Kintyre
The edge of the earth
The Kintyre peninsula is one of the prettiest places in Scotland, full stop. When you pull into Campbeltown at the end of the 3+ hour drive from Glasgow—half of which you spend pointed north rather than south—you feel like you’ve earned the first dram of whisky (or your tipple of choice). The last hour-plus of the drive has you feeling like you can reach out and touch Ireland, and the landscape in general is far more reminiscent of the Emerald Isle than it is the rest of Scotland.
Campbeltown has the unique distinction of being the only designated whisky appellation that is just one single town. With both Springbank and Glen Scotia still calling the town home, there are plenty of local wares to sample.
Machrihanish Golf Club (1876) is one of the best links in Scotland, with arguably the strongest opening hole in the country and a front nine that holds up against any nine hole stretch on earth. The back nine is no slouch, but you’ll find yourself glancing over at the front side a few times as you think about the holes you just had the privilege of playing.
For a century and a quarter Machrihanish Golf Club and its distinctive oystercatcher logo were alone as a destination at the bottom of the Kintyre peninsula.
That changed when Machrihanish Dunes (2009) opened as one of the more impressive feats of golf course construction in modern history. McClay Kidd routed a new championship-length, 18 hole links course on heavily protected linksland. Although the footprint of the course extends over 200+ acres, only approximately eight were allowed to be touched for McClay Kidd to build greens and tees. The fairways, fescue, and surrounding area are as untouched as you’ll find on a golf course—especially on one that you’re keen to play.
The Campbeltown area is also home to a couple of other quirky add-on courses that have charm of their own. Whether it’s Dunaverty (1889), the 18-hole, 4800-yard charming temple of quirk, or Carradale (1906), a 9-holer that locals will go out of their way to tell you about, there are great spots to settle a match that ends tied after 18.
A different trip entirely could focus on the islands off the coast. Ardfin (2015) and the Machrie (1891), not to mention quirky courses like the 12-hole Shiskine (1896), make this part of the world extremely worthy of consideration for anyone looking to book a trip far from the crowds.
