Can visitors play Dundonald Links?

Yes. Dundonald is a public-access championship links open to visitors all week, with online booking up to 12 months ahead via dundonaldlinks.com. The on-site Dundonald Lodge (formerly Trump-branded, now operated independently) is the accommodation closest to the first tee.

What is the green fee at Dundonald Links?

£135-£185 in 2026 depending on season. Combination rates are available with sister courses on the Ayrshire coast — particularly with Western Gailes (1 mile north) for a 36-hole day. Winter rates from November to March drop to around £85.

Has Dundonald hosted the Scottish Open?

Yes — twice. Rafa Cabrera-Bello won the 2017 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open here; Aaron Rai won the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open. The Women's Scottish Open and Ricoh Women's British Open have both also visited. The course's tour-spec setup is genuinely championship-grade and a draw for visitors playing in the week after a tournament.

Was Dundonald owned by Donald Trump?

Trump owned the property between 2014 and 2022 (acquired alongside Trump Turnberry; sold separately in 2022). The course itself is a 2003 Kyle Phillips design and predates Trump's involvement; the on-site lodge has been rebranded since the sale. Current ownership is private.

How does Dundonald compare to Western Gailes?

Different propositions. Western Gailes (a mile north) is a Victorian links from 1897, weekday-visitor-only, with a small 19th-century clubhouse and a £135–£185 green fee. Dundonald is a 2003 modern course with wider fairways, larger greens, an on-site lodge, and easier visitor access. Most visitors play both on consecutive days for the full Ayrshire-coast experience.

How do I get to Dundonald Links?

Train to Barassie station (5-minute taxi to the course), or drive from Glasgow (45 minutes). Glasgow Airport is 35 minutes by car. Most visitors stay either at the on-site Dundonald Lodge or in nearby Troon (10 minutes south).

How much does it cost to play at Dundonald Links?

A visitor round costs £95–£195, checked against the club's published rates on 28 June 2026.

Can visitors play at weekends?

Visitors are welcome but mid-week is markedly easier and quieter. Confirm a weekend tee time as far ahead as you can — popular Saturdays book up first.

How early can I book a tee time?

Phone or email the pro shop to confirm. Most Scottish clubs accept visitor bookings 7–30 days ahead; group bookings of 8+ can be arranged further ahead.

Is there a dress code?

Smart casual, collared shirts. Soft only.

Yes, available at the pro shop. Most members walk with a trolley though — the course is genuinely walkable.

What's the best time of year to play?

May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep for full conditions. Late May and early Sep are quietest with fair value. Year-round, best Apr–Oct.

Ayrshire Open Coast

Dundonald Links

Irvine, Ayrshire

Holes

—

Par

—

Type

Links

Ayrshire Open Coast

Walkability

★★★★☆

Confirmed 4/5

Best Season

May–Sep

Year-round, best Apr–Oct

Visitor Access

Open

Mid-week ideal

Green Fees 2026

£95–£195 for a visitor round at Dundonald Links. Checked against the club's published rates on 28 June 2026.

Kyle Phillips design. Hosted multiple Scottish Opens.

From the Notebook

Dundonald Links was built on an old wartime airfield. RAF Dundonald was used for fighter training during the Second World War; after the war the land was released and eventually acquired for golf development. Kyle Phillips — the American architect who also designed Kingsbarns — was commissioned to build a championship-standard links on what was essentially flat, reclaimed ground adjacent to the Firth of Clyde. The course opened in 2003 and spent its first decade building a reputation for conditioning and accessibility that its older Ayrshire neighbours can't match.

Where Royal Troon and Western Gailes are private, historically-rooted, and cautious about visitor access, Dundonald has always been visitor-first. The site is larger; the greens are bigger; the rough is manageable rather than penal; and the practice facility — a full driving range, short-game area, and putting green — reflects modern golf resort thinking rather than Victorian club culture. Tour professionals who play it in pro-am conditions before the Scottish Open regularly remark that the fairways and greens compare favourably with any links course on the circuit.

The Scottish Open connections are the headline. The 2017 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, won by Rafa Cabrera-Bello in a finish that came down to the 72nd hole, put Dundonald on television across Europe. The 2020 ASI Scottish Open followed. Women's professional events have also been held here. Each time the course has been set up to tournament standard it has generated genuinely interesting scoring, which is the test of whether a new course's architecture has integrity.

For visitors on the Ayrshire coast, Dundonald sits between the extreme formality of Troon and Turnberry and the more modest municipal options. Green fee is £135–£185 depending on season. Lodge accommodation on site. Buggies permitted. Club hire available. Train to Barassie station and a short taxi to the course; the club can arrange pickup. Pairs naturally with Prestwick St Nicholas or Western Gailes for a two-round Ayrshire day without the premium of the Open Championship venues.

Visit Website →

One Hole Worth Talking About

The hole everyone remembers.

18Par 4 · 448 yards

Home

The closing hole runs back toward the modern clubhouse across ground where the wind arrives from a different angle than it did for the first seventeen holes. Kyle Phillips' design at Dundonald ends with a long par 4 where the fairway is wider than the green approach permits, and the second shot is played to a putting surface that punishes the ball that misses right into a bunker complex built for tournament conditions. When the Scottish Open is played here in July, the 18th is where scoreboard drama accumulates. When it isn't, it remains a well-designed closing hole on a modern links that has earned its place on the Ayrshire coast circuit.

The Full Scorecard

Everything else you might want to know.

Course

Designer: Willie Fernie 1911; Kyle Phillips redesign 2003
Founded: 1911
Style era: Modern
Yardage (W): Contact club
Yardage (Y): Contact club
Yardage (R): Contact club
Course rating: Contact club
Slope rating: Contact club
Bunkers: Contact club
Greens: Contact club
Walking time: Contact club
Open season: Year-round, best Apr–Oct

Visitor

Dress code: Smart casual, collared shirts
Spikes: Soft only
Booking: Contact club
Twilight: Contact club
Winter rate: Contact club
Senior: Contact club
Junior: Contact club
Buggy: Available, ask pro shop
Trolley: Contact club
Caddie: £70 + tip, pre-book

Practical

Address: Irvine, Ayrshire, KA11 5BF
Phone: 01294 314000
Nearest train: Troon or Prestwick
Nearest airport: Glasgow Prestwick (PIK) (20 min)
Parking: Free
Wi-Fi: Yes, clubhouse
Card payment: Yes
Membership: Contact club
Joining fee: Contact club
Waiting list: Contact club

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

What's the weather doing?

Fetching conditions…

Scored 0–10 for golf — wind, rain, conditions · Full 7-region forecast →

Location

Dundonald Links on the map

Irvine, Ayrshire · KA11 5BFOpen in OpenStreetMap →

While They Golf

For the non-golfer in the party.

Ayrshire Open Coast isn't only for the golfers. Walks, drives, distilleries, castles, a long lunch — five picks within thirty minutes of the first tee.

The Ayrshire Open Coast companion guide →

★ Pair This Round ★

A morning at Dundonald, an afternoon worth the drive.

Three things within an hour of the first tee. Each open to visitors; each chosen for what suits a golfer's pace, not a tour bus's.

Castle · 5 min north

Dundonald Castle

Dundonald · Built by Robert II in 1371

The hilltop ruin a mile from the course is the original royal residence of the Stewart kings — Robert II built it on the site of an earlier 13th-century stronghold. Free to walk up to; small visitor centre at the foot of the hill.

House · 35 min south-east

Dumfries House

Cumnock · Adam brothers, completed 1759

Saved for the nation by the then-Prince Charles in 2007 with its original Chippendale furniture intact. Considered by many the best country-house tour in Scotland — pre-book; tours are timed and limited in number.

Museum · 25 min south

Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

Alloway · Burns born here 1759

The combined cottage-museum-Brig o' Doon site is a comfortable half-day for non-golfing companions. Even visitors who have read no Burns will find the museum's voice-actor recordings of the poems quietly affecting.

Plan This Round

Three things to sort before you tee off.

Where to Stay

Beds in Ayrshire Open Coast

Hotels, lodges and self-catering near the first tee. Map-style search via Stay22 covering Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb and Vrbo.

Hotels & lodges nearbyfrom £89/nt Self-catering & cottagesfrom £140/nt Bed & breakfastfrom £85/nt

via Stay22 / Booking.com

How to Get There

From Troon or Prestwick or Glasgow Prestwick (PIK)

Glasgow Prestwick (PIK) is 20 minutes away by car. Train + onward taxi works for the carless visitor.

Train to Troon or PrestwickLNER / ScotRail Hire car at Glasgow Prestwick (PIK)20 min drive Local bus from towncheck timetable

via Trainline & airport hire

Insure Your Round

Cover for clubs, cancellation, hole-in-one

Most home contents policies don't cover golf clubs in transit. Our guide matches you to the right kind of cover and the UK providers worth quoting.

Work out your cover typeUK guide Single-round coverusually skip it

Birdie Brae guide

Make a trip of it

This course anchors our Ayrshire group trip.

4 courses over 3–4 days from a Troon base — the full plan, green fees and where to stay.

Plan the Troon trip →

Played here? Consider

Three things worth packing.

Picked for links rounds on the Scottish coast.

Outerwear

Galvin Green Andres jacket

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

Sunderland of Scotland half-zip

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

Garmin Approach S70 GPS

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.

These are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through one we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you — how affiliate links work.

Stays Nearby

Where to stay near Irvine

Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering within easy reach of Irvine. Tap any property to check rates.

Prefer a list? Compare hotels & B&Bs in Irvine →

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

Visitors usually want to know.

Can visitors play Dundonald Links?: Yes. Dundonald is a public-access championship links open to visitors all week, with online booking up to 12 months ahead via dundonaldlinks.com. The on-site Dundonald Lodge (formerly Trump-branded, now operated independently) is the accommodation closest to the first tee.
What is the green fee at Dundonald Links?: £135-£185 in 2026 depending on season. Combination rates are available with sister courses on the Ayrshire coast — particularly with Western Gailes (1 mile north) for a 36-hole day. Winter rates from November to March drop to around £85.
Has Dundonald hosted the Scottish Open?: Yes — twice. Rafa Cabrera-Bello won the 2017 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open here; Aaron Rai won the 2020 Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open. The Women's Scottish Open and Ricoh Women's British Open have both also visited. The course's tour-spec setup is genuinely championship-grade and a draw for visitors playing in the week after a tournament.
Was Dundonald owned by Donald Trump?: Trump owned the property between 2014 and 2022 (acquired alongside Trump Turnberry; sold separately in 2022). The course itself is a 2003 Kyle Phillips design and predates Trump's involvement; the on-site lodge has been rebranded since the sale. Current ownership is private.
How does Dundonald compare to Western Gailes?: Different propositions. Western Gailes (a mile north) is a Victorian links from 1897, weekday-visitor-only, with a small 19th-century clubhouse and a £135–£185 green fee. Dundonald is a 2003 modern course with wider fairways, larger greens, an on-site lodge, and easier visitor access. Most visitors play both on consecutive days for the full Ayrshire-coast experience.
How do I get to Dundonald Links?: Train to Barassie station (5-minute taxi to the course), or drive from Glasgow (45 minutes). Glasgow Airport is 35 minutes by car. Most visitors stay either at the on-site Dundonald Lodge or in nearby Troon (10 minutes south).
How much does it cost to play at Dundonald Links?: A visitor round costs £95–£195, checked against the club's published rates on 28 June 2026.
Can visitors play at weekends?: Visitors are welcome but mid-week is markedly easier and quieter. Confirm a weekend tee time as far ahead as you can — popular Saturdays book up first.
How early can I book a tee time?: Phone or email the pro shop to confirm. Most Scottish clubs accept visitor bookings 7–30 days ahead; group bookings of 8+ can be arranged further ahead.
Is there a dress code?: Smart casual, collared shirts. Soft only.
Are buggies allowed?: Yes, available at the pro shop. Most members walk with a trolley though — the course is genuinely walkable.
What's the best time of year to play?: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep for full conditions. Late May and early Sep are quietest with fair value. Year-round, best Apr–Oct.

Nearby courses

Browse all Ayrshire 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 — Troon

For the non-golfer in Troon →

Take the A719 south from Troon to Robert Adam's clifftop Culzean Castle or the Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway — both within 20 minutes, no planning needed.

Pair the round

On TasteSCOT

Lochlea Distillery

Fifteen minutes from Dundonald. Lochlea Distillery is practically next door in Tarbolton — a farm distillery using estate-grown barley that's building a strong reputation.

Getting there by train

On TripSCOT

Kilwinning station

About 10 minutes by taxi from Dundonald Links. Glasgow Central in 35 min by ScotRail.