Turnberry has long been regarded as one of the finest courses in the world. As one of the regular venues of the Open Championship, its links setting is one of the most recognisable and instantly familiar in golf. The views across the Irish Sea to Ailsa Craig, Arran and the Kintyre peninsular, are breathtaking and constantly changing thanks to the light and prevailing weather conditions. Turnberry is a stunning golf resort these days with a luxurious hotel and terrific spa to complement the truly world-class golf on offer. Turnberry's main course, the Ailsa, first came to international prominence with the famous Duel in the Sun between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson over the four days of the 1977 Open. It was then, in brilliant sunny weather, that a capacity crowd was treated to an exhilarating display of golf from two of the best golfers the world has ever known. Since then, Greg Norman (1986) and Nick Price (1994) have claimed the famous Claret Jug at Turnberry - and the Open is due to be contested on the Ailsa again in 2009. It's certainly a marvellous course, which is why it is usually up there in the world's top 20 when magazine and newspaper polls are conducted. The first three holes pose a fairly tough opening, particularly when the wind blows from the direction of Ailsa Craig, the dramatic rock 11 miles out to sea. From the admirable short fourth to the short 11th the Ailsa course follows the shoreline, the fifth to the eight framed by dunes and the ninth, tenth and 11th flanked by craggy rocks. The turn holes are probably the Ailsa's most thrilling section. Perhaps the ninth is Turnberry's trademark, the remote tee set on a rocky premonitory on the edge of the sea, the drive across the corner of the bay and a glimpse of the site of Bruce's Castle (Robert the Bruce, Scottish King, 1306-1329). The narrow path to the tee and the tee shot itself are not recommended to those of a nervous disposition. It's amazing to think that the course was on the brink of disappearing at the end of the Second World War when part of its land was used as an airbase. The landing strip can still be seen and comes in handy for car parking when the Open and other big tournaments are staged. But Turnberry is not just about the Ailsa these days as it now also boats another fine course in the Kintyre, which features undulating greens, glorious fairways, magnificent ocean holes, and all with stunning views of Kintyre, Arran, and the famous Turnberry Lighthouse. The signature hole is the 8th, which involves a drive from an elevated tee towards the sea and an unforgettable blind second shot to the green set in a gully by the rocks. Unseen from the tee, hidden by a narrow ridge, the green is in a cove that seems to merge with the craggy beach beyond. And if you want to have a go at everything the Turnberry resort has to offer, why not tackle the nine-hole Arran course and the lovely pitch and putt right in front of the hotel. The golf complex also sports the terrific Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy. The facility offers a new video swing analysis system called GASP, as featured on Sky Sports. During your golf lesson this new equipment will be used to view your swing from three camera angles at the same time - above, in front and behind. The academy also has a great driving range as well as a super short game area and a nice putting course. And if you fancy a beak from the golf, the resort's outdoor activity centre offers fishing, shooting, archery, falconry, off-road driving and horse riding. Then, there is the state-of-the-art spa and pool complex, which is housed in a separate building next to the hotel. The hotel of course, is one of the most distinctive in golf. With its long white façade and red roof, it certainly stands out in a commanding position above the golf courses. Now run by Westin, part of the Starwood group, the hotel features every imaginable comfort with luxurious bedrooms and fine dining. There are also some well-appointed lodges right by the golf clubhouse at the bottom of the hill, which are ideal for golfing parties or other large groups as they have six or eight bedrooms plus some communal rooms. The hotel, which has just celebrated its centenary, even has a kids club that will take care of the little ones for a few hours while you enjoy the golf, the spa or a meal. And there's a babysitting service too. What's more the resort has just been named as the European golf destination of the year in the International Golf Travel Operators (IAGTO) 6th annual awards. The award just goes to show that Turnberry continues to get better and better and it's no surprise that the Ailsa has been honoured with the 2009 Open as it's really no more than a course of this stature deserves. From the North East, Turnberry is pretty accessible too. If you don't fancy the three-hour drive across to Scotland's west coast, you can always hop on GNER (at Darlington, Durham, Newcastle or Berwick) and travel all the way over to Glasgow in just a couple of hours. Turnberry is around an hour's drive from Glasgow's central station but the trip can be easily arranged. What is for sure is that Turnberry is an absolute must for a visit - and now is a great time to go before preparations really get underway for the 2009 Open. Of course, most visitors come to Turnberry to play the Ailsa. And let's face it the course should be on any self-respecting golfer's list of Must Play venues. It won't disappoint either - whatever the weather. Just remember to take a few spare balls in case the rough and gorse gobble up one or two of your more wayward shots. --------------------------------------------------------- Name: Westin Turnberry Resort.
Address: Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Contact: Telephone: 01655-333-991
Direct booking line for lodges and cottages: 01655 334136.
Fax: 01655 331552.
Email: turnberry.reservations@westin.com
Website: www.turnberry.co.uk
Rates: Golf break prices range from £390 to £430 (winter) to £830 to £895 (summer) for two nights B&B and a round of golf each on the Ailsa and Kintyre courses. | 
Golfing Destinations
