Largs

Largs Golf Club is one of several stunning coastal courses in Ayrshire, on the western coastline of Scotland.

Now in its second location, following time at Routenburn to the north of the town, Largs sits in the shadows of Kelburn Castle and overlooks the Firth of Clyde to its west.

Running to 6,200 yards from the tips, and playing through mature tree-lined fairways, across burns and bunkers, there is plenty to watch out for during a round at Largs.

Visit the Largs website here. 

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The history of Largs Golf Club dates back to the late 19th Century, with the club being originally founded in 1891.

The original location of the course was in Routenburn, north of the town of Largs. The club then made the move to its current placing, but remained as a short course for its first few decades.

Largs then was extended into an 18-hole layout in the mid-1950s, with the clubhouse then built around a decade later.

The layout at Largs offers sea views across the Firth of Clyde and to Great Cumbrae, all while sitting in the shadows of Kelburn Castle. There are finely wooded slopes and the beauty of the course is enhanced by mature trees. The features of a parkland course such as winding burns, lush fairways, tree-lined dog-legs and undulating greens are very much in evidence. Largs plays as a par 70, thanks to a quartet of par 3s and just two par 5s. At 6,200 yards, it is not too long, but the undulations will make the uphill holes feel much longer...

Unlike many golf courses, Largs opens with a par 3. It is only 145 yards on the card but plays uphill so it may well be worth taking an extra club. The 2nd is a lengthy par 4, of some 405 yards. The fairway slopes from left to right so the ideal line off the tee is down the left. Anything on the right side may find itself bouncing towards the trees. The 3rd is the first of the two par 5s off the back tees at Largs, and it is the Stroke Index 18. It is only 466 yards, and the tee shot off the whites is played through a narrow funnel of trees to a wide fairway. Most will fancy their chances of reaching in two with it being such a short par 5, but the burn and wall that sit in front of the putting surface may well put some off...

The 4th is the next of the short holes, but at 195 yards, it isn’t that short! A long green pushes it past 200 with a back flag. Short of this green is not a bad option, with sand and trees on either side. At less than 300 yards, the 5th is a birdie chance, but only if you can find the fairway off the tee. According to the club’s website, the 5th green is the trickiest putting surface on the golf course, so good luck. 6 is a tough par 4, moving slightly from right to left around the corner and around the trees. Anything left off the tee is in trouble, while there is some space to the right. The green is guarded by a pair of bunkers front left and front right. At 408 yards, the 7th is one of the longer par 4s on the course. Again, left is not the miss, with OOB looming just off the fairway. Three traps protect the green, with two of those on the right side.

The 8th is a 162-yard par 3 that features a raised green. Five bunkers sit around the putting surface, while the road on the left is also in play. A cracking dog-leg left brings the front nine to an end. The tee shot needs to be down the right side of the fairway to give yourself the best view of the green. The approach is played over a burn to a surface surrounded by sand and trees. A pair of 400-yard par 4s start the back nine. 10 is a tricky dog-leg left, one with trees lining either side of the fairway, meaning your tee shot has to be accurate. There is no sand by this green, but it is a shallow surface to find, so make sure you have your distance right. 11 runs in the opposite direction, turning from left to right around the side of the 10th. There is a wide fairway to aim for, with the further right your ball lands, the closer to the green and shorter the approach will be.

The last of the par 5s comes at 12 – a 490-yard hole than runs north with a fairway that slopes from right to left. The elevated tee box provides an inviting look to this hole, and a good tee shot will allow the chance to go for the undulating putting surface with your second. The further you hit your tee shot on 13, the narrower the fairway gets, so you have a decision to make on the tee. A bunker on either side of the green makes accuracy key for the approach. Talking of bunkers, there are seven surrounding the 14th green. At 147 yards, it won’t require much club, but the approach is fraught with danger.

You make the turn for home on the 15th, a dog-leg left par 4 which bends its way around the boundary of the course. Anything left on either shot will be flirting with the OOB thanks to the A82 that runs alongside the hole. It is the longest par 4 on the course at 468 yards, meaning that it requires not only accuracy but length as well. 16 has a burn that runs across the fairway, so the options off the tee are whether to take it on, or to lay up short of it... There is also a burn across 17, but it is much closer to the green. It comes into play on the approach, along with the many trees that line both sides of the hole. Largs ends with another testing par 4. Although it is only 355 yards in length, it plays as a slight dog-leg right, with the tee shot having to carry yet another burn. Manage that, and you’ll have an approach to a green that is guarded by two bunkers at its front left.

Where is Largs Golf Club located?

Largs Golf Club is situated on the western coastline of Scotland, in the northern reaches of the county of Ayrshire. The club is located to the south of the town of Largs, and it sits just off the A78 – which runs from Greenock to Monkton. The course looks out over the water to the Isle of Great Cumbrae, while Largs is only 30 miles from the centre of Glasgow.

Glasgow Airport is 25 miles from Largs Golf Club, with the airport situated on the southwestern side of Scotland’s most populous city. Glasgow Prestwick Airport is around the same distance to the south of the golf club. The town of Largs has its own train station, situated less than a mile to the north of the venue. Trains run to and from Glasgow Central on a regular basis.

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

Thanks to being in the county of Ayrshire, and within close range of Glasgow, there is a number of NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues in close order. Kilmacolm is 20 miles to the northeast, while the likes of West Kilbride, Dundonald Links, Gailes Links, Western Gailes, Irvine, Kilmarnock Barassie, Prestwick, Prestwick St Nicholas and Royal Troon – with its Old Course and Portland Course – all within 30 miles of Largs.

What golf facilities does Largs Golf Club offer?

Due to the lack of space at the club, Largs does not have a driving range. However, there are hitting nets and there is a putting and chipping green for golfers to warm up their short games before taking to the course.

What are the green fees at Largs Golf Club?

The price of a green fee at Largs 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 Largs, visit their website here.