Royal Troon Golf Club

It was in 1878 that the Troon Golf Club was founded 35 miles southwest of Glasgow. Situated on the edge of the Firth of Clyde, a wide bay in the sea separating Scotland from Northern Ireland, the Troon Golf Club offers two magnificent golf courses.

The Old Course

The Old Course, one of the best links in Scotland, is a real challenge for all golfers. Indeed, with the wind to negotiate and thick roughs interspersed with gorse and broom, the precision of the shots is essential. Players will need to negotiate the first nine holes well to garner some birdies, as the prevailing northwest wind can make the last nine holes extremely difficult.

The Portland Course

The Portland Course, originally designed by professional William Fernie, winner of the Open Championship in 1883, was opened in 1895 and was later redesigned by Dr Alister MacKenzie in the early 1920s. Being a links course, the Portland is a bit more sheltered than the Old Course and, of course, shorter. The holes meander through a field filled with gorse and broom and are generously decorated with par 3s, five in all. It is, however, temperate, with five Par 5s, four of which are on the last nine holes.