Irvine Bogside is one of those gems people talk about for years afterwards once they found them. A classic seaside course from the 1890’s that the famous James Braid re-designed in 1926. Irvine is not only a qualifying course to The Open but has also hosted, together with Troon and Turnberry, The Seniors Open and The Amateurs Open.

The course is set a little higher than some of the others but as it’s very sandy you still get that seaside feel. Irvine isn’t a course where you can pound the driver, you have to think carefully about which club you choose so you don’t’ get caught in the gorse or the many strategically placed fairway bunkers. With only one par 5 and only two par 3 Irvine isn’t easy to score well on, but this is quickly forgotten when you sit down with a drink in their lovely clubhouse!