Congrats! You decided to take a buddies’ golf trip. First off, you and your pals should probably get some credit for simply aligning all your schedules so you can escape those desk jobs for a handful of days. That’s almost as hard as battling Scottish winds. Almost.
And if you decide to play golf in Southwest Scotland — good choice! — then here are a handful of bucket-list courses worth visiting. But act fast, some of these tee times aren’t as easy to get as others. Here are six spots we recommend.
Trump Turnberry (Ailsa)
The showstopper of any trip in this area, the Ailsa Course at Trump Turnberry ranks 18th in GOLF’s Top 100 Courses in the World. Martin Ebert led renovations on it in 2016 and again in 2025, making better use of the coastline, tweaking the routing around the iconic lighthouse and sharpening several holes by shifting fairways and tees. Trump Turnberry has hosted four Open Championships and several prestigious amateur events, and just last week it was host to the Bridges Cup, an elite mid-amateur competition.
Trump Turnberry (King Robert the Bruce)
If you are at Trump Turnberry, you might as well double dip and play the sibling course (and can even stay on-site). The King Robert the Bruce course, formerly known as Kintyre, reopened in 2017 after a substantial Ebert renovation and name change. Several changes were made throughout to give Trump Turnberry a dynamic 1-2 punch.
Courtesy Trump Turnberry
Prestwick Golf Club
It hasn’t hosted an Open Championship since 1925, but it did hold 25 of them and still has the history and championship-caliber golf course. It boasts dunes and blind shots and provides the exact type of experience you want playing links golf, and its par-4 17th is famous for being the first and original Alps template hole.
Royal Troon (Old)
You probably remember Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson battling it out here in 2016, but if you play it yourself you might think the most memorable part would be the short, par-3 8th hole dubbed the Postage Stamp, one of the most famous holes in golf.
Western Gailes
One of the most unique routings you’ll find — a long, narrow, continuous loop from the clubhouse — there’s no shortage of memorable holes and views along the sea. It’s private but visitor tee times are available, which is what you’ll find with several courses overseas.
Machrihanish
It’s not easy to get there — you can take a ferry, car or grab a short flight — but that’s part of the charm. It has one of the most terrifying opening tee shots in golf — a long carry over the beach — but Machrihanish is considered a favorite of many travelers for a reason.
Experience it all with 8AM Travel
8AM Travel makes this dream a reality. Our network is global; our knowledge is local. We’ve spent years building relationships in Spain, the Algarve, Lisbon and beyond, learning the subtle differences that separate a good experience from an exceptional one. Our travel specialists prepare your bespoke itinerary — the elegance of Puente Romano, the test of Valderrama, a spa day for those who’d rather not play. Together, we craft a journey that’s entirely yours. Once your itinerary is set, the planning ends and the service begins. We arrange accommodations, secure tee times, organize luxury transportation, curate dining and provide concierge support throughout. You simply enjoy.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: golf.com
