Royal Troon Golf Club
Craigend Road,
Troon, Strathclyde KA10 6EP
Tel : +44 (0)1292 311 555 Fax : +44 (0)1292 318 204
Royal Troon is home to one of the best links courses on the west side of Scotland and is steeped in golfing history, notably several dramatic Open Championships since 1923. The club was awarded its Royal Charter in 1978 to celebrate it's centenary.
Visitors must have a handicap of 20 or less and a handicap certificate and letter of introduction to prove it. Advance booking. Green fees of approx. £120 (1998) include a round on both courses and lunch in the clubhouse (jacket and tie required).
Directions
Southeast side of Troon (B749). Prestwick Airport 5 km
Course Details
| Course Name: Old Holes: 18 Yardage: 7097 SSS: 74 |
| Created in combination with the best of links course ingredients and the expertise of Braid, McKenzie and Pennick, the Old course is an exceptionally demanding one and recognised as one of the sternest tests on the Open Championship rota. This course is perhaps most famous for its par 3 8th hole, the Postage Stamp, where veteran Majors champion Gene Sarazen got down in 1 and 2 on subsequent rounds of the 1973 Open Championship - a dramatic display of golf watched by millions on TV. The course is undulating in the classic links fashion but danger lurkes in the guise of wind, rough and bunkers. This is a course which demands courage and a test of the mental aspects of golf. Course record of 64 is held by Greg Norman from the 1989 Open. For an appreciation and independent view of this course please see golfer reviews. 
press here for Royal Troon Golf Club course reviews |
| Course Name: Portland Holes: 18 Yardage: 6274 SSS: 71 |
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For an appreciation and independent view of this course please see golfer reviews.
press here for Royal Troon Golf Club course reviews |
CE Johnson (USGA index 17.5) wrote on: May 19, 2004
Played May 2004, as the course was being brought into shape for the 2004 Open Championship. It was by far the best conditioned course we played in Ayeshire. We played under clear skies in a fairly good wind with indexes ranging from a 7.0 up to my 17.5, and enjoyed our experience. The postage stamp (#8) is unique. In calm conditions it would be a pitching wedge for me, but it took me a six iron to get pin high against the wind. Unfortunately, the wind pushed me more to the right than I had allowed for and I was off the green, down the hill to the right, then chipped across the green into a bunker, from which I never successfully extricated the ball (and sand play may be the best part of my game). The downside is that it costs £185 (about $340 at today's exchange rate), but that includes a round on the Club's secondary Portland course and a very good buffet lunch between rounds. Except for the wind and the length of some of the par fours, the Portland course is neither challenging nor interesting.
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Dave McPherson wrote on: Sep 30, 2001
Having been born in Scotland, it was a great thrill to return and have the experience of playing Royal Troon. My brother and I had the extreme pleasure of playing with two of the club members. Even though it took us almost 6 hours to play, a great portion of the time spent looking for my brothers ball, those fellows were great sports. I will cherish forever the fact that I birdied the Postage Stamp (no wind!). I look forward to attending The Open there in 2004, and hopefully playing the course again.
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Åke Appelgren wrote on: Oct 31, 1998
Royal Troon - the course will knock You down, spoil all Your dreams of ever being able to control the game. This course will kill You - it's a must for the serious golfer. Especially the 12 first holes are among the best holes I've ever played. I tried to hit The Postage Stamp with a sand-iron in down wind, missed the green by inches and found myself walking criss-cross from bunker to bunker and over the hill and down and up and down for 7 or 8. Bill, my caddie, had all the trouble in the world to make me feel that I in spite of that still could hit the ball and play some golf. After Royal Troon the Portland course made us all feel that we at least could play some kind of.
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Andy/Carol WiIson wrote on: Oct 31, 1998
The middle six holes definitely the best. One member of our group birdied the Postage Stamp but another never did get out of the bunkers! Overall, we liked Western Gailes and North Berwick better than Royal Troon.
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Tom Huckaby wrote on: Oct 31, 1998
Huh. Maybe it's me, and maybe my memory is clouded since I haven't played Troon since 1987, but I just can't understand all the hubbub about it. I found the club to be a great one with fine hospitality, they were very courteous and nice to my group, but the Old Course was the least interesting of any course I played in Scotland or Ireland. There are certainly many humps and bumps, but you find that everywhere in the Auld Sod... Troon for me was just a sraight out, straight back series of holes that are all basically the same, with the exception of the Postage Stamp which is undeniably cool. I have discussed this some with my friend Evan below, but I'd be interested in other views as well! By my reckoning, Troon is a fine course, worthy of being on the Open rota, but I'd rank it below each of Prestwick, BOTH Turnberry courses and Western Gailes if one were to rank the courses in the area.
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David Swan wrote on: Jun 30, 1998
I've played Royal Troon on a few occasions and it is one of the finest tests of golf in the British Isles. A marvellous course steeped in history. First 9 holes or so are usually with the wind and the postage stamp 8th is a huge challenge as it is usually into the teeth of the wind.
From memory I played from the back tee on this par three into a howling gale and used a full blooded 4 iron to carry 138 yards to sneak on the front and end up pin high. I found a decent rule of thumb to be one extra club per 10 mph of wind. I would normally hit a 9 iron 138 yards without any trouble + 50 mph wind = 4 Iron !! The back 9 holes are the toughest finishing holes I have played into wind ever but it was still very enjoyable. I played it just before the Open and it was at its toughest with the rough at its worst.
Brilliant course and a great challenge. You've go to be physically and mentally fit to play 36 holes here especially on a windy day. I'll be back for more.
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