This course represents one of the definitive challenges of golfing ability and skill. With the wind to contend with, deep rough, plus extensive gorse and broom, you get severely punished for inaccuracy. Aiming to build up your score on the front nine is a good strategy, as the powerful prevailing north-westerly wind can make the back holes extremely tough - so much so that the course has won a reputation as the most demanding on the Championship circuit.
Royal Troon golf course is a popular choice with our customers. They meet the challenge head on, with good cheer and an adventurer’s spirit, and enjoy it immensely. With the sea views and the craggy Isle of Arran nearby, it's a spectacular place to hone your links game to perfection and see how you stack up against the pro’s.
About Royal Troon Old Course – Brief History
- Founded in 1878
- By 1880 the course had 6 holes
- Remodelled into its current form in 1888
- The first Captain appointed was James Dickie
- The first Honorary President was His Grace William John Arthur Charles James, 6th Duke of Portland
- One of the great links courses in Scotland, a traditional 'out and back' course
- The course has been updated by some famous names, including Willie Fernie, James Braid, Alister MacKenzie and Frank Pennick
- Eight-times host of The Open since 1923
- Host to the British Seniors in 2008
- Hosted the Home Internationals and Amateur Championship on five occasions
- In 1978, its Centenary Year, the Club was given the Royal Accolade
- Host of the 145th Open Championship in July 2016
Royal Troon - Old Course Scorecard
Click here to view the scorecard
Featured hole – Hole 8
Troon Golf Scotland is home to a hole 8 with magnificent views of the islet of Ailsa Craig. Its putting surface is absolutely tiny, which is why the hole is colloquially known as “the postage stamp”. You tee off on high ground and need to play a clever little dropping shot over a gully to a long and surprisingly narrow green, itself set into a hill. A couple of bunkers protect the left hand of the green but a big crater obscures the approach. All of which means getting it wrong lands you in a bunker with almost vertical sides. The hole is impossible to play safe - you're in no man’s land, unless you find the green with your tee shot.
Known for a truly terrific 11th hole
Royal Troon golf club is also famous for its brutal 11th hole, an incredibly tricky 490 yard par four that wreaked havoc in the 1997 Open. It became further notorious at the 2004 Open Championship, where Ernie Els missed a crucial 10’ putt during the play-off for the Claret Jug on the 72nd hole, and consequently lost to Todd Hamilton. For this reason alone, Troon Golf course has proven a particular draw for golfers of every handicap. The chance to play in Els’ and many other golfing great’s footsteps, at a place where even they have faltered, proves too tempting to pass up.
Royal Troon Old Course Golf Vacations
Royal Troon Old Course awaits you in all its quirky glory, thanks to our superb Troon golf course vacation and accommodation packages. The Experience St Andrews is your very best bet for top class golfing holiday deals. Our experience and industry expertise makes us unparalleled providers of luxury deals specifically tailored to your needs, including top class accommodated and guaranteed tee times at the Old Course.
Featured Royal Troon Golf package:
St Andrews & West Coast 7 Nights Golf Package – Featuring 7 rounds of Golf at the courses of your choice, and 7 nights’ accommodation, this Royal Troon golf vacation deal is tantalisingly tempting. You’ll receive a daily full Scottish breakfast, plus a guaranteed tee time at the Old Course. We can tailor any package to suit your needs because we want to ensure we provide you with the golf holiday experience you’ve been dreaming of. Driving range privilege’s when in St Andrews and more are also part of this unbeatable deal.