SOUTH WEST SCOTLAND, SCOTLAND

Dundonald Links

A modern Ayrshire links shaped to resemble a much older course.

SOUTH WEST SCOTLAND Location
LINKS Course type
18 HOLES Holes
PAR 72 Par

Beyond the Scorecard

Course established: 1911
Course designer/s:Willie Fernie and Kyle Phillips
National ranking: #39 in Scotland
Known for: Host venue for the 2017 Scottish Open
Defining feature: Old-looking contours beside the Firth of Clyde

Old Ground, Modern Links

The golf course at Dundonald Links stands on ground where the original club was formed in 1911. Willie Fernie laid out that first course, known as Southern Gailes, before wartime military use left the site altered and golf absent for decades.

Loch Lomond Golf Club acquired the land in 2003 and asked Kyle Phillips to create the present layout, which opened in 2005. His design retained traces of the earlier course while blending natural landforms with newly shaped contours intended to look established rather than recently built.

The course offers broad landing areas, but its ditches, gorse, deep rough, and carefully placed bunkers keep approach shots demanding. Undulating greens place extra weight on distance control, while several holes gain definition from pine trees, an uncommon frame on traditional open linksland.

Why Add This Course to Your Golf Experience

Dundonald Links adds a modern championship setting to an Ayrshire itinerary rich in older Open venues. It hosted the Scottish Open in 2017 and has welcomed the Women's Scottish Open several times. The course was also selected for Final Qualifying for The Open from 2023 to 2026.

Its accommodation and extensive practice areas make it a practical base for nearby rounds. Kinfern can pair it with Royal Troon and Western Gailes to create a varied South West Scotland golf experience.

Course Facts

Country: Scotland
Region: South West Scotland
Item type: Golf
Course type: Links

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