South Scotland spans three distinct golfing territories — Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders — that together present one of the most varied and historically rich golf landscapes in the world. The Ayrshire coast alone justifies any international journey, concentrating more Open Championship heritage within a 50km (31-mile) corridor than virtually anywhere else on the planet. The ranking was updated in March 2026.
Ayrshire & Arran, United Kingdom
Trump Turnberry Ailsa stands on the Ayrshire coastline 82km (51 miles) south of Glasgow, commanding views across the Firth of Clyde towards the Isle of Arran and Ailsa Craig. The par-71 links hosted four Open Championships between 1977 and 2009, most famously the 1977 "Duel in the Sun" between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus.
Ayrshire & Arran, United Kingdom
Ayrshire & Arran, United Kingdom
Ayrshire & Arran, United Kingdom
Dumfries & Galloway, United Kingdom
Ayrshire & Arran, United Kingdom
Ayrshire & Arran, United Kingdom
Ayrshire & Arran, United Kingdom
Ayrshire & Arran, United Kingdom
Ayrshire & Arran, United Kingdom
The course at Prestwick Golf Club is a traditional monument, an authentic affair with a layout of holes that snake to and fro through rugged dunes and rippled fairways.
Royal Troon is a traditional out and back links course on the current Open Rota. Host of the 152nd Open Championship, it is best known for the short par 3 Postage Stamp and strategic 11th, named Railway.
The holes at Western Gailes Golf Club are wonderfully varied. The fairways undulate gently, interrupted occasionally by three meandering burns...
Southerness Golf Club is set on the edge of a remote headland on the peaceful Solway coast and is virtually unknown by the golfing masses.
Dundonald Links originally set out to be part of a golf and residential complex called Southern Gailes but when that didn’t happen, Loch Lomond Golf Club bought the course in 2003 and commissioned Kyle Phillips to finish the design.
Glasgow Gailes Links is a classic golf course. “The turf is something softer – at least in my imagination – than that of the East Coast courses,” wrote Darwin, “and the greens are wonderfully green and velvety.”
Kilmarnock Barassie presents 27 holes of genuine links golf in the heart of Scotland's Ayrshire coast. Founded in 1887 with Theodore Moon's original routing preserved, this Open Championship Final Qualifying venue features unique Walker Cup heritage and hosted the 2021 Women's Amateur Championship. Exceptional putting surfaces distinguish this traditional Scottish links holiday destination.
Irvine Golf Club represents a tough test of golf. It's a classic traditional links course and plays host to Open Championship Final Qualifying...
West Kilbride Golf Club really gets the pulse racing around the turn with a nice loop of holes.
