The West Kilbride Golf Club

From Higher Ground to Shore

The golf course at The West Kilbride Golf Club formally opened as nine holes in May 1893, two months after the club was constituted. Old Tom Morris created the original layout, while James Braid later reshaped the course through changes made in 1914 and during the 1920s.

The routing begins on higher ground, where heather and gorse narrow the preferred lines. Around the turn, it moves towards the Firth of Clyde, bringing coastal wind and blind carries more firmly into play. The par-three 9th, Goatfell, starts this change of character, while the 12th, Whinhurst, asks for another carefully judged iron beside the sea.

At the 16th, Hunger-em-oot, a whitewashed cottage stands left of the green and influences the approach. The 17th, Sunset, then shares a double green with the 6th, Mound, reached from a different angle. These individual details give the compact layout its own identity without relying on length alone.