The True Links Project: 2026

Sunday, 13 September 2026

Western Gailes Golf Club, Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland

Blue tees 7014 yards, rating 76.0, slope 146

Green tees (ladies) 5441 yards, rating 73.1, slope 131

We played Western Gailes with Jane and Graham Sturrock in the most benign conditions we could have asked for - a warm calm September day. The islands of Arran and Ailsa Craig were shrouded in sea mist but could just be made out on the horizon. Lying on the Firth of Clyde on the west coast of Scotland Western Gailes is surrounded by other true links courses - Glasgow Gailes, Dundonald and Barassie. Established in 1897 by four Glaswegians who wanted to play golf year round, the club website says that it was designed by the first greenkeeper, Fred Morris, although some sources claim that the designer was Willie Park Jr. The course was revised in the 1970s by Fred Hawtree and has since hosted a number of significant tournaments including the Curtis Cup. It is frequently used as a qualifying course for the Open Championship. A number of years ago the northern three-quarters of the course was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, mainly because of rare orchids on the course.

The par 3 7th

The clubhouse overlooks a narrow strip of land between the sea and the railway on which the course is situated. It is set out in an anticlockwise loop, with the first four holes proceeding in a northerly direction. It then turns and heads in a southerly direction for eight holes along the sea on the right before heading north again for home. This means that the prevailing westerly wind is almost always across the holes. The course was in fabulous condition with fast running fairways and greens. The greens are notable for their subtle borrows making putting a challenge at times.

The 8th has a burn running in front of the green

The first four holes are all par 4s and are classic lovely links holes peppered with bunkers. The 2nd is a long dogleg from right to left with the railway line close to the second half of the hole on the right - slicers beware! Turning to the south, the 5th is another long par four and is the first of the holes running along the sea. The 6th is a short par 5 about the same length as the par 4 5th hole and is an S shape with the very sloping green hidden in a hollow. Probably the signature hole, the first of the par 3s is the 7th with a long carry over penal rough from an elevated tee to a well bunkered green in a dell surrounded by dunes. Eight, nine and ten are all short par 4s with the 8th being distinguished by a burn running across the fairway just short of the two tiered green sloping from back to front.

The 13th green is well guarded

The 10th is a similar hole also with a burn just short of the green. The 13th hole turns with the prevailing wind and is a testing par 3 with a burn running at an angle across the hole and multiple bunkers. The course then heads for home running along the railway line on the right. The 14th is the longest hole followed by a par 3 and three par 4s. The 16th has one of the burns crossing the fairway
short of the long green sloping fairly steeply up from front to back. The course finishes in front of the clubhouse with yet another testing but lovely par 4. This is a clever course which rewards good positioning of the ball but presents hazards if your ball is out of position.

The 18th is overlooked by the clubhouse

Worth playing? Yes - a beautiful setting and a testing course which is a joy to play.

The True Links Project

There are 247 true links golf courses in the world and this blog is a record of our attempt to play all of them. My husband Ron and I are keen golfers and I came up with the idea of this project after he gave me the book by George Peper and Malcolm Campbell 'True Links' which lists them all.

The commonest question we are asked about our project is 'How do you define a true links course?' This will be debated by aficionados for long after we have (hopefully) completed our quest and there will never be a correct answer. The strict definition is from the British Golf Museum:

1. The course must be beside a river estuary

2. It must offer partial or occasional views of the sea

3. It must have few trees

4. It must have numerous bunkers

5. It must have nines that run out and back, the front heading to a far point and the back returning to the clubhouse

Peper and Campbell defined their list as follows:

Terrain - how close is the course to the sea? Do the fairways run fast and hard? Do the greens favour a run-on approach? How open is the site? How natural? Is there a freedom from trees? Is the invasion of gorse and brush controlled? How light is the environmental footprint on the land?

Turf - is there a sand base? What grasses are dominant on the fairways and greens? Is the rough managed ( creating biodiversity for flora and fauna)? How well does the course drain?

Weather - how exposed is the site to the elements? What are the typical wind conditions? Does the course play hard and fast all year round? Must temporary greens and tees be used in winter? Is the course susceptible to winter closure?

Peper and Campbell included courses which supplied the correct answers to most of these questions. But however defined, to me the poem by Sir John Betjeman encapsulates the feeling of links golf.