In July, Dundonald Links in Irvine on the Scottish west coast will host a unique double: the Scottish Opens for men and ladies. First, from July 13 thru 16, 2017 the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open of the European Tour. Then from July 27 thru 30th the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open of the Ladies European Tour.
The men’s event event will be the last tournament prior to the British Open in Royal Birkdale in Southport in England, and will attract many world class golfers who use this event as the last tune-up for the season’s third major in the following week.
This year this tournament is part of the newly formed Rolex Series, a collection of the most prestigious events of the European Tour.
From July 27 thru 30 the Ladies European Tour (LET) will return with the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open to the course on the Ayrshire coastline for the third consecutive year.
Dundonald Links an hour south of Glasgow
Situated about an hour south of Glasgow Dundonald Links, originally named Southern Gailes, was bought in 2003 by the owners of Loch Lomond and opened the same year to give Loch Lomond members a chance to play a great links course.
Loch Lomond Golf Club staged the Scottish Open of the European Tour for 15 years from 1996 until 2010 when the tournament moved to different locations in Scotland. This year it travels to the scenic west coast of Scotland to a stretch of great golfing country. Courses like Royal Troon, host of last year’s British Open, Western Gailes, Gailes Golf Links or Prestwick Golf Club are recognized as some of the best traditional links courses in the world.
The 7,100-yard (6,490 meters) par 72 Dundonald Links layout (watch video below) was designed by the highly-acclaimed American golf course architect Kyle Phillips. The course features all that you would expect from a classic links course, deep bunkers, meandering burns and undulating greens.
Dundonald Links has played host to numerous professional and amateur tournaments, including the European Tour Qualifying School First Stage, a qualifier for the Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex and the Ladies Scottish Open.
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, which manages the Scottish Government’s investment in the event, said:
“Scotland is the Home of Golf, and as such is fortunate to have an abundance of world-class golfing venues the length and breadth of the country. I am delighted that Dundonald Links, one of the outstanding courses on the west coast, will host the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open in 2017 and continue the commitment of rotating the event around the country.”
All Ayrshire courses open to the public
The great courses of Ayrshire not only welcome and test the best golfers in the world. All courses are open to the public. In order to accommodate golfers from all over the world two packages were created. The Gailes Golf Experience offers the chance to play the three courses Dundonald Links, Western Gailes and Gailes Links for a bargain price of £270 during peak season from May thru September.
With the Ayrshire Golf Pass, the three great golf courses of Prestwick St. Nicholas, Kilmarnock Barassie and Irvine Bogside can be played for £170. Add an additional £100, and a round at Dundonald can be booked.
Read more: Golf and the Ayrshire region
