Though Western Gailes Golf Club may not be as famous as its neighbors at Royal Troon and Turnberry, the golf course is of the same class and is always a favorite on any Scottish golf tour of the Ayrshire coast. Originally laid out in 1897, the course at Western Gailes plays through one of the most beautiful stretches of dunesland in all of Scottish links golf.
At Western Gailes, the golfer plays the first four holes out north from the clubhouse located in the center of the course, turns around to play the next nine holes in a southerly direction along the beach, and finally turns back towards the clubhouse to play the last five holes in a northerly direction. As a result, the golfer does not face the monotony, as is common in links golf, of playing the outward nine away from the clubhouse with the same wind conditions on each hole, before trudging back to the clubhouse on the inward nine with the opposite wind conditions on each hole.
Though there are no weak holes at Western Gailes, with all of the holes playing through wonderful dunesland to greensites set naturally among the dunes, our personal favorites include the short 296 yard par four 9th hole, with several large pot bunkers guarding the undulating green, and the 407 yard 17th hole, requiring a blind second shot from the bottom of a ridge to a green nestled among the dunes.
For a combination of first-rate Scottish links golf played over classic dunesland and a warm and welcoming clubhouse, a round (or day) at Western Gailes is an excellent choice for any Scottish golf vacation based in Ayrshire.
For more information on Western Gailes, please visit their website at www.westerngailes.com.
