Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club

Royal Troon, Prestwick and Turnberry dominate the golf landscape in the part of the Scottish west coast that extends from Prestwick to Troon, and these are the clubs that have hosted the Open. There are however hidden gems around here, such as Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf club, near the Gailes complex just outside Troon. An obscure architect named Theodore Moon created the original design around the turn of the last century, so there are a few blind holes. Though called a links and close to the sea, Barassie has more the feel of an inland heath layout. There are more challenging courses in the area, but at over 6200 meters—fortunately, lengthening over the years has been backwards from the tees, so the layout maintains its integrity—this one has hosted the Scottish Amateur Championship a number of times, several women's events and qualifying events for the Open.