Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club

Located on the secluded Kintyre peninsula on the West Coast of Scotland lies the spectacular Machrihanish Dunes Golf Course. This is about as natural and rugged as it gets when it comes to links golf, and the 3-hour drive from Glasgow is equally breath-taking. Laid out within a Site of Special Interest and with fertilizers and drainage or irrigation installation forbidden, the course captures the true essence of the game at its most basic.

Machrihanish Dunes Course overview

Playing at Machrihanish Dunes is like going back in time to when OId Tom Morris crafted his way round the original links of Scotland, where holes are laid out according to the natural contours of the land, fairways are mown but not manicured and the rough is left untouched for grazing sheep.

It's hard to believe that this David McLay Kidd (of Bandon Dunes fame) masterpiece only opened in 2009. At just over 7000 yards off the tips and set against the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, a round at Machrihanish Dunes is an experience rather than just another round of links golf.

Signature Holes

The 5th is a stunning par-3 measuring 165 yards off the back tees. You need to be able to shape your shot as the wind can come from the right or the left, and you definitely do not want to end up in a huge pot bunker that sits front left of the green.

Did You Know?

Machrihanish Dunes is not to be confused with Machrihanish Golf Club, which is just a couple of miles down the coast as the crow flies. This club was founded in 1876 with the course being an original Old Tom Morris design. With this being a tough place to get to it is well worth the effort now that you have two incredible links courses to play.