A Journal for the Thrifty Gowfer
Argyll
Carradale, Kintyre
Plate III — Heathland course — heather-framed, sandy subsoil
9-hole heathland on the east coast of Kintyre, looking across the Kilbrannan Sound to Arran.
Carradale is the nine-holer on the east side of the Kintyre peninsula — the counterweight to the famous links at Machrihanish on the west. The course occupies a headland above the village with views across the Kilbrannan Sound to the Isle of Arran, and plays 4,576 yards to a par of 65 over two loops. Small greens, rock, bracken and the wind do the defending; there is not a flat lie on the property and nobody who plays it wishes there were.
It is run the way remote Scottish nine-holers should be: online tee booking exists, but club hire is arranged by phoning the greenkeeper, the trolley hire costs two pounds, and a whole week of golf costs about the same as a single round at the marquee courses up the coast. Anyone doing the Machrihanish pilgrimage should budget the extra half-day; the drive over the B842 is worth the green fee on its own.
The Full Scorecard
Fields marked “Contact club” aren’t public-facing in a way we’ve been able to verify. Call the club directly for these — we’ll update the entry when we have it from source.
Conditions This Week
Scored 0–10 for golf — wind, rain, conditions · Full 7-region forecast →
Location
Carradale, Kintyre · PA28 6RYOpen in OpenStreetMap →
Plan This Round
Where to Stay
Hotels, lodges and self-catering near the first tee. Map-style search via Stay22 covering Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb and Vrbo.
How to Get There
Glasgow (GLA) is 180 minutes away by car. Train + onward taxi works for the carless visitor.
Insure Your Round
Most home contents policies don't cover golf clubs in transit. The picker matches you to the right kind of cover in two minutes.
Played here? Consider
Picked for heathland rounds in Scotland.
Outerwear
Wind off the firth changes club selection two irons. A breathable, fully-waterproof shell that's light enough not to swing in is the single biggest upgrade for Scottish links golf.
Layer
Scottish-made merino — the locals' choice for shoulder-season rounds. Warm enough for a 7am tee time in October, light enough for the back nine when the sun comes out.
Tech
Handles blind tee shots and exposed-coastal yardage cleanly. Battery lasts a 36-hole day; the wind-direction overlay justifies the price on its own.
Stays Nearby
Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering within easy reach of Carradale. Tap any property to check rates.
Rates and availability via Stay22. We may earn a small commission if you book — at no extra cost to you. How affiliate links work.
Frequently Asked
Nearby courses
Ayrshire golf hub
Browse all Ayrshire courses →
The Open coast. Royal Troon, Turnberry, Prestwick — the trio that defined links golf, plus the municipal courses that locals quietly play for a tenth of the price.
While they golf — Campbeltown
For the non-golfer in Campbeltown →
Springbank malts, distils, and bottles everything on one site — tours book weeks ahead. Davaar Island's 1887 painted cave is accessible on foot at low tide.
Read more about Argyll
Spotted a wrong fee, a closed course, or a typo on this page?
Email us a correction →