It lies in the heart of Scotlands Ayrshire Golf Coast only a few miles from Prestwick and Royal Troon and within easy reach of the other famous Open Championship venue, Turnberry. This classic Scottish links enjoys a well earned reputation for the strength of its challenge and for the quality of its facilities. The layout is the work of Willie Park Jnr, Open Champion in 1887 and 1889 and was completed in 1912. Willie Park Jnr was responsible for more than 170 courses around the world and considered his work at Gailes among the heather and gorse as among his best.
Gailes has been an Open Championship Final Qualifying course since 1973 and will be the sole Scottish Final Qualifying course for four years from 2014. It has also hosted the Home Internationals, the Europe v USA Palmer Cup, the Scottish PGA Championships, the Scottish Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship, the British Youths Open Amateur Championship and the British Seniors Open Amateur Championship.
Each year the oldest amateur strokeplay championship in the world, The Tennant Cup, takes place at Gailes Links, as does the competition for the Edward Trophy. The Tennant Cup is a Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit event.
Types of course: Links
Holes: 18
Length: 6,535 yards (6,903 Championship Tees)
Par/SSS: 71/72 (71/74)