Western Gailes Golf Club

About Western Gailes 

Close to Troon and Prestwick, Western Gailes is a fabulous example of true Scottish links golf, offering pure and unspoiled links golf with crisp, tight lies and firm, fast greens. It has an unusual layout, and is situated on a gorgeous stretch of Ayrshire coastline, right next to the Gailes Links and Dundonald Links.

Western Gailes has captivated golf pros and connoisseurs over the years for the true golfing test it represents, as attested to by just how many legends of the game have graced its greens. Plenty of important championships have been contested over its deceptively demanding fairways, and the course has frequently been used as a final qualifying venue for the Open Championship when hosted at Turnberry or Royal Troon.

At more than 6,700 yards, Western Gailes delivers a tricky test to experienced golfers as well as unique thrills to less experienced players, placing emphasis on shot quality just as much as length. Boasting ever-changing and powerful winds, a plentiful supply of bunkers and meandering burns, and an unusual layout with the clubhouse located in the middle of the course, this course is one of Scotland’s finest. Expect to use every one of your clubs to meet the strenuous challenge it presents.

A Brief History

• Built on land leased from the Sixth Duke of Portland, then sold to the club in 1920
• Host to the Curtis Cup, PGA Championship and Scottish Open
• By 1923 the course had won an enviable reputation, loved by US Open Champion Gene Sarazen
• Gary Player, Tom Watson and Tony Jacklin also rate the course highly, along with Rory McIlroy and Bubba Watson
• Three quarters of the course is named a Site of Special Scientific Interest

Featured hole – Hole 7

Hole seven, aka ‘the sea hole’, is the icing on your Western Gailes golfing cake, and has been challenging golfers since Western Gailes’ inception. A 198 yard par-3, this is one of the greatest links par 3s in the nation and demands a lot from players. Only the very the straightest tee shots are good enough – if you happen to miss the green anywhere else, you're unlikely to achieve anything beyond a par-4.

Known For: Being an Excellent Test of True Links Golf

Western Gailes, famed for its classic links game, sits between a disused railway and the sea, no more than two holes wide with seven holes to the north and eleven to the south. The variable wind is a big feature here, blowing hard from the south or north-west, depending on the conditions, and the undulating ground and contoured greens are cleverly hidden in the dunes. The dunes themselves, and the out of bounds wall from the 14th onwards, offer an unending supply of tricky pot bunkers. Streams peppered throughout the course makes every Western Gailes golf round a varied and memorable challenge.