Turnberry (Ailsa)
Turnberry, Scotland
- Founded
- Willie Fernie, 1909/Mackenzie Ross, 1946/Martin Ebert, 2016, 2016
Turnberry began as a Willie Fermie design and part of the famous Culzean estate. It’s been associated with the Turnberry hotel for more than 100 years. Neither World War was kind to the property, and Mackenzie Ross’s reconstruction after WWII provides the core of today’s layout. After a recent ownership change, a superb upgrade was performed by Martin Ebert that better utilized the jagged cliffline. The famed 9th tee near the iconic lighthouse was preserved but the semi-blind turtleback fairway wasn’t. Instead, a stunning par-3 was created and 10 is now a par-5, longer and more complex while 11 moves closer to the shore. The 6th has been abbreviated to accommodate a splendid new back tee at the home hole. All and all, the upgrades propel the Aisla course into the highest echelon of links for both challenge and beauty. Turnberry became an Open venue in 1977 and has hosted two of its greatest championships, both headlined by Tom Watson. (Photo: Gary Lisbon)