal Troon. It definitely worth it. Don’t hear about stupid comments with bad ratings because excepts for jealousy, it is imposible to not enjoy this course.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Other Golf Courses Near Turnberry (Ailsa Course)
More clubs within easy reach of Ayrshire.