Trump Turnberry (Ailsa)

Turnberry is loved the world over. Ask the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Gary Player and Greg Norman about the Ailsa and prepare for fulsome praise. Apart from the visual splendour, they like it quite simply because it invariably rewards good shots. 

 

It seems that all who visit Turnberry have nothing but adulation for the course, from winners of the Open Championship to thrill-seeking holidaymakers, the reasons for which are multitudinous and generally obvious. Throughout the course, the magnificent views beguile visitors, with Ailsa Craig offering a constant brooding presence.

According to locals, if you can see Ailsa Craig, rain is on the way, and if not, it has already arrived. This huge, granite rock has a haunting, captivating quality. Sometimes brilliantly clear and sometimes shrouded by cloud, often its outline blurs and then fades from view completely.

Like all links courses, the weather is a major factor but at Turnberry it influences more than your chances of a good score. The experience is simply incomplete without seeing the sun illuminate the famous lighthouse or, later in the day, melt into the Atlantic Ocean.

2024 notes: Many courses in the list are the result of multiple design iterations but few have changed more than the Ailsa over the years. The constants are the lighthouse and the ocean views.

 

Read our full piece on the Trump Turnberry Resort here.
Visit the Trump Turnberry website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage. 
 

Originally designed by 1883 Open Championship winner, Willie Fernie, in 1901, Turnberry Golf Course opened for play in 1906, concurrently with the Maidens and Dunure Light Railway that would provide easy access for people in search of a quality course.

 

During WWI, the property became an airbase and a landing strip still exists on-site. After the war, courses 1 and 2 were rebuilt and renamed ‘Ailsa’ and ‘Arran’. During WWII, the hotel became a hospital and the courses were used for training for the RAF.
 

Following this, the course was rebuilt by architect Mackenzie Ross, removing wartime runways and resurfacing the land. The course re-opened in 1951 as a seaside links with views of Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran.

 

The Ailsa Course has played host to the Open Championship on four occasions, with the most notable of those coming in 1977. Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus battled it out in what would become known as the 'Duel In The Sun', with Watson winning by a single shot. Greg Norman (1986), Nick Price (1994) and Stewart Cink (2009) are the other three men to have lifted the Claret Jug at Turnberry. 
 

The Ailsa is one of the finest and most historic golf courses in the land, and it is also visually spectacular as well. The Championship tees stretch the Ailsa Course out to almost 7,500 yards. While the Whites might be close to 1,000 yards less at 6,511, they still present an extreme challenge for the regular amateur golfer. 

At 401 from the Whites, the opener on the Ailsa gets you off and running, but it is no simple task. A slight dog-leg right par 4 with four fairway bunkers to avoid on your opening tee shot. The 2nd and 3rd are both tricky par 4s as well, before you come to the opening short hole of the round at the 4th. At 189 yards, it is lengthy, and there is plenty of danger around. The Irish Sea is on your left, while there is also sand galore in your eyeline.

Previously a long par 4 and now a sporty par 5, you want to be playing your approach on the 5th from as far to the right as possible because the green is set at an angle to the fairway. But doing so involves flirting with bunkers and making the hole play longer than its yardage suggests. The 6th follows, and it is the shortest of the par 3s at less than 140 yards. The green sits above you, so make sure to club up. The 7th tee sits next to the coastline, and provides incredible views of the course. It is a par 5 that is gettable from the fairway, but if you don't find the short stuff off the tee, then you will have to be smart.

Around the turn, the Ailsa throws up some incredible golf holes. The 8th is a long par 4 played towards the lighthouse with the sea on your left is as strong a two-shotter as you are ever likely to encounter. Then, you can stand on the 9th tee and admire the views once more. This is one of the world's most breath-taking par 3s but it's also a challenge to boot. Everywhere the eye darts is wonder. Whether it's the awe-inspiring tee shot over the bay, the resplendent lighthouse in all its glory, or the remains of King Robert the Bruce's castle that can be seen from the green. It is stunning. It is dramatic. It is the quintessential photo moment. The 10th follows, and it is a long par 5 that arcs around the bay and teases players off the tee. It looks much tighter than it is, but those players who stray too far left will find nothing but the Firth of Clyde. If you're lucky, you might be able to play it off the beach. The well-known doughnut bunker, slap in the middle of the fairway, is designed to mess with those who are in two minds about attacking or laying up, while the infinity green is another stunning addition to an already sensational hole.

The glorious par 3s continue with the 11th, a 180-yard short hole played across the water. Anything left will find the rocks and only if you're lucky, will your ball rebound back to the green. The 12th is named 'Monument' after the monument by the green which honours those who lost their lives during the World Wars who were stationed at Turnberry. 13 is a slight dog-leg right par 4, before you come to another birdie chance at the 495-yard par 5 14th, but another that will only be a chance if you can find the fairway. 
 

The 15th and 16th holes of the Ailsa Course at Trump Turnberry appear in the book ‘1001 Golf Holes You Must Play Before You Die’ by Jeff Barr, showing their class. ‘Ca’ Canny’ and ‘Wee Burn’ provide great tests as you come down the closing stretch on the Ailsa, with the 16th featuring the only water hazard on the property (other than the Irish Sea of course).  

The 17th is arguably the toughest hole on the course, measuring 450 yards from the Whites, but playing as a par 4. The closing hole, named 'Duel In The Sun' after one of the most famous Open Championships in golfing history, brings you to the end of your round on the Ailsa Course. If you miss the fairway bunkers, you might have a slight opportunity of birdieing the last. 

 

Where is Trump Turnberry located?
Trump Turnberry is located in the southwest of Scotland, in South Ayrshire. It is on the western coastline of the country, looking out to the Irish Sea and across to the famous Ailsa Craig. The city of Glasgow is around 50 miles north of Trump Turnberry, with Ayr around 15 miles north along the coastline.

Girvan Station is the closest train station to Trump Turnberry, and it is less than five miles south of the golfing venue. Girvan sits on the Glasgow South Western line, with trains running from Girvan through to Ayr and Glasgow on a regular basis. For international visitors to the region, both Glasgow Airport and Edinburgh Airport are within two hours from Trump Turnberry, with the latter being the biggest and busiest airport in Scotland.

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?  
Along with the Ailsa, the King Robert the Bruce Course at Trump Turnberry also occupies a spot on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list. Drive north up the west coast, and you'll come to Prestwick, Prestwick St Nicholas, Western Gailes, Dundonald Links, Gailes Links and Royal Troon - with its Old Course and Portland Course.

What golf facilities does Trump Turnberry offer?
Along with stunning golf courses, Trump Turnberry also has some incredible practice facilities as well. Firstly, there is an 18-hole putting course and a Martin Ebert-designed short game area, perfect for honing those skills before taking on one of the trickiest Open Championship venues. 

 

The driving range at the Trump Turnberry Golf Academy aims towards the Turnberry lighthouse, providing a stunning backdrop for the facility. There are plenty of technological advances used at the Golf Academy, including swing path recognition, TrackMan and Gasp, which uses three slow-motion cameras. There is also a designated room for practicing putting, with technology aimed at improving the putting abilities of golfers that walk through its doors. 

  

The price of a green fee at Trump Turnberry changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. There are also stay & play packages available at the resort.  

 

For more information on current green fees at Trump Turnberry, visit their website here. 

 
 

Read our full piece on the Trump Turnberry Resort here.
Visit the Trump Turnberry website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.