Western Gailes Golf Club: From Hidden Gem To Crown Jewel
As I stand on the first tee at Western Gailes Golf Club, it suddenly dawns on me how lucky I am. Not just lucky in the sense that I’m about to play one of Scotland’s finest links courses, but lucky because there’s barely a breath of wind on the Ayrshire coast, this late summer morning. “Welcome to our hidden gem,” says club steward James McIntyre who greets us warmly. And what a gem it looked from the elevated car park that overlooks the course. NO WIND AT WESTERN GAILES The stillness means one of the chief defences of every links…
Prestwick Golf Club is one of golf’s great cathedrals
Tradition and romance are synonymous with Prestwick. This is, after all, the birthplace of The Open Championship itself. It may have hosted the last of its 24 Opens in 1925, but the significance of this club to our game, and the aura which surrounds it, endures to this very day.…
Tom Coyne: in search of the great American golf course
Tom Coyne has chased a golf ball around the globe for much of his adult life, embodying the essence of a true wandering golfer. In doing so, he has carved out a niche as a golf travel writer with a connection to the soul of our game and to the people who bring it to life. His unique brand of storytelling focuses on the humour, heart and history of golf, and his writing is brought to life by the memorable characters he meets along the way as much as it is about the places he visits. His books have all…
Dundonald Links: the ultimate base for Ayrshire golf trip
It would be understandable if Dundonald Links felt just a little threatened by Ayrshire’s embarrassment of golfing riches. After all it sits within minutes of storied Open venues such as Royal Troon and Prestwick Golf Club. Another, Turnberry, is 30 minutes down the coast. Wonderful Western Gailes is within a wedge. Barassie, Glasgow Gailes… the list goes on. Dundonald Links is well and truly surrounded. There is, however, no hint of that here. Why? Well, for a start, Dundonald Links has played host to world’s best men and women. The likes of Rory McIlroy, Georgia Hall, Patrick Reed and Michelle…