Ayrshire Golf Classic
West Coast of Scotland
Turnberry Ailsa & Kintyre, Dundonald Links, Barassie
Sunday April 27th - Thursday May 1st 2008
Ayrshire hugs the west coast of Scotland looking out to the Firth of Clyde and the magnificent views across to the Isle of Arran and it provides perhaps the most perfect stretch of links golf courses in Scotland.
The Ayrshire Golf Classic has always featured some of the very best golf available and for 2008 it just gets better.
We're delighted to have The Ailsa back on the year before it hosts The Open Championship in 2009. It's joined for the first time by the superb Dundonald Links and the two Open Qualifying courses at Barassie and Turnberry Kintyre. A Wow Factor to tee off the season!
The Ayrshire was the first of the Golf Classics way back in 2000 and we expect the early season event to be at full strength with quite possibly the best 72 holes of golf available for the money anywhere in Scotland. The Ailsa Course was the scene of the memorable Duel in the Sun between Nicklaus and Watson and the Open returns to the Ayrshire links in 2009.
The Dundonald Links is quite possibly the finest of Scotland's newest courses. Designed by Kyle Phillips (who was also responsible for Kingsbarns) the course just does not have a weak hole and we are truly delighted to have it on our programme.
Accommodation is available across Ayrshire from the Five Star Westin Turnberry Resort up the coast to Ayr, Troon and Prestwick. The drinks reception and prizegiving banquet simply add to the experience with castles providing the venue for both.
Event Itinerary
Sunday 27th April
Welcome reception, registration, buffet, a wee dram and some Scottish music at the 14th century Dundonald Castle not far from Troon.
Monday 28th April
Golf tees off on the Monday morning at the links of Dundonald and neighbouring Barassie and the early golfers will be piped on to the first tee.
Tuesday 29th April
The field reverses this morning with the first 36 holes over Barassie and Dundonald being completed. Those out early on day one will be a bit later on day two. Tuesday also provides the return of the Classic Quiz Night held this year at Barassie Golf Club.
Wednesday 30th April
The Ayrshire Golf Classic started at Turnberry and we’re delighted to be heading back to this most magnificent of Open Championship venues. 2009 sees the Open back on the wonderful Links so it makes it all the sweeter that it will be one of the host courses for the 2008 Classic. The field will be split this morning over the Ailsa and Kintyre and there will be the chance to play the nine hole Academy course.
Thursday 1st May
The final eighteen holes are played in leaderboard order at Turnberry with half the field playing on the Kintyre and the rest over The Ailsa. The prizegiving dinner is at the magnificent Courtyard Restaurant at Culzean Castle complete with bagpipes, fiddles and accordions. Kilts are of course optional but we will offer a hire service should you wish to dress for the occasion. Transfers will be available from Culzean Castle to the main hotels at the end of the evening.
Sunday 27th April
Welcome reception, registration, buffet, a wee dram and some Scottish music at the 14th century Dundonald Castle not far from Troon.
Monday 28th April
Golf tees off on the Monday morning at the links of Dundonald and neighbouring Barassie and the early golfers will be piped on to the first tee.
Tuesday 29th April
The field reverses this morning with the first 36 holes over Barassie and Dundonald being completed. Those out early on day one will be a bit later on day two. Tuesday also provides the return of the Classic Quiz Night held this year at Barassie Golf Club.
Wednesday 30th April
The Ayrshire Golf Classic started at Turnberry and we’re delighted to be heading back to this most magnificent of Open Championship venues. 2009 sees the Open back on the wonderful Links so it makes it all the sweeter that it will be one of the host courses for the 2008 Classic. The field will be split this morning over the Ailsa and Kintyre and there will be the chance to play the nine hole Academy course.
Thursday 1st May
The final eighteen holes are played in leaderboard order at Turnberry with half the field playing on the Kintyre and the rest over The Ailsa. The prizegiving dinner is at the magnificent Courtyard Restaurant at Culzean Castle complete with bagpipes, fiddles and accordions. Kilts are of course optional but we will offer a hire service should you wish to dress for the occasion. Transfers will be available from Culzean Castle to the main hotels at the end of the evening.
The Golf Courses
The Ayrshire event brings together four of the finest courses in the country let alone the area. How much better could it be at the start of your golfing year?
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The Ailsa Course Turnberry |
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Most famous for the Duel in the Sun between Nicklaus and Watson The Ailsa course arguably provides the most perfect Open Champinship venue with the magnificent old hotel overlooking the links and the iconic lighthouse guarding from the sea. With views across to the Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran it truly could not be better located. It will not disappoint. |
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The Kintyre Course Turnberry |
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Building on the challenges laid down by the famous old Arran course, the Kintyre is links golf at its exhilarating best. Undulating greens, glorious fairways, magnificent seaside holes, and all with the same stunning views as its famous sister course. The Kintyre offers a tighter arguably more challenging test than The Ailsa. Judge for yourself. |
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Barassie Links |
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Kilmarnock Barassie provides 27 holes for the visitor and as an open Championship Qualifying course has been a host venue for the Ayrshire Golf Classic since the beginning. The eighteen holes provides one of the toughest challenges of all the courses in the event and always receives the highest of compliments. |
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Dundonald Links |
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Designed by Kyle Phillips, one of the game’s top architects, Dundonald has already been recognised as one of the best new courses in the world. The course provides one of the finest links challenges in Scotland and perhaps the best collection of par threes anywhere. This is truly a stunning addition to the Classics’ portfolio. |
Accommodation
As a destination Ayrshire offers the widest choice of accommodation and we’ve selected some of the best. The packages below are only a sample of what’s available and you can even reserve your rooms separately online - check the availability button on the right hand side of this page - in a wide selection of hotels, B&B’s and even self-catering accommodation.
The hotel prices below are all based on two people sharing a twin room and are inclusive of five nights accommodation inclusive of breakfast. All prices are inclusive of drinks reception and buffet on the Sunday, four rounds of golf and the prizegiving banquet at Culzean Castle.
| Accommodation |
Rating |
Price |
|
Westin Turnberry Lodges |
5 |
£865.00 |
|
South Beach Hotel, Troon |
3 |
£630.00 |
|
Lochgreen House Hotel, Troon |
5 |
£775.00 |
|
Menzies Hotel, Irvine |
4 |
£668.00 |
|
Gailes Hotel, Irvine |
3 |
£695.00 |
| Fairfield House Hotel, Ayr |
4 |
£695.00 |
|
Marine Hotel, Troon |
4 |
£787.00 |
|
Golf Package |
N/A |
£395.00 |
Previous Events
Want to have a look at previous events in Ayrshire? Well why not have a look at the archive featuring results, photgraphs and images all the way back to 2000.
| Year | Courses |
| 2006 EVENT | Turnberry Ailsa | Turnberry Kintyre | Prestwick | Irvine Bogside |
| 2005 EVENT | Turnberry Ailsa | Turnberry Kintyre | Kilmarnock (Barassie) | Irvine Bogside |
| 2004 EVENT | Turnberry Ailsa | Turnberry Kintyre | Kilmarnock (Barassie) | Belleisle |
| 2003 EVENT | Glasgow Gailes | Western Gailes | Turnberry Kintyre | Kilmarnock (Barassie) |
| 2002 EVENT | Glasgow Gailes | Turnberry Ailsa | Turnberry Kintyre | Kilmarnock (Barassie) |
| 2001 EVENT | Belleisle | Glasgow Gailes | Turnberry Ailsa | Kilmarnock (Barassie) |
| 2000 EVENT | Belleisle | Turnberry Ailsa | Irvine Bogside | Kilmarnock (Barassie) |