Turnberry, Ailsa Course

President: Paul Berley
Head pro:
Manager:
Holes: 18 holes
Par: 69 - 75
Distance (men/women): 6440 - 5757
Courcerating (men/women): *****
Slope (men/women): links
Green Fee: nov - march : £ 55 april - oct : £ 105
Cart Fee: n/a
Architect:

Is there a hotel: No
Is there a restaurant: yes

Extra info
Long regarded as one of the finest courses in the world, the Ailsa came to international prominence with the famous duel between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson over the four days of the 1977 Open. It was then, in brilliant sunny weather, that a capacity crowd was treated to an exhilarating display of golf from two of the best golfers the world has ever known.
Polls now regularly acknowledge the Ailsa as one of Britain's top three courses, confirmation that gives it eminence worldwide, with regular rankings within the world's top 20 courses.
The first three holes pose a fairly tough opening, particularly when the wind blows from the direction of Ailsa Craig, the dramatic rock 11 miles out to sea.
From the admirable short fourth to the short 11th the Ailsa Course follows the shoreline, the fifth to the eight framed by dunes and the ninth, tenth and eleventh flanked by craggy rocks. It is a thrilling passage full of stout hitting.
Perhaps the ninth is Turnberry's trademark, the remote