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<\/a><\/p>\nTHURSDAY, MAY 10<\/strong><\/p>\n Our first stop was The Ugadale Hotel at The Village at Machrihanish Dunes.\u00a0 After a multi-million-dollar restoration, this hotel re-opened in February to rave reviews.\u00a0 The hotel includes 23 luxurious rooms and suites — many with ocean views — The Kintyre Club restaurant, Serenity Spa, and fitness facilities.<\/p>\n While most of the Golf Road Warriors stayed in rooms at the hotel, David Whyte and I shared one of the luxurious Ugadale Cottages so that he’d have room for all his camera equipment.\u00a0 The Mach Dunes PR staff set up shop in our living room, which was fun!<\/p>\n Our first course was scenic Dunaverty GC in Southend.\u00a0 It poured rain on us, but we persevered and had a blast on this short but challenging course.<\/p>\n That night, we joined with our hosts from Machrihanish Dunes and some other writers and golf tour operators for dinner in the lively Old Clubhouse Pub.<\/p>\n Today began with a round of golf on the famed Machrihanish Golf Club course, with its knee-knocking opening tee shot across a corner of the Atlantic.\u00a0 Along with playing partners Chris Bertram, a writer for Golf World magazine, and fellow Golf Road Warrior James Frank, I enjoyed the round immensely.<\/p>\n In the afternoon, we all paid a visit to the Springbank Distillery, where they handle all aspects of the whisky-making process in the same location: malting, distilling, barelling and bottling.\u00a0 We sampled four wonderful — and wonderfully different — whiskies, including the fine Springbank 15 year-old.<\/p>\n Friday night saw our group gather at The Kintyre Club restaurant in The Ugadale Hotel.\u00a0 Here I enjoyed one of the finest scallop dinners I’d had in a long time, along with a few glasses of a nice dry white wine and a wee dram of single malt to top off the day.<\/p>\n The Kintyre Club has a rich history.\u00a0 In the early 1800s, a group of Glasgow-area businessmen founded it in order to provide assistance to Campbeltown people in need.\u00a0 The club disbanded in the 1960s, but its name has been resurrected for the new private dining restaurant at The Ugadale Hotel.\u00a0 In the spirit of the original club, all annual dues from today’s Kintyre Club go to charity.\u00a0 Shown above is the shepherd’s horn that used to be used to call the club to order.<\/p>\n Saturday, May 12<\/strong><\/p>\n The day dawned bright and sunny, but as often happens in Scotland, a few wee showers raced through before we teed off at Machrihanish Dunes.\u00a0 Soon, though, they had passed and my playing partners and I spent the day in blissful sunshine enjoying “the world’s most natural golf course.”\u00a0 What a track: raw, rugged, blind shots, vexing greens, and incredible views of the sea.\u00a0 Later in the day, we received word that Machrihanish Dunes had moved up 21 places in\u00a0 Golf World magazine’s list of the “Top 100 Courses in Britain and Ireland” to Number 78.\u00a0 It’s a stunning course, and I expect it will move up higher.<\/p>\n I drove the green of the par-4 13th hole, but alas, was unable to make the eagle putt drop.\u00a0 Still, I’m happy with two-putt birdies anytime.\u00a0 And what a setting to have an eagle opportunity.<\/p>\n My illustrious playing partners at Mach Dunes.\u00a0 From left: Alistair Tait of Golfweek, legendary links golf writer Jim Finegan, and old friend Stewart Smith, a golf pro who has his hands in many different things related to golf in Scotland.\u00a0 Just having the chance to spend some time with this threesome was an honor.<\/p>\n After the golf, Jim Finegan (left) sat down with golf writing counterpart Malcolm Campbell in the Kintyre Club to talk about Machrihanish Dunes and its place in golf history.\u00a0 You can see an excerpt from that discussion between two of golf’s greatest living writers here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Saturday night, we all attended the grand re-opening of The Royal Hotel.\u00a0 This historic building sits right on Campbeltown Harbour and will now once again offer four-star accommodations and amenities to area visitors.\u00a0 Here, in addition to the 23 luxurious rooms, you’ll find The Harbourview Grille and The Black Sheep Pub — two wonderful places to unwind after a day on the links.<\/p>\n When the sun goes down, The Black Sheep Pub comes to life.\u00a0 It’s destined to be a favorite with locals and visiting golfers alike.<\/p>\n It seemed like every resident of Kintyre showed up to watch the fireworks show presented in celebration of the Royal Hotel’s grand re-opening.<\/p>\n Sunday, May 13<\/strong><\/p>\n Thirteen was an unlucky number for our Golf Road Warrior group.\u00a0 Because of (extremely) foul weather, we had to cancel our trip aboard the Kintyre Express and travel to Turnberry by land.\u00a0 Too bad, because riding the Kintyre Express is one of life’s great adventures.\u00a0 We’ll do it next time.<\/p>\n Luckily for us, PerryGolf came to the rescue and our driver for the Ayrshire portion of our trip, Angus McIntosh, met us near Loch Lomond and transported us safely to Turnberry.\u00a0 Angus was the prototypical professional driver — courteous, knowledgeable, good-humored and always on time.\u00a0 We enjoyed his company through the rest of the trip and are indebted to PerryGolf for providing his expert services — and their luxury VIP coach.\u00a0 Talk about traveling in style!<\/p>\n Turnberry’s Ailsa Course has always been one of my favorites, and after a hearty lunch in the Tappie Toorie restaurant with Turnberry’s jovial Head Golf Professional, Ricky Hall, we set out to play it.\u00a0 Conditions were nothing like what is shown in the photo — we played in 30+ mph winds and sideways, driving rain that felt like pinpricks on your face.\u00a0 Still, you can’t come to Turnberry and not play, right?<\/p>\n Sunday and Monday nights were both spent at The Marine Hotel Troon.\u00a0 The Marine’s location is ideal for Ayrshire golfers as it overlooks Royal Troon GC and is within a short drive of Dundonald Links, Prestwick and other courses.\u00a0 It offers a spa, elegant dining, and roomy suites overlooking the golf course and sea.\u00a0 I had the pleasure of staying the Roberto De Vincenzo suite.<\/p>\n With sweeping views of the ocean and Royal Troon GC, The Marine is a great place to stay but a tough hotel to stay in — because you don’t want to stay in your room!<\/p>\n After checking into the Marine and getting out of our soaking wet clothes, dinner was enjoyed at Scotts overlooking Troon Harbour.\u00a0 It was but one of many wonderful culinary experiences the group had in Scotland, proving that there is indeed some very fine fare to be enjoyed here.<\/p>\n Monday, May 14<\/strong><\/p>\n The “workweek” began for the Golf Road Warriors bright and early at Dundonald Links — a great Kyle Phillips-designed course that is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated courses in Scotland.\u00a0 This is a true championship course and it gave our group all it could handle on a day that threatened rain but wound up being mostly sunny.\u00a0 After play, we enjoyed lunch with Guy Redford, one of the most affable golf directors you’ll ever meet.\u00a0 If you haven’t played this course, put it on your bucket list now.<\/p>\n Dundonald’s 3rd hole — a three-shotter that requires you to avoid a wee burn that runs up the right side and in front of the green.<\/p>\n The 13th at Dundonald — there’s that burn again, backstopped by a two-tier green that’s a lot of fun to putt.<\/p>\n After lunch at Dundonald, we crossed the railroad tracks (literally) and were warmly welcomed at Western Gailes GC by club manager Jerry Kessel and two other members, who treated us not just to a round of golf on this wonderful classic course but to some beers afterward in the historic clubhouse.<\/p>\n Each year, members of Western Gailes compete for this solid silver trophy, which was given to the club by the Gailes Golf Club of Queensland, Australia.\u00a0 Sadly, but understandably, the winner doesn’t get to keep the actual trophy.<\/p>\n We ended our time in Ayrshire with drinks and a wonderful dinner at The Marine that was hosted by the ever-energetic Allie Barr, the hotel’s sales manager.\u00a0 The food was superb — as were the views.<\/p>\n Tuesday, May 15<\/strong><\/p>\n Tuesday was a travel and writing day.\u00a0 No great photos to share.<\/p>\n Wednesday, May 16<\/strong><\/p>\n Our final stop — Mar Hall.\u00a0 And what a grand place it is.\u00a0 Built in the early 1800s to be Lord Blantyre’s country home just outside Glasgow, it is now an elegant hotel with fine dining, spa, golf course and much more.\u00a0 Anyone visiting the area, or flying in and out of Glasgow Airport, should consider staying for at least a night here.<\/p>\n My room at Mar Hall overlooked the beautiful gardens.\u00a0 If you think the room looks big, you should see the bathroom.<\/p>\n The Earl of Mar course at Mar Hall is a parkland course, but it’s no walk in the park.\u00a0 The course plays along the bank of the River Clyde and in the shadow of the majestic Erskine Bridge.\u00a0 Its close proximity to Glasgow Airport make it a great place for a first round when you land or your last round before flying home.<\/p>\n Mar Hall’s par-4 3rd hole is a great dogleg-left hole that plays down a hill toward the river, with traffic on the Erskine Bridge up above watching your every shot.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Friday, May 11<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n