THE great Irish out-half, Tony Ward once said that rugby is played democratically in only three places in the world – New Zealand, Wales and Limerick.
By that he meant that in those places it was a game open to everyone, class or creed.
In golf there’s really only one place – and that’s Scotland.
In America and mainland Europe the great old game reeks of money and privilege. Ireland is better than most, with many clubs mixing docker and doctor, but Scotland is a place apart.
In Ayrshire there a public facility of the like I’ve never seen before in my golfing life. You can be a season ticket holder of Golf South Ayrshire and play unlimited golf on your choice of eight courses for a annual fee of £417.
The Troon Links section of this hosts three courses (Lochgreen, Darley and Fullarton) which begin and end at the same clubhouse. The first and 18th holes of each course stretch out over a vast area in front of the impressive clubhouse, which is currently under renovation by South Ayrshire Council.
The scene is like the M2. It’s a six-lane highway of golf with a dozen golfers heading out and another dozen coming home.
I visited to play Lochgreen as a guest of Ayrshire Golf and VisitScotland. It’s the most muscular of the three, stretching to more than 6,800 yards. It was a previous Open qualifying venue, where Jack Nicklaus made the cut for his first Open in 1962.
One of the staff told us that he shot 86 on the Darley’s tighter fairways in high winds the previous day, but adapted his game to the links style for Lochgreen and made qualification for Royal Troon.
Lochgreen is a true old-fashioned links, with flat wide fairways, greens cut from the land and riveted bunkers. A run of holes after the turn called the ‘Dovecot Section’ are described as having a more parkland character but I think that’s down to the appearance of some trees; the land doesn’t change.
The Darley is entirely different. It’s a little shorter (6,300) but its defence is narrow, gorse-lined fairways. There’s roller-coaster fairways, blind shots and a driveable par-4. The fifth hole – which I’m told is a recent addition after a re-routing – is the signature hole. It’s a short but intimidating carry over dense gorse with a gentle dogleg left and then a green that sits at an angle to the right.
At 415 yards into the prevailing wind, it takes two good hits to get up.
As good as it was, Darley was a world away from the modern bruiser we played the previous day. Dundonald Links, north of Troon, was designed Kyle Phillips and will host the Scottish Open in 2017.
From the same designer as Kingsbarns, it’s a must-play course in an area with some of the best links courses in the world. It’s not high dune golf, but they are big enough to frame the holes beautifully.
We played it on a very windy day and the oceans of silver marram grass rippled like waves washing up on a beach. It’s mesmerising to watch and reminded me why I love links golf.
We stayed at the Carlton Hotel in Prestwick, a perfect base for a golf trip to the area. The four-star Carlton is a short walk from the the restaurant and bar zone and also within walking distance of the famous Prestwick Golf Club, one of three Open venues in Ayrshire.
It’s where golf’s oldest major started; hosting the first 12 Open championships and 24 in all. Prestwick reminds you that while St Andrews is the ‘Home of Golf’, Ayrshire is the ‘Birthplace of the Open.’
In an effort to promote golf in the area, there are some excellent sail, stay and play offers at the moment. You can play three rounds on the Troon Links, get two-nights B&B, plus return P&O ferry from Larne based on four sharing a car, for just £199. Or two nights B&B at the four-star Carlton Prestwick, play three rounds at the European Tour venue of Dundonald Links, Gailes and Western Gailes for £395.
Gailes is a final open qualifying course, where last year Colin Montgomerie made the cut for the 145th Open at Royal Troon. It’s neighbour Western Gailes (whose clubhouse comes into view on the back nine of the Dundonald) has also hosted open qualifying.
We may forget sometimes how lucky we are to be golfers in this part of the world. There are only about 250 links course in the world (less if you take out the nine-hole courses). About 50 are in Ireland, but another 90 are across a short stretch of water in Scotland.
Doctor or docker, you’ll find a place for you to play.
FACTFILE
We travelled from Larne to Cairnryan with P&O ferries poferries.com
Accommodation was at the 4-star Carlton Prestwick carlton-prestwick.com
And golf at troonlinksgolf.com and dundonaldlinks.com
For more information visit ayrshiregolfscotland.com and visitscotland.com
NI deals at ayrshiregolfscotland.com/en/sail-play-from-northern-ireland
