Open Championship 2009 – Turnberry Review

By June 22, 2009July 7th, 20097 Comments

Turnberry’s Ailsa Course – The Finest Links in the World

Turnberry Resort

With the Open Championship just weeks away, all eyes are drawn towards Scotland’s Ayrshire coastline. Turnberry has been closed for play since November 2008 to create possibly the best condition Open Championship venue in history. This combined with some subtle changes to the Ailsa course makes this one of the most anticipated Majors in many years. With the course only open to confirmed competitors for the 2009 Open Championship, its safe to say I felt very happy to accept my invite to test the links.

The Ailsa course at Turnberry was ranked No.17 in the world by Golf Digest magazine and recently the best golf course in the UK and Ireland. Located on Scotland’s charming Ayrshire coast, Turnberry is one of the most scenic places in the world to play golf. There is little doubt that standing on the 9th tee on the Ailsa course on a Summer’s day is an experience virtually unrivalled.

The history of the Ailsa course is quite remarkable. It was partly destroyed during both the First and Second World Wars to make landing fields for the Royal Air Service. As a result Mackenzie Ross was tasked with rebuilding the golf course after the Second World War. However in a combination of both luck and no doubt foresight most of the holes along the coast were spared destruction. The original golf course was built in 1906, by Willie Fernie, the professional at Royal Troon Golf Club, although some say the Marquis of Ailsa had a private golf course on the land prior to 1906.

Turnberry, like many early British golf courses, was initially built by the railway companies to generate traffic; in this instance, with the building of the Glasgow and South Western Railway link and Turnberry station. The original golf course was very different to today’s redesigned course as 8 holes where you had to hit blind shots were eliminated by Ross’s redesign.

Each hole on the Ailsa Course has a Scottish name and many of them deviously plant the slightest bit of doubt in your mind before playing them:

1. Ailsa Craig (named for the rock in the Firth of Clyde that you look out on)
2. Mak Siccar (Make Sure)
3. Blaw Wearie (Out of Breath)
4. Wo-Be-Tide (Watch Out)
5. Fin Me Oot (Find Me Out)
6. Tappie Toorie (Hit to the Top)
7. Roon the Ben
8. Goat Fell (named for the tallest peak on Arran across the firth)
9. Bruce’s Castle (remains of Robert the Bruce’s castle are nearby)

10. Dinna Fouter (Don’t Mess About)
11. Maidens (The village north of the course)
12. Monument (to the airman lost that were stationed at Turnberry)
13. Tickly Tap (Tricky Little Stroke)
14. Risk-an-Hope
15. Ca’ Canny (Take Care)
16. Wee Burn (the little burn that runs in front of the green)
17. Lang Whang (Good Whack)
18. Duel in the Sun (Jack Nicklaus vs. Tom Watson, The Open 1977)

The Ailsa was added to The Open Rota in 1977 and has hosted the greatest tournament in golf 4 times: 1977, 1986, 1994 and 2009.

Turnberry ResortHoles 1-3 are back and forth parallel holes which if the wind is blowing allow you multiple changes in direction in the beginning of your round to provide some relief. The golf course really beings at the short 4th hole where the next eight holes are along the ocean which is unlike any other in the world of golf. I particularly like the 5th holes which during The Open will create a natural amphitheatre. The holes is a dog log from right to left and requires two excellent shots to hit the green. If the wind is up during The Open Championship, this is going to be a potential card wrecker. The tee shot requires accuracy and the green is well protected on both sides.

The Championship tee on the 9th hole is arguably the most iconic tee box in the world and certainly the most picturesque. You are basically hitting your tee shot from the edge of a cliff with the white Turnberry lighthouse on your left. The lighthouse is Ayrshire’s only mainland lighthouse and stands within the remains of Turnberry Castle where Robert the Bruce was “probably born” in 1274. You find yourself lingering on the 9th tee, gazing down on the waves as they break on the rocks and reflecting how good it is to be alive!

The 16th Hole, Wee Burn, is my favorite hole on the course and has recently been re designed into left to right dogleg. The drama on this hole comes on your second shot. You will typically be hitting anywhere from a 5 to 9 iron to an oval shaped green that is difficult to hold. If you are a little bit short the green is shaped so your ball will roll back into the burn. The same will happen if you go right of the green. The left side is protected by a bunker and being long leaves you a dangerous downhill chip back towards the burn.

Turnberry ResortThe overall experience at Turnberry is one of sheer excitement and links golf at its very best. As golf writer and golf architect Donald Steel says describing Turnberry – “there is no where lovelier!” The Ailsa course at Turnberry is without doubt the finest links golf course in the world.

For golf holidays and golf breaks to Turnberry Resort starting from just £395 with Your Golf Travel.com simply visit their website or call 0800 043 6644.

Oliver

Oliver

Have travelled far and wide to be able to contribute to the 19th hole blog. Often referred to as one of the most boring people in golf due to my facts and figures about different destinations!

7 Comments

  • Jamie Donald says:

    Really looking forward to Turnberry this year. Always seems to create some good tournaments. I’ve not played here in years but hope to get up there after the Open – hopefully after we’ve seen Harrington win his 3rd Open on the spin!

  • Jon West says:

    I bet the course was in great condition as no one has played it since November. Hope the Open provides as good a finish as the US Open, if the wind blows they’ll find Turnberry really tough.

    The Ailsa in my opinion is one of the world’s best golf courses, this combined with the Kintyre makes it one of the best golfing trips you can have in the UK.

  • Tim Lloyd says:

    What a golf course and great review – can’t wait ti see Tiger on the Ailsa. I think the golf course will suit the current world No.1 and hopefully he’ll make it 4 in a row for “current world No.1’s” to win The Open at Turnberry!

  • jim caven says:

    I,ve played the AILSA in 1967 ,1984 and 2005 and think it is the best links course in u k. It has been raining and windy each time I played the AILSA so I found it very difficult but what a wonderful course to play. Looking forward to another round sometime.

  • Sarah knights says:

    Great article! Have wondered what they had done to Turnberry since its closure. I am going to get a holiday booked there in March as I think there are some good deals around that time of year.

  • Jody klimtschuck says:

    Great article, I just wanted to comment on Tim Loyds comment about “4 in a row current number 1’s to win”

    the three previous Opens at Turnberry were:

    1977 – Winner: Tom Watson, Nicklaus was number 1, Watson became number 1 in 1978 (back then they were unofficial rankings published at year end)

    1986 – Winner Greg Norman, This was the first year of the official WGR, Norman did finish the year at number 1 but I’m not sure when he took over as number 1. The first list published before that years masters had Bernhard Langer as number 1 and Norman as a distant number 6 (600 points behind). Norman had a stellar year in the Majors that year taking the 54 hole lead into Sunday in all 4. He only won the Open though which makes me suspect that he might not have taken the number 1 spot until after he won. But this one I’m not sure about.

    1994 – Winner: Nick Price, number 1 was Greg Norman, Price took over the number one spot on Aug. 14th a month after he won the open.

    So, at best the Open at Turnberry has only been won by the “current number 1” once and possibly depending on when Norman took the #1 spot in ’86 it could be 0 for 3.

  • Julie Rounce says:

    Can someone tell me why the 1977 Open was concluded on a Saturday?

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