Turnberry vs Royal Troon: Which Should You Play
Two of Ayrshire's great Open links, a short drive apart on the same stretch of the Firth of Clyde, and a genuine dilemma for a Scotland golf trip. Turnberry's Ailsa is the most beautiful links in Britain, the lighthouse and Ailsa Craig framing the shoreline holes. Royal Troon's Old Course is the working Open venue, hard, fair and home of the Postage Stamp. Here is the honest head to head, with our verdict up front.
Photograph: Turnberry Golf Club, David Mackay, via Google
The verdict
For pure spectacle, Turnberry wins, and it is not especially close. The Ailsa, reborn under Mackenzie Ross after the war and reshaped again by Martin Ebert in 2016, runs along the rocks beneath the lighthouse with the great dome of Ailsa Craig offshore, and the par 3 ninth at the turn is one of the most photographed holes in the game. It is a five star resort round in the most dramatic setting in British links golf. The catch is the price, around 1,000 pounds at peak, and the fact that it has not hosted the Open since 2009.
For the championship test and the better value, Royal Troon takes it. The Old Course is the active Open venue, staged ten times and most recently in 2024, a traditional members links that starts gently along the shore and turns into a brutal homeward stretch into the prevailing wind, with the tiny Postage Stamp eighth, the shortest hole in Open golf, in between. Access is keener and the fee lower than Turnberry's. Our advice: they are 30 minutes apart, so build an Ayrshire week and play both. If you can only play one, choose Turnberry for the views and the occasion, Royal Troon for the truest Open test and the value.
Head to head
| Turnberry, Ailsa | Royal Troon, Old | |
|---|---|---|
| Par and yardage | Par 71, around 7,489 yards from the championship tees | Par 71, around 7,385 yards in its 2024 championship setup |
| Design | Rebuilt by Mackenzie Ross 1949 to 1951, redesigned by Martin Ebert 2015 to 2016 | Extended by Willie Fernie, later modernised by James Braid |
| Open Championships | Four: 1977, 1986, 1994 and 2009; not on the current rota | Ten, most recently in 2024; remains on the Open rota |
| Signature hole | The 9th, an ocean edge par 3 beneath the lighthouse | The 8th, the Postage Stamp, a 123 yard par 3, the shortest hole in Open golf |
| Indicative green fee | Up to around 1,000 pounds peak 2026; lower in winter and shoulder season | Around 365 pounds for an individual summer round in 2025; day tickets higher |
| Setting and access | Five star resort, the most scenic links in Britain; premium and exclusive | Traditional members club; keener visitor access on set days |
| Getting there | South Ayrshire coast, around 50 minutes from Glasgow airport | Troon, around 40 minutes from Glasgow airport, near Prestwick |
Course facts and indicative fees verified June 2026; fees and access vary by season and day, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Turnberry if
You want the most beautiful round in British golf and the occasion to match. The Ailsa's run of shoreline holes beneath the lighthouse, with Ailsa Craig and the Mull of Kintyre across the water, is unmatched for drama, and the Ebert redesign sharpened an already great links. You are happy to pay a premium for a five star resort experience and the setting, and the lack of a current Open does not bother you. It is the bucket list round for scenery.
Pick Royal Troon if
You want the real Open test and the better value. The Old Course is the working championship links, with a gentle opening along the shore, the diabolical little Postage Stamp eighth and a homeward nine that ranks among the hardest finishes in the game when the wind gets up. Access is more attainable and the fee is lower than Turnberry's, and you get to walk the same turf the Open field played in 2024. It is the connoisseur's choice.
Plan an Ayrshire golf trip
Turnberry, Royal Troon, Prestwick and Western Gailes in one Ayrshire links week. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling, and one concierge secures the tee times, transfers and base, and costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Turnberry vs Royal Troon questions
Should you play Turnberry or Royal Troon?
If you have to choose one, it comes down to scenery against the modern Open test. Turnberry's Ailsa is the more spectacular round, running along the shore beneath its lighthouse with views to Ailsa Craig, redesigned by Martin Ebert in 2016, but it is premium priced and not currently on the Open rota. Royal Troon's Old Course is the active championship venue, host of the Open ten times and most recently in 2024, a traditional members links and home of the Postage Stamp eighth, with keener visitor access and fees. They sit a short drive apart in Ayrshire, so the best answer is usually to play both.
How much does it cost to play Turnberry and Royal Troon?
Both are premium. Turnberry's Ailsa course peaks at around 1,000 pounds for a high season visitor round in 2026, with lower winter and shoulder rates. Royal Troon's Old Course was around 365 pounds for an individual summer round in 2025, with a day ticket pairing the Old and Portland courses higher again. These are indicative figures that move with the season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking.
Which has hosted more Open Championships, Turnberry or Royal Troon?
Royal Troon has hosted far more, ten Opens in total and most recently in 2024, won by Xander Schauffele. Turnberry has hosted four, in 1977, 1986, 1994 and 2009, including the famous 1977 Duel in the Sun between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus. Royal Troon remains on the Open rota, while Turnberry has not staged the Championship since 2009.
Can you play Turnberry and Royal Troon in the same trip?
Yes, easily. Both sit on the Ayrshire coast within about a 30 to 40 minute drive of each other, near Prestwick and Glasgow airports, so an Ayrshire links week routinely pairs them with Prestwick, Western Gailes and Dundonald. We build Ayrshire itineraries that secure the harder tee times and base you well to play both.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and indicative fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.