Troon (Lochgreen)

One of eight golf courses operated by South Ayrshire Council, the 18-hole layout at Lochgreen is bracketed along with James Braid’s celebrated Belleisle design as the best two courses in the municipal portfolio.

Three 18-hole tracks operate from the same clubhouse at Troon (Lochgreen, Darley and Fullerton) so the starter’s hut is often a busy place with golfers milling around, arranging tee times or preparing to set off on their round.

Lochgreen has been used for Open Qualifying in the past and Jack Nicklaus is said to have entered the competition through here in 1962, when Royal Troon was the venue for the event that year.

It’s a testing track with a handful of par fives spread throughout the layout, two of which are played back-to-back early on at the 2nd and 3rd holes. Measuring almost 6,800 yards, the course plays to a par of 74, which is a meaty enough challenge for anybody.

The toughest hole on the card is encountered at the 429-yard 5th (“Crosbie”), where the railway line runs along the right side of the fairway as it heads towards the green. On the back nine, there’s a little loop at the 11th to 14th which is more parkland than links in nature, with the tree-lined 405-yard 12th (“Monklands”) the pick of these holes.