The Ailsa Course

at Trump Turnberry, Scotland

The Ailsa Turnberry Golf Course hosted the resort's first Open Championship in 1977. The competition saw an international duel between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson as they went head-to-head to produce one of the greatest final days in Open history. Around this course, guests will find stunning natural beauty with exceptional coastal views – but do not let its beauty fool you, as it's home to some of the most difficult holes in golf, notably the long par 3 9th.

This Turnberry golf course has long been considered one of the best in the world so it's no wonder that it was chosen to re-host the Open Championship in 2009.

After you tackle the 4th to the 11th, the Ailsa takes you back towards the stunning Turnberry Hotel that sits perched high on the hill overlooking the links. The 15th hole plays from an elevated tee, offering panoramic views of Turnberry Bay, while the dramatic final hole is located on the beachside dunes, taking golfers back to the cosy clubhouse.

Now a permanent fixture on the Open rota, the Ailsa went through a complete facelift in 2015 with every single hole upgraded to a degree, and the famous Lighthouse brought back to life as the new halfway house. Architect Martin Ebert’s work has been met with universal approval, raising the Ailsa’s already high profile to a new level. Some would argue that it is now the best golf course in Scotland.

Did You Know?

The 18th hole was renamed ‘Duel in the Sun’ after the epic 1977 Open Championship and Watson’s epic battle with Nicklaus. Incidentally, this was Watson’s second of five Claret Jugs and three months earlier he had also held off Nicklaus to win his first Green Jacket at Augusta.