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The Global Golfer Top 100
Trump Turnberry — Ailsa Course
Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland · #7 in the World
Location: Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland | Ranking: #7 — The Global Golfer Top 100
Type: Clifftop Links | Partner Stay: Trump Turnberry Resort
Editor’s Note: The Ailsa Course at Turnberry contains golf’s most iconic sequence — the 9th, 10th and 11th holes along the Firth of Clyde cliffs, with the lighthouse as constant companion and the Isle of Arran as backdrop. Watson and Nicklaus traded blows here in the 1977 Duel in the Sun — the greatest Open Championship ever played. Watson’s near-miracle at 59 in 2009 came within one putt of the most extraordinary result in sporting history. The renovated Grand Resort Hotel completes a destination that is, simply, magical.
1. Travel & Logistics
- How to Get There: Turnberry is on the A77 Ayrshire coast road, 50 miles south of Glasgow and 15 miles south of Ayr.
- Nearest Airport: Glasgow Prestwick (PIK) — 30 mins. Glasgow International (GLA) — 55 mins.
- By Train: Glasgow Central to Girvan (1h 15m), then taxi to Turnberry (12 mins).
2. Contact & Booking
- Tel: +44 (0)1655 334032 | Email: golfbooking@trumpturnberry.com
- Website: turnberry.co.uk
- How to Book: Open to visitors 7 days — hotel guests receive priority tee time access. The King Robert The Bruce Course provides an excellent alternative on site.
- Course Rating / Slope: Championship: 76.1 / 145 | Medal: 74.3 / 141
- Green Fees: From £295 (resort guests); £395 (non-resident visitors)
3. Championship Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | OUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 35 |
| Yards | 354 | 430 | 462 | 165 | 474 | 222 | 528 | 431 | 452 | 3,518 |
Par 4
Par 3
Par 5
Total
| Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | IN | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 35 | 70 |
| Yards | 452 | 174 | 448 | 411 | 441 | 209 | 409 | 542 | 441 | 3,527 | 7,204 |
4. Hole-by-Hole Strategy
Hole 9 — Bruce’s Castle (Par 4, 452 Yards)
- Strategy: The most dramatic tee shot in British golf — from an elevated tee behind the Turnberry Lighthouse, firing across a rocky headland above the Firth of Clyde to a fairway 60 feet below. Ailsa Craig sits in the sea directly in your eyeline. Simply extraordinary.
Hole 10 — Dinna Fouter (Par 4, 452 Yards)
- Strategy: Immediately continuing the clifftop drama — the fairway runs along the edge of the rocks. The approach is into a green that falls away left toward the sea. This is where the 1977 Duel in the Sun was decided hole by hole.
Hole 17 — Lang Whang (Par 5, 542 Yards)
- Strategy: The decision hole — reachable in two for the bold, but the fairway narrows severely at the carry point. Tom Watson birdied this hole in 1977 and again in 2009 to create golfing folklore.
5. The 19th Hole — Where to Stay & Dine
- Trump Turnberry Hotel (5★ Grand Resort): Scotland’s grandest golf hotel — perched above the 18th green with views to Ailsa Craig. The 1906 Room restaurant, spa and indoor pool complete the experience. Book via Expedia →
- Turnberry Hotel Clubhouse Bar: The post-round drink with views over the 18th green and the Firth of Clyde — one of the great experiences in British golf.
- Culzean Castle (NTS): 15 minutes from Turnberry — Robert Adam’s clifftop masterpiece. Essential non-golf afternoon.