Ailsa Old Course, Hole by hole
No. 1 354 yards, par 4 (Ailsa Craig): A gentle start to the British Open, although it is best to keep it down the right side of the fairway to avoid four bunkers that start at 225 yards and end at 304 yards. Two other bunkers are on the right side, and the green is surrounded by four bunkers. The hole is named after the famous rock in the Firth of Clyde.
No. 2 428 yards, par 4 (Mak Siccar): The motto of the second hole, which turns back toward the clubhouse, is “make sure.” The hole bends right-to-left and is protected by four fairway bunkers. One of the two bunkers around the green has been cut slightly closer to the green. The putting surface is deceptively long and slopes away to the left.
No. 3 489 yards, par 4 (Blaw Wearie): This plays into the prevailing wind, hence the name of the hole, which means “out of breath.” The hole has been lengthened by 27 yards since 1994, making it the longest par 4 on the course. Two fairway bunkers have been added in the landing area. Two bunkers guard the green on the right.
No. 4 166 yards, par 3 (Woe-Be-Tide): A gorgeous par 3 that runs along the Firth of Clyde, and the hole description warns against it. The hole is exposed to the seaside wind. The green is guarded by a deep pot bunker front and to the right, and a steep slope to the left.
No. 5 474 yards, par 4 (Fin Me Oot): The back tee has been brought back, making his right-to-left hole play 33 yards longer than in 1994. Four bunkers flank the fairway between 250 and 320 yards from the tee, and four bunkers surround the green. The preferred tee shot is down the right side for the best view of the green. Subtle contours make birdie putts difficult to read.
No. 6 231 yards, par 3 (Tappie Toorie): This long par 3 features a large bunker to the front right, and three smaller bunkers to the left of a slightly elevated green, which makes for an intimidating tee shot with a long iron. A “toorie” means something on the top, and the hole asks players to hit to the top of the high green. The putting surface slopes from back to front.
No. 7 538 yards, par 5 (Roon The Ben): An elevated tee gives players a grand view of this picturesque par 5, which veers to the left. A big drive over a saddle leaves about 250 yards to the front of the green. It appears the approach funnels to the green, but there are two deep bunkers short of the green on the right, and deep rough left of a valley near the green. There are fairway bunkers on either side, demanding accuracy.
No. 8 454 yards, par 4 (Goat Fell): The name comes from the tallest peak on the Isle of Arran, northwest across the Firth of Clyde. Two new bunkers on the right side of the fairway at about 300 yards add to the difficulty of the tee shot, because it slopes to the right. Anything short could find three bunkers in front of the green, which has two tiers.
No. 9 449 yards, par 4 (Bruce’s Castle): The only hole on the Ailsa Course without a bunker. The tee is perched on a rocky cliff, offering spectacular views of the coast. The hole makes its way up a narrow fairway toward the famous lighthouse. This was one of the few holes left unchanged from 1994. Remains of the castle belonging to Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland from 1306-1329, can be seen from the ninth green and 10th tee.
No. 10 456 yards, par 4 (Dinna Fouter): One of the most dramatic tee shots in golf, with instructions to “don’t mess about.” A new tee changes the angle of the hole to more of a dogleg left, with new fairway bunkers that allow players to decide whether they want a middle iron or a wedge to the green. The best angle to the green is from the right.
No. 11 175 yards, par 3 (Maidens): The Ayrshire coastline hugs the left side of this par 3, and Maidens village is to the north. The green is guarded by two small bunkers on the right and a large bunker on the left. The green slopes from right-to-left and back-to-front.
No. 12 451 yards, par 4 (Monument): The monument on the hill above the green commemorates the lost airmen stationed at Turnberry during the two World Wars. This hole is long and straight, with a new fairway bunker to make the tee shot even more demanding. Three deep pot bunkers and a steep slope protect the front of the green, making it essential to have enough club.
No. 13 410 yards, par 4 (Tickly Tap): A dogleg to the right that will tempt players to take on the corner, provided they avoid two bunkers between 250 yards and 270 yards. The green, which is elevated, is one of only two on the Ailsa course that is not guarded by any bunkers, although a sharp rise will keep shots from reaching the two-tiered green. The name refers to a green that requires a “tricky little stroke.”
No. 14 448 yards, par 4 (Risk-An-Hope): Two new bunkers on the right between 300 and 320 yards make this hole live up to its nickname, for the two shots to reach the green must be daring and good. The new tee has been borrowed from the Kintyre Course. The green is protected by one bunker on each side in the front. The hole plays into a prevailing wind, making it even tougher.
No. 15 206 yards, par 3 (Ca’ Canny): The green is protected by three bunkers along the left side and a steep slope to the right, so any errant shot will be punished. Players thus should “take care.” The green slopes from the left and toward the back.
No. 16 455 yards, par 4 (Wee Burn): The stream, Wilson’s Burn, doesn’t look so small if the second shot is not struck properly. A new tee makes this hole play 45 yards longer and turned a dogleg right into a relatively straight hole, but the burn is more in play than before. The tee shot should be aimed up the right side to leave the best approach to the green. The green slopes from back to front, and anything to short risks running off the green into the stream.
No. 17 559 yards, par 5 (Lang Whang): A “good whack” is required for players to have a reasonable chance of reaching the green. The hole has been stretched an additional 60 yards, with new bunkers in the layup area and a new greenside bunker challenging the second shot. The green is protected by two bunkers on the left and two on the right. This is where Tom Watson two-putted for birdie in 1977, taking a one-shot lead when Jack Nicklaus missed a 5-foot birdie putt.
No. 18 461 yards, par 4 (Duel in the Sun): The hole has been lengthened 30 yards with a new tee, with an additional bunker to the left in the driving zone. Players must decide whether to take on the corner of the dogleg left or play back. The green is slightly elevated, and anything short will be tossed to the left by the slope. The hole was renamed in honor of the 1977 British Open, when Watson shot 65-65 over the final two rounds to beat Nicklaus, who shot 65-66. The hole used to be called Ailsa Home.
