Machrihanish Dunes: 2026 Access and Booking Update
Machrihanish Dunes is the David McLay Kidd links laid so lightly across the wild dunes of Kintyre that almost nothing was moved to build it. For 2026 its stay and play packages make this remote Argyll corner easier than ever to reach.
The news: a stay and play links on the Kintyre coast
Machrihanish Dunes sits at the far end of the long Kintyre peninsula in Argyll, one of the most remote and beautiful golf settings in Scotland, and the appeal for 2026 is how neatly the whole trip packages together. The course is run alongside two restored hotels, the Ugadale on the Machrihanish shore and the Royal in nearby Campbeltown, so a visit comes as a single stay and play booking rather than a logistical puzzle.
That matters here because Kintyre rewards the effort of getting there. The reward is a coastline of empty beaches and open links land looking out toward Islay, Jura and the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland, with the historic Machrihanish Golf Club links next door for a classic two course day.
The course: built on the land, not over it
Machrihanish Dunes was designed by David McLay Kidd, the architect of the original Bandon Dunes, and opened in 2009. It plays as a par 72 of around 7,000 yards, and its defining feature is that it was laid out across a site of special scientific interest with the barest minimum of earthmoving, so the fairways and greens follow the natural roll of genuinely ancient duneland.
The result is a raw, untamed links that divides opinion in the best way. Greens are large and natural, blind shots and humps are part of the deal, and the wind off the Atlantic shapes every round. This is links golf close to its wild origins, a deliberate counterpoint to the manicured resort course.
How to play it in 2026
To play Machrihanish Dunes in 2026, the simplest route is a stay and play package through the resort hotels, which bundles golf, rooms and often a round on the neighbouring Machrihanish links. As a guide, a summer green fee has run around 100 pounds, dropping toward 70 pounds in the winter months. Treat these as indicative for 2026 and always confirm directly before booking.
The season runs from spring to early autumn, with May, June and September the firmest and brightest. Getting to Kintyre is part of the adventure, a scenic three hour drive from Glasgow or a short flight to Campbeltown, and the remoteness is exactly why the golf here feels so unspoiled.
Our take
Our take is that Machrihanish Dunes is for golfers who want their links wild rather than polished. Paired with the old Machrihanish links and its famous opening drive across the beach, it makes Kintyre one of the great under the radar golf pilgrimages in Britain.
If you are planning a 2026 Argyll trip, build it around the two Machrihanish links and the Ugadale and Royal hotels, and consider adding Islay by ferry. Tell us your dates and group, and we will route the whole thing, travel, tee times and stays included.
Plan your Kintyre golf trip
From Machrihanish Dunes and the old Machrihanish links to the Ugadale and Royal hotels, tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge builds and costs the trip, with no obligation.
Questions
Can visitors play Machrihanish Dunes in 2026?
Yes. Machrihanish Dunes welcomes visitors, and the easiest route is a stay and play package through the resort hotels, the Ugadale at Machrihanish and the Royal in Campbeltown, which can include a round on the neighbouring Machrihanish links.
What are the green fees at Machrihanish Dunes for 2026?
As a guide, a summer green fee has run around 100 pounds, dropping toward 70 pounds in winter, with stay and play packages available through the resort hotels. Treat these as indicative for 2026 and always confirm directly before booking.
Who designed Machrihanish Dunes?
Machrihanish Dunes was designed by David McLay Kidd and opened in 2009. It was built across a site of special scientific interest with minimal earthmoving, so the links follows the natural duneland.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course, access and fee details verified June 2026 from club, resort and golf travel sources; conditions and green fees change, so always confirm directly before booking. Last reviewed June 2026.