Having received the invite to visit Dundonald Links Golf course in Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland the week of The OPEN, it was clear from their website, that this was a course I had to visit.
Surrounded by some of the more well-known courses of the region, including Turnberry, Western Gailes, Prestwick and the world-famous Royal Troon (which I played back in the days of being a high handicapper), it could be argued that Dundonald Links is a hidden gem.
However, that would do a complete disservice to what I would describe as one of the top 5 golf courses I have played, anywhere in the world.r
Why you ask? Well, you can’t just rate a golf course by the fairways and greens alone.
On the contrary, when you have driven 8+ hours from London to play, the welcome, good service, good food and the overall atmosphere are equally important.
And this is exactly what you will experience at Dundonald Links, in abundance!
This amazing golf course can be found just a few minutes’ drive from Troon, on the west coast of Scotland in Ayrshire.
It’s a fair drive from the south of England but we managed it from London in 8 hours with a few stops on the way.
However, its less than a 20-minute drive from Prestwick Airport for those travelling by plane and from overseas.
Designed by Willie Fernie, the 1883 Open Champion, the first Dundonald Links course was inaugurated in 1911.
The 6,700+ yard course was considered a monster in its day, but it quickly became extremely popular, especially with the elite amateurs and professionals of the day.
Work began shortly after the initial opening, on a new clubhouse, designed in accordance with the most modern ideas of its time.
It featured a dining room, a smoke room, box rooms, and lavatories, as well as accommodation for ladies on the ground floor, and has a well-fitted clubmaster’s house on the first storey.
A mere 5 years elapsed before the club would have to close its doors in 1916 due to WW1 and remained closed for a further four years until June 1920.
To re-open the course, the club organised an open amateur tournament, and in 1922, James Braid visited and supplied the club a new bunkering plan of the course.
In 1940, WW2 arrived in Ayrshire and the military wanted the Dundonald Links golf course.
Within a very short space of time, the army had commandeered the course and the clubhouse. And the footsteps of golfers were replaced by the marching of men in uniform, with amphibious tanks careering over the fairways and greens.
The military occupation of the course remained until as late as the 1960s.
It wasn’t until 2003 that big changes were made. Kyle Phillips came to Scotland, laid eyes on the links at Dundonald and set about upgrading the course. It is now regularly ranked among the UK’s best, and hosted the Scottish Open in 2017.
Then in 2019, the property was taken over by Darwin Escapes, and the course you see today took fruition.
Over £25m was invested into the terrain with every green being relaid and every fairway restructured.
As you approach the entrance to the course, you immediately notice how the clubhouse has been designed to merge into the landscape.
With a low rise architecture, a grassed roof and an unassuming entrance, you could be forgiven for thinking that there is just a Pro shop and changing room facility.
But once past the warm welcome in the Pro Shop, you are quickly transported into a beautifully designed, spacious and state of the art, modern clubhouse with outstanding views over the golf course.
In fact, coupled with stunning decor and attentive staff, if it wasn’t for the views, you could easily forget you are in a golfing oasis and think you are in a 6-star hotel in Dubai. Yes, it’s that good.
In addition to two restaurants, there is also the beautiful ‘tasting room’, where you can sample a ‘wee dram’ or two when you return from your round. N.B There is a charge to hire this room for you and your guests.
We were greeted at the door by David and Ashley, who as well as being very professional and very proud of their place of work, ‘the Scot’ in them means that are also good humoured.
They knew who we were, when our tee time was, how many were playing and they had our buggy parked and ready for us.
This welcome along with the best changing rooms I’ve ever had the privilege of using, anywhere in the world (including Sauna and Stream room), helps to justify the premium green fee immediately.
If you want to stay on the property, there are custom-built luxury lodges offering the ultimate comfort for golfers.
The lodges vary in size and location across the course with each one designed in a unique and contemporary way, whilst embedding naturally into the landscape of the rugged Ayrshire coast.
Having been greeted by Campbell on the first tee, we were showered with Dundonald Links scorecards, tees, pencils and a branded leather Tee bag to remember our trip (nice touch!).
In addition, he also gave us a few tips on wind and on which holes and greens to be wary.
Nothing that gave us an advantage to our play, but definitely tips on how to navigate the course layout and an understanding of the wind conditions we could face.
BTW, a 20-mph wind to the average golfer (I play off 18) is what Campbell would describe as a slight breeze. “Just be glad you’re not here on a cold day in January when it’s blowing a ‘hoolie’!” he expressed, as we set off down the first.
Again, another example of the famous Scottish whit and repartee.
The course now measures 7,100 yards off the white tees. And whilst the course is as flat as any links course you will find, the greens and bunkers are where the undulations really begin.
Pot bunkers (called Rivets) are littered around the course so plan your routes carefully.
This is not a course on which to blast your driver 250+ yards off the tee, only to leave yourself a blind shot in, or worse find your ball in one of many ‘burns’* that protect the fairways and greens.
Obviously, as the course is overlooking the Firth of Clyde, it is both ‘linksy’ by nature and by design. However, I can honestly say that the condition of the course is one of the best I have played. Anywhere. But it’s the wide variation of hole designs, that we loved. You will need to master small chips up steep greenside banks to get your Par.
Now, let’s remember we are in Scotland. The weather can change in minutes. And whilst we enjoyed a sunny day and a light breeze, I have no doubt the conditions can soon have you confused over your club selection. My advice is keep it low and don’t try to hit your ‘Sunday best’ every shot.
As mentioned above, if the weather is benign, you can score well, assuming the quick green doesn’t catch you out. Furthermore, with each hole offering the average golfer a different challenge, I think you would need to play this course 3 or 4 times before you got the hang of it. It’s kind to the conservative but don’t push your luck or you could find yourself with a triple bogey or worse.
Now this is where the course really shines, dry true and quick! That’s all I need to say.
6th Hole: A tricky secluded Par 3 with bunkers front and back and a ditch sitting to the left of the putting surface, catching errant tee shots. Aim to the right side of the green to give yourself a chance of a birdie!
11th Hole: Only 120 yards but a steep down slope faces your tee shot and a 9ft pot bunker awaits you if you go long. The sloping green will test your short game skills all day long.
13th Hole: This runs along the railway track and you can see the Isle of Arran from here. Measuring approx. 370 yards, a good tee shot will be rewarded but watch out for the burn protecting the two-tiered green.
16th Hole: This is the toughest hole on the course, as you play directly into the prevailing wind. A good drive and a ‘good’ fairway shot will leave you with a tricky approach to a two-tier green. This is a true test of golf!
I’ll start by putting it out there – this is in my all-time top 5 of golf courses!
Not only is the course beautifully manicured, but the staff welcome, the modern and state-of-the-art clubhouse that offers amazing views across the course and the great food, are all excellent.
Yes, it could be considered expensive at over £200 a round but this is a memory that will last much longer than your recollection of what you paid.
Simply put, this is a proper golf course, run by local people that are passionate about their golf course.
If you get the opportunity to play it, take it!
* Scotland is characterized by many fast-running streams and so has many words for running water: burn (stream), Cleugh (a gorge that is the course of a stream), glen (a hollow traversed by a stream), grain (tributary), pow (slow-moving stream), stank (pond), syke (small stream).
Ian is the Editor of The Social Golfer. He has been reviewing golf courses for more than ten years. He was the Marketing Director of the London Golf Show from 2011-2016. He has had golf articles published in Golf News Magazine, Today’s Golfer and Golf Business News. He is also the Brand Director for The Cairns Cup (Golf’s Premier Disability Match Play Event).
