Western Gailes Golf Club, located on the Ayrshire coast of Scotland, is revered for its classic links course, Western Gailes Golf Course. This storied course, established in 1897, is sandwiched between the railway and the sea, offering a quintessential Scottish links experience that has remained largely unchanged over the decades. Its layout, designed to naturally follow the narrow strip of coastal land, presents a blend of beauty and challenge that epitomizes links golf.

The Western Gailes Golf Course is a par-71, stretching over 6,700 yards, known for its fast-running fairways, deep pot bunkers, undulating greens, and complex dune systems. The course layout demands strategic play, with the wind playing a significant factor in the game, altering the course's character from day to day. Golfers must navigate the natural contours of the land, using the landscape to their advantage to score well.

Notable for its sequence of challenging holes, Western Gailes features a particularly tough stretch from the 5th through the 13th, where the course runs closest to the sea. The 7th hole, a demanding par-4, requires a tee shot over dunes to a narrow fairway, with the green perched precariously near the beach. Another standout, the 14th hole, presents a long par-4 challenge where accuracy off the tee is paramount to avoiding bunkers and rough on the way to the green.

The course's design ensures that golfers face a variety of shots and challenges, from dealing with crosswinds on the holes running parallel to the coast, to navigating the inland holes where the wind shifts and the terrain changes. The ever-present gorse and heather add to the course's difficulty and beauty, providing a colorful contrast to the rolling fairways and the blue sea.

Playing Western Gailes Golf Course is an experience that transports golfers back in time, offering a chance to play the game as it was originally intended. It stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of links golf, offering a challenging and memorable round for all who visit.