Turnberry Arran Course Review

Located between the legendary Ailsa and the much-acclaimed King Robert the Bruce, Trump Turnberry’s shorter Arran course has a lot to live up to. However, it would be a crime to overlook this 1,996-yard gem – or else you may miss out on one of the world’s best nine-hole layouts.

There has been a course at Turnberry christened the Arran since 1923, but it has little in common with the Arran of today. This modern iteration opened in 2002, complementing the Ailsa and King Robert the Bruce (then known as the Kintyre) by offering a different experience altogether. Whereas both championship courses at Turnberry are monsters at well over 7,000 yards from the back tees, the par-31 Arran can be enjoyed in two hours or less – perfect for a warm-up round, or to unwind as the sun sets.

Though it doesn’t flirt with the coastline like the Ailsa, the Arran is still a links course above all else, making it an ideal playground to hone your short-game skills. A simple course composition – five par-3s and four par-4s – means greens in regulation are achievable for almost any player. Holes range from as little as 91 yards to the longest at nearly a quarter of a mile, but don’t be deceived – the shortest tee shots are frequently among the trickiest on the course.

If you are a links novice, the Arran can also serve as a handy introduction to a style of course that demands a different approach to parkland golf, while accomplished players will relish the test and will still use every club in the bag.

Greens are often complex and undulating, forcing golfers to think carefully about where each approach shot will be landing. The course also employs the same pot bunkers and thick rough that characterise classic Scottish links layouts, so fairway finders are rewarded and careless shots will be punished.

Unlike its two longer siblings, wayward balls on the Arran are in no danger of being lost to the sea, but that doesn’t mean the course doesn’t benefit from the natural beauty of this rugged patch of Scottish coast. Fittingly, you can also get a good look at the course’s namesake, the Isle of Arran, across the Firth of Clyde.

As with almost every hole at the resort, the iconic Turnberry Lighthouse is a constant presence on the skyline. Today, that lighthouse is home to an award-winning halfway house for the Ailsa and King Robert the Bruce. Those two courses are understandably the resort’s headline-stealers, but don’t leave without playing the Arran – even at 1,996 yards, these are nine holes worthy of Trump Turnberry’s sky-high standards.