Machrihanish

A unique location for a quintessential Scottish links course. That pretty much describes Machrihanish Golf Club, which is located on the Kintyre Peninsula of Scotland.

Old Tom Morris designed the original ten holes in 1876, with JH Taylor and Sir Guy Campbell both then having a hand in renovations and extensions since. Away from the fairways and greens, the course is relatively untouched, with a wild quality to its beauty.

 

Although Machrihanish might still be on the Scottish mainland, it remains one of the more remote venues on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list, simply of how long it takes to get there. However, we can promise you that it is well worth the journey!
 

 

You can also play at Machrihanish as part of our Kintyre Peninsula Swing. 


Visit Machrihanish's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.
 

1876 saw the founding of the club, which was originally named the Kintyre Golf Club. The initial lay-out of the golf course was only ten holes, with Charles Hunter, the professional at Prestwick, coming in and redesigning the course with 12 holes. 

Three years after its founding, Open Champion Old Tom Morris extended the course further, taking it to 18 holes. At this point, the first tee was moved to the point where is still stands today.

During World War I, the course was used as an airfield, following some slight changes from James Braid prior to the start of the war. In World War II, it was taken over by the Royal Air Force for training purposes. After the end of World War II, the golf course was restored to its original purpose, with help from Sir Guy Campbell.

In 2009, a new course, Machrihanish Dunes, was opened adjacent to the original Machrihanish Golf Course. Designed by David McLay Kidd, this course was designed to blend seamlessly with the natural landscape and has been widely praised for its sustainability and environmental considerations.

At the end of 2018, the old clubhouse at Machrihanish was destroyed in a fire, but fortunately for the club, the majority of records and memorabilia were saved. Three years later, the new clubhouse opened for use.
 

The Championship Course at Machrihanish is the typical out-and-back links design. The first eight holes make their way along the coastline, with the 9th being the point where you turn for home. The back nine holes are all slightly inland from the coast. Machrihanish is a Par 70, and is only 6,226 yards. In today's golf, that is not the longest of golf courses, but with a stiff breeze from the coast, that makes playing the course even tougher. 

The opening tee shot is one of the most iconic in golf, with players forced to hit over the beach, against the angle of the fairway. There are four small fairway bunkers which separate the 1st and 18th fairways that come into play for drives that are pushed for safety away from the sea. The 2nd features a burn which runs across the fairway, while the 3rd is a straight away par 4, but it has the first blind tee shot of the round. 'Jura' is the shortest hole on the course, with the 4th playing just 130 yards long. From there, the course hits its toughest stretch.

5 is a dog-leg left par 4, while the 6th is actually driveable for the longer hitters at just 310 yards. However, any errant drive could well see you reaching into your bag for a second ball. The approach to 7 is blind, with 8 and 9 both being short par 4s. However, they are both still fraught with danger.

The first par 5 on the course comes at the 10th, and at just over 500 yards, it is reachable in two for the longer hitters. The par 3 11th is almost 200 yards, before the 12th is the second and last par 5. 12 is more of a three-shotter because approaches must carry onto the green, with two pot bunkers in front.

A plateau in the middle of the 13th fairway is the ideal spot to play your second from, with anything not reaching that flat lie being blind. It doesn't get easier, as 14 is the hardest hole on the course, before you then come to back-to-back par 3s at 15 and 16. The former is the shorter of the two at 165 yards from the tips, but the five pot bunkers add to the difficulty of the approach shot. The 16th - 'Rorke's Drift' - measures more than 230 yards from the back tees, but at least there is nothing in the way of sand or water to find... 

 

There are scoring opportunities as your round at Machrihanish comes to a conclusion, starting with the 365-yard par 4 17th. The tee shot is played over a burn to a generous fairway. Sand only comes into play on your approach, with three bunkers protecting the green. The closing hole comes in at just 315 yards, giving you the chance to make a birdie in front of the clubhouse. Four bunkers sit to the right of the fairway, splitting what would be a double fairway between the opening and closing holes. The green sits slightly above the level of the fairway, and anything short or right will find itself running back away from the green and leaving a treacherous up and down, especially with water behind the green...

 

Where is Machrihanish Golf Club located?
Machrihanish Golf Club is located in Machrihanish, situated on the Kintyre Peninsula in Argyll and Bute. Although still on the Scottish mainland, the nearest major city is some three hours away, either by road or by ferry. Campbeltown is the biggest town on the southern end of the peninsula, and it is only five miles from Machrihanish along the B843 and B842.
 

There is no rail service to this section of Scotland, with the two public transport options for getting to the southern end of the Kintyre Peninsula coming in the form of either air or sea. The former would see you fly into Campbeltown Airport, which is just a stone's throw from Machrihanish. However, flights only go to and from Glasgow Airport, but that would make it much easier for international travellers to make the trip. For those coming by road and ferry, there are daily connections from Ardrossan (near Troon) to Campbeltown, with the journey taking around three hours in total.

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?
Machrihanish is one of three venues on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list on the Kintyre Peninsula. Machrihanish Dunes sits to the north as its neighbour, with Dunaverty on the very southern tip of the peninsula, still within 12 miles by road, though. The Machrie, on the Isle of Islay, and Ardfin, on the Isle of Jura, are the next closest as the crow flies, but both require ferry transportation from the Kintyre Peninsula to reach them.

What golf facilities does Machrihanish offer?  
Along with the 18-hole Championship Course, Machrihanish is also home to the 9-hole Pans Course, which offers a range of par 3s and par 4s, on the inland section of the property. There is also a short game area and a putting green, both of which are next to the scenic first tee.
  

What are the green fees at Machrihanish?
The price of a green fee at Machrihanish 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 Machrihanish, visit their website here. 

 

 

You can also play at Machrihanish as part of our Kintyre Peninsula Swing. 


Visit Machrihanish's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.