![\"\"](\"http:\/\/theaposition.com\/daviddesmith\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/54\/2012\/05\/Mach-Dunes-14_LR.jpg\")
<\/a>The 14th hole at Machrihanish Dunes<\/p><\/div>\n
Our first stop will be Machrihanish Dunes, the magical new seaside resort on the Mull of Kintyre.\u00a0 We\u2019ll check into the historic Ugadale Hotel, just recently restored to her former glory, drop off our bags, grab some lunch, and head right out for our first round, which will be contested at Dunaverty Golf Club just down the road in Southend.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll spend three days At Machrihanish Dunes.\u00a0 While there, we\u2019ll also play the celebrated Machrihanish Golf Club, with its famous opening tee shot across a corner of the ocean.\u00a0 And we\u2019ll do battle with the new course there, Machrihanish Dunes GC, the David McLay Kidd-designed track that\u2019s been called \u201cThe World\u2019s Most Natural Golf Course.\u201d\u00a0 There\u2019s a whisky tasting in our future, as well \u2013 we\u2019ll be visiting Springbank Distillery to sample its broad range of exquisite single malts.\u00a0 And before our Kintyre visit ends, we\u2019ll celebrate the grand opening of Machrihanish Dunes\u2019 second newly restored and historic hotel, The Royal, which will kick off its second life with a grand fireworks show over Campbeltown Harbour.<\/p>\n
That alone would be enough of a trip for most any links golf lover.\u00a0 But not for a warrior.\u00a0 From Campbeltown, the group will take to the sea aboard the Kintyre Express fast RIB on Sunday morning for a 2-hour crossing to Girvan, where we\u2019ll be met by a representative of PerryGolf, the outstanding Scottish golf tour operator company.\u00a0 Our next leg will be a short one, just down the coast to Turnberry, where after a bite of lunch in the Tappie Toorie clubhouse restaurant we\u2019ll march off to do battle with the mighty Ailsa course.\u00a0 This Open championship venue ranks in the highest echelon of my links golf pantheon, and I can\u2019t wait to test my game on her again.<\/p>\n
<\/a>The 13th at Dundonald Links,<\/p><\/div>\n
Following dinner that evening at renowned Scotts restaurant on Troon Harbour, we\u2019ll bed down in style for the night at The Marine Hotel, Troon.\u00a0 And I hope we get some rest.\u00a0 Because Monday we\u2019re staring at 36 holes \u2013 first on the challenging Kyle Phillips-designed Dundonald Links course and then, after lunch, we’ll play on the other side of\u00a0 the railroad tracks at renowned Western Gailes.<\/p>\n
After that, we’ll head up to the Mar Hall Golf & Spa Resort, which is located just a few miles from the Glasgow Airport but is in reality a world away.\u00a0 There, we\u2019ll challenge the Earl of Mar course, enjoy a spa treatment, dine in fine style, and soak in the last couple days of what will undoubtedly have been a grand adventure.<\/p>\n
Along the way, we hope to meet many brothers and sisters in golf, and to see sights the likes of which don\u2019t exist on the roads I usually travel.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be testing out some equipment, too \u2013 rain gear from Sun Mountain and Callaway\u2019s newest golf balls.\u00a0 If they can pass muster in Scotland, they\u2019ll perform well anywhere, I\u2019d say.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m looking forward to writing about all these places and experiences.\u00a0 There\u2019s a story in every one, and at the risk of making people jealous, I\u2019m going to tell them.\u00a0 I hope you\u2019ll join me for the week and that you enjoy following the exploits of the Golf Road Warriors as we wind our way through the southwestern regions of the Home of Golf.\u00a0 You can read more of my posts about the trip, along with those of the other Warriors, at: http:\/\/scotland.golfroadwarriors.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"