YOURS AYE AYRSHIRE

Stay and play along a stretch of golfing terrain that’s unrivalled in the world

With names like Glasgow Gailes, Western Gailes, Royal Troon, Turnberry and Prestwick, this stretch of coastline south of Glasgow is blessed with some of the best courses in the world. Now, a name known mostly in the British Isles, Dundonald Links (dundonaldlinks.com) has been enjoying its international close-up following an ambitious £25 million investment. Designed by noted American architect Kyle Phillips (whose credits include such headlining tracks such as Kingsbarns in Fife, The Grove in Hertfordshire, the redesign of Paris’ Golf De Morfontaine, Yas Links in Abu Dhabi and two courses at Verdura in Sicily, among many others), the par-72, 7303-yard course on Scotland’s west coast is a modern links golf experience (near but not on the seafront) with generous fairways, undulating greens, strategic catch bunkers and well-placed burns on a site that dates to 1911. But it is now complemented by a two-storey clubhouse as well as 18 luxury lodges with innumerable amenities, including a series of private putting greens for guests who overnight, right on their doorstep. It’s no wonder it was chosen to play host to last summer’s Women’s Scottish Open.

PERTHSHIRE PEARL

The 16th-century Forter Castle sleeps up to 12 self-catering guests