Irvine

Irvine Golf Club is one of several stunning links courses on the Ayrshire coast, but ‘Bogside’ as it is affectionately known, does not sit right by the coastline.

The history of the club is a tale of three Open Championship winners. Willie Fernie designed the original layout, with changes from two-time winner Harold Hilton and five-time winner James Braid then following.

The course remains relatively unchanged following Braid’s improvements, with the River Irvine and the West Coast Railway line both in play at times throughout a round.

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The history of Irvine Golf Club began in 1887, with the course being opened a year later. Alterations took place over the next few years, with Willie Fernie being the brains behind them.

Harold Hilton – two-time Open Champion – and the great James Braid – a five-time winner of the Claret Jug – both made changes to the layout.

Braid’s recommendations came in the mid 1920s, and over the following century, the course has remained relatively unchanged.

Over the years, the golf course has played host to the Amateur Championship, Scottish National Championships and Final Qualifying for the Open Championship.

Irvine is not quite a seaside course, but the land is close enough for the turf to boast that sandy texture that is such a delight to strike the ball from. More commonly known as Bogside, this James Braid designed course is a fun and quirky layout. Its great strength is perhaps the variety of the holes – quirky in places and very solid in others. There are plenty of short par 4s, brilliant views of the surrounding Arran and a lovely mixture of links and heathland. From the Championship Blue tees, Irvine pushes towards 6,600 yards, with the Whites still at more than 6,400 yards for a Par 71 layout.

It is a tough opening hole to get you on your way at Irvine. A par 4 of almost 420 yards, the tee shot is aimed at a fairway that moves slightly to the left. It is also slightly uphill off the tee, while the green sits above the level of the fairway. The 2nd is the only par 5 on the course, and at 535 yards from the Blues, it is one that will play as a three-shotter for most. A total of ten bunkers are in play, with five of those dotted down the right side of the fairway. A run of three traps sits 80 yards from the green, and provide a good laying up marker for those opting to play safe.

The 3rd, 4th and 5th are a succession of short and scorable par 4s and each are brilliant. 3 is 350 yards and with OOB down the left side. The green is shallow, and requires an accurate shot, despite it perhaps only being a wedge in hand. The 4th is probably the most famous of the bunch though and it’s easy to see why. An elevated tee shot over shrubland and heather makes what should be an easy carry to the fairway very daunting. The railway line is out of bounds left, with the River Irvine directly behind the green, making your approach shot from the fairway to an elevated green a tricky and nervy affair. 5 is another good chance at just 290 yards. However, there is trouble on both sides of the fairway. The green sits way above the fairway on the top of a sandface, hence the hole’s name.

The 6th is the Stroke Index 1 at Irvine – a 440-yard par 4 with a split fairway. Longer hitters might fancy their chances of reaching the second part of the fairway, which sits well below the first part. Most, though, will aim out to the left to find the flat part of the first section of short grass. From there, it will be a long approach to a small green, one with the River Irvine long and left. 7 plays back away from the water, but with OOB down the left thanks to the old horse racing track. A tee shot running too far down the right might find the large bank which you have just played down on 6, blocking out your view to the green. The 8th is the first of just two par 3s on the course. Five bunkers surround the green, which is 175 yards away. There is space around those, but it is a tricky green if you do miss it.

The front nine finishes with another par 4, as the turn really bites back. The two longest par 4s on the course are to come over the next three holes. The 9th is almost 460 yards, and plays as a slight dog-leg right. Longer hitters might be able to clear the bunkers on the inside corner of the turn, with the large, round green sitting off in the distance. Six more traps are in view with your second shot. 10 is another tricky par 4. Although 80 yards shorter than the 9th, there is plenty of trouble to find yourself in and around. By the green, three more bunkers make things more difficult. 11 is 465 yards from the tips, and plays as a dog-leg to the left. A drive of 235 yards will cover the four bunkers that sit on the inside corner of the dog-leg, with the green still more than 200 yards in the distance.

12 is another dog-leg left par 4, but only 385 yards. Again, avoiding the fairway bunkers is the key, and there are five of them. The green is then much lower than the surface of the fairway, so take a club less for your approach. OOB runs down the left of 13, and it is another long par 4. 430 yards, and with a blind tee shot – it is one of the more difficult driving holes on the course. The tee shot on the 14th is also blind, so make sure you know your line, as there are six fairway bunkers awaiting anything offline. The green sits behind two more traps, with banks of gorse on either side.

The closing stretch begins with a god scoring chance at 15. It is only 340 yards, but the front of this green is narrow, and finding that is the key here. The last par 3 is at the 16th. 160 yards to the centre, and a green guarded by three bunkers, along with a drop off at the rear. Miss this green and you’re looking at bogey or worse. You turn for home along the railway line at the start of 17. Anything left might hit a passing train, before the hole moves away from the railway line and to the right. The green is large and unprotected, but finding the right section of it is crucial. The final challenge at Irvine also brings the train line into play off the tee. It is a blind tee shot played over two bunkers and a bank to find the short grass. The green is guarded by five more bunkers, dotted around the surface. A truly cracking par 4 to finish up your round.

Where is Irvine Golf Club located?

Irvine Golf Club is situated next to the Bogside Flats Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI), with the River Irvine running along the southern boundary of the course. The venue is in Ayrshire, but unlike most of the venues nearby, it is not on the coastline. The town of Irvine is just to the south, with Kilmarnock 10 miles to the east. The city of Glasgow is within 35 miles to the northeast of the golf club.

Irvine Station is the closest train station to the golf club, sitting two miles away by road. The train line, which runs past the golf club (and also gets involved during your round) operates between Ayr and Glasgow Central – with trains running on a regular basis in both directions. For international visitors, Glasgow Prestwick Airport is within 15 miles of Irvine Golf Club, while Glasgow Airport – the country’s second busiest airport after Edinburgh – is only 25 miles to the northeast.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?

Irvine Golf Club is one of several stunning golf courses in the region, with the number of courses on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland in this part of the country in double digits. Gailes Links, Western Gailes and Dundonald Links are within a couple of miles, while further down the coast sit the likes of Kilmarnock Barassie, Prestwick, Prestwick St Nicholas and Royal Troon, with both its Old Course and Portland Course.

What golf facilities does Irvine Golf Club offer?

Irvine Golf Club does not have its own driving range, but there are hitting nets to allow golfers to warm up prior to taking to the course. There is also a glorious putting green sitting in front of the clubhouse for those finishing touches.

What are the green fees at Irvine Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Irvine Golf Club changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.

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