Photo: Wikimedia CommonsTrump Turnberry (Ailsa Course)
Turnberry, South Ayrshire · Designed by Willie Fernie / Mackenzie Ross (1951) / Martin Ebert (2016) · Est. 1901
The Ailsa Course at Turnberry has one of the most beautiful settings in golf: it runs along the Ayrshire cliffs beneath a white lighthouse, looking out across the Firth of Clyde to the hump of Ailsa Craig and the mountains of Arran. Willie Fernie laid out the first holes in 1901; the links served as an airfield in both world wars and was rebuilt by Mackenzie Ross in 1949–51, then reshaped again by Martin Ebert in 2015–16, who moved several holes out onto the rocks around the lighthouse.
It has hosted The Open four times, and given the game two of its greatest days. In 1977 the "Duel in the Sun" saw Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus pull clear of the field and trade blows over the closing rounds, Watson winning by a single stroke. In 2009, aged 59, Watson came within one putt on the 72nd hole of winning again, before losing a playoff to Stewart Cink. The Ebert redesign gave the course the par-3 9th, "Bruce's Castle," played from a tee on the rocks to a green beside the lighthouse — among the most spectacular holes anywhere.
Turnberry is a five-star resort, and the green fee reflects it; it is also, simply, one of the most thrilling rounds in Britain.
Holes worth knowing
- 19th "Bruce's Castle" (par-3) — played from a tee out on the rocks to a green beside the white Turnberry lighthouse, the sea on three sides. The centrepiece of Martin Ebert's redesign and one of the most dramatic short holes in the game.
Highlights
- Cliff-top Ailsa links beneath the lighthouse
- Four-time Open host — the 1977 "Duel in the Sun"
- Ebert's spectacular par-3 9th beside the lighthouse
Good to know
- →Turnberry is a five-star resort and the Ailsa is its showpiece; green fees are among the very highest in Britain, and a stay at the hotel gives the best access.
- →The setting is the thing — the lighthouse, Ailsa Craig, Arran across the water. Play it on a clear evening if you can.
- →Royal Troon and Prestwick are a short drive north up the Ayrshire coast for a three-course championship trip.
- →Glasgow Prestwick Airport is about 25 minutes away, making Turnberry surprisingly easy to reach from abroad.
- →The Ailsa is defined by its lighthouse, the great rock of Ailsa Craig offshore and the views to Arran — arguably the most beautiful links in the world, with the grand hotel on the hill above.
Visitor Information
Getting There
Common questions
What was the "Duel in the Sun" at Turnberry?
The 1977 Open Championship, when Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus pulled clear of the entire field and traded blow for blow over the closing rounds in glorious weather, Watson winning by a single stroke. It is remembered as one of the greatest head-to-head contests in golf history, and it happened on the Ailsa.
What is special about Turnberry's lighthouse hole?
The par-3 9th, "Bruce's Castle," created in Martin Ebert's 2015–16 redesign — it is played from a tee out on the rocks to a green beside the white Turnberry lighthouse, with the sea on three sides. It is one of the most dramatic and photographed short holes anywhere.
How do I play Turnberry, and what does it cost?
Turnberry is a five-star resort and the Ailsa is its showpiece, so green fees are among the very highest in Britain and a stay at the hotel gives the best access. Royal Troon and Prestwick are a short drive north for a three-course Ayrshire trip, and Glasgow Prestwick Airport is about 25 minutes away.
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Course Facts
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Golf in Ayrshire
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