
Old Course
Royal Troon Golf Club



About this course
The Old Course at Royal Troon Golf Club occupies a narrow strip of linksland along the Ayrshire coast in southwestern Scotland, roughly thirty miles from Glasgow. Established in 1878, the course began with five holes and expanded over subsequent decades, with the routing eventually shaped by contributions from several architects including Willie Fernie, James Braid, and more recent refinements. The layout runs outward along the shoreline for nine holes before turning back, creating the classic links pattern where golfers face shifting wind conditions depending on direction. The front nine plays northward and features some of the longest and most demanding holes in championship golf, including the 577-yard 6th known as Turnberry. The inward half turns southward and includes the famous Postage Stamp, the 123-yard 8th hole with its severely elevated green surrounded by deep bunkers—one of the most photographed and strategically complex short holes in the game. The closing stretch from the 15th through 18th presents a stern test, particularly when wind blows off the Firth of Clyde. Royal Troon has hosted The Open Championship ten times since 1923, with winners including Arnold Palmer, Tom Weiskopf, Tom Watson, Mark Calcavecchia, Justin Leonard, Todd Hamilton, and Henrik Stenson, whose 2016 victory featured a record-tying final round. The club maintains a traditional members' culture and operates a second course, the Portland, alongside the championship links. The Old Course remains a fixture in the Open rota and consistently ranks among the most challenging venues in major championship golf.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in UK
Best in Scotland
Quick facts
- Location
- Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1878
- Holes
- 18
- Par
- 71
- Length
- 7,175 yards
- Difficulty
- 79.6/148
- Course Vaults score
- 8.8
Getting there
Most visitors to Royal Troon Golf Club touch down at Glasgow International Airport, roughly forty miles to the north, then trace the Ayrshire coast southward for just under an hour along the A77 and A78. The route unfolds through rolling farmland before yielding to glimpses of the Firth of Clyde, the road eventually delivering you into the quiet seaside town of Troon itself. For those arriving by private aircraft, Glasgow Prestwick Airport lies a mere ten minutes south and carries its own storied aviation heritage. The final approach along Craigend Road is understated and quintessentially Scottish - no grand gates, just the sudden appearance of the modest clubhouse and the windswept linksland stretching toward the Irish Sea.

FAQ
Common questions about Old at Royal Troon Golf Club
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Old at Royal Troon Golf Club has a Course Vaults score of 8.8 out of 10 based on 66 logged golfers.
Yes. Old at Royal Troon Golf Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Old is 71.
Old plays 7,175 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Old is 148.
Old is a 18-hole course.






