Open Country
This August, the Broken Tee Society heads for Ayrshire, the stretch of southwest Scotland where the Open Championship was invented in 1860 and has been played 38 times since. For six nights we’ll stay at the Marine Troon, a century-old hotel that looks straight down the 18th fairway at Royal Troon. Each morning the bus goes to a world-class links: Prestwick, Royal Troon, Western Gailes, Dundonald, Kilmarnock Barassie and Irvine.
Two of those are names you already know. Prestwick hosted the first 12 Opens and 24 in all, a number only St Andrews has beaten. Royal Troon has had 10, most recently in 2024, and its eighth hole Postage Stamp has provided some of the best theater in the whole Open rotation. The other four are the courses locals play and visitors rarely find. Hotel, coach, every tee time and both group dinners are handled, so all that’s left is to get yourself and your clubs to Edinburgh.
The Troon Experience
Monday, August 16
Arrival in Edinburgh
Tuesday, August 17
Prestwick Golf Club
Wednesday, August 18
Kilmarnock (Barassie)
Thursday, August 19
Royal Troon – Old Course
Friday, August 20
Western Gailes
Saturday, August 21
Dundonald Links
Registration
Members can register between 9/16-9/24
Field Size: 22
Pricing
$7,850 Single Occupancy / $6,850 Double Occupancy
If selected, a 50% deposit is due immediately to secure your spot. The remaining balance is due April 1.
Included in this experience
- Luxury accommodations at Marine Troon
- Six rounds of golf in six days
- Luxury transportation to/from airport and golf courses
- Opening and closing dinners
- Gifts from TGJ & partners
Trip Itinerary
Monday, August 16
Arrival & Irvine
Land in Edinburgh in the morning and drive southwest across the country to the coast. We’ll go straight to Irvine, a James Braid course from the 1880s that the R&A still uses to sort out who qualifies for the Open. Everyone calls it Bogside, after the racetrack that used to sit next door. Then it’s a short run down to the Marine Troon, home for the week.
Tuesday, August 17
Prestwick Golf Club
The Open Championship started here on October 17, 1860, when eight professionals played three loops of a 12-hole course for a red leather belt. Willie Park won. Prestwick went on to host the first 12 Opens and 24 in total, second only to St Andrews. The course is still full of the strange quirks you’d expect from a golf course built in the 1850s, offering a rare chance to step back in time to the early days of golf.
Wednesday, August 18
Kilmarnock (Barassie)
A short hop up the coast to Barassie, which has been here since 1887 and has 27 holes to work with. The ground is flat by Ayrshire standards, so in the 1930s Theodore Moone built the movement himself, shaping hills and hollows across the property. Nine more holes went in alongside his in 1997, and the R&A runs Open qualifying on them.
Thursday, August 19
Royal Troon – Old Course
The main event. Ten Opens have been decided here, the most recent in 2024 when Xander Schauffele won it in the rain. The eighth is the Postage Stamp, 123 yards to a green about the size of a suburban driveway, ringed by bunkers deep enough to lose a person in. Gene Sarazen aced it on live television in 1973 at the age of 71, in the last Open he ever played. The 11th runs along the railway line and once cost Jack Nicklaus a 10.
Friday, August 20
Western Gailes
Western Gailes has been squeezed onto a narrow ribbon of dunes since 1897, with the sea on one side and a working railway on the other. Nine of the eighteen holes run right along the water. This hidden gem is one few Americans have never heard of and Scots put near the top of their lists, and it sits inside the top 25 courses in Britain and Ireland.
Saturday, August 21
Dundonald Links
The modern one. Kyle Phillips, the American architect behind Kingsbarns, built Dundonald in 2003, and it already holds its own against neighbors three times its age. That evening we’ll gather back at the hotel for a closing dinner to celebrate a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Scotland.
Sunday, August 22
Edinburgh & Departure
The bus takes us back across the country to Edinburgh with time to see the city before flights home. The castle, the Royal Mile and one last whisky all sit within a few blocks of each other.
How to Register
- You must be an active TGJ Premium member to register for and attend the Royal Troon event. Not yet a Premium member? Join here.
- Premium members can place reservation requests from September 16 at 9 a.m. ET to September 24 at 3 p.m. ET.
- You may request up to four spots.
- Singles are encouraged to place reservation requests.
- Entries must be paid within 24 hours of receiving the notification email to avoid forfeiting your position in the event.
- To secure your spot if selected, a 50% deposit is required at the time of registration. The remaining balance (50%) will be due by May 1. You’ll receive a reminder email with a secure link to complete your final payment ahead of the due date.
Fly into Edinburgh
Book your own flights to/from Edinburgh Airport and we’ll pick you up
Unpack and Relax
Stay all six nights at the luxurious Marine Troon
An additional thank you to our event partners:
FAQs
How do I register?
- Registration opens September 16 at 9:00 AM ET and closes September 24 at 9:00 AM ET. The field is selected by random drawing.
- You must be a Premium TGJ member and logged into golfersjournal.com to submit a reservation request. You can request up to four spots per entry.
- If selected, you’ll have 24 hours to complete payment. If you’re not selected, you’re automatically added to the waitlist. There is no set order, and spots are filled at random.
- Want to get notified about your entry? Sign up for text alerts HERE.
Who can attend?
- This event is open to TGJ members only.
- All guests in your group must also be active TGJ members.
- Singles are welcome, and roughly half of our attendees come solo. All skill levels are encouraged to register.
What should I know before I arrive?
- The trip will begin by flying in to the Edinburgh Airport
- These course will be walking only.
- Caddies will be available upon request, pricing for caddies is between £125-150 at each course.
- The dress code is private club attire. No denim, no sandals, and shirts must be tucked in. Hats are not permitted inside the clubhouse. Jackets are not required at dinner but are encouraged.
What does my entry fee cover?
- Included:
- 6 rounds of golf
- 6 night stay at the Marine Troon
- Luxury transportation to/from airport and golf courses
- Opening and closing night dinner
- Not included:
- Gratuity for bus driver and caddies
- Caddie and cart fees
- International airfare (guests arrange their own)
- Meals beyond daily breakfast, opening night, and closing night dinner
What if I need to cancel?
- Pricing is per person. Cancellations made more than 30 days before the event are subject to a 10% processing fee.
- Cancellations made within 30 days are subject to a 15% fee and will only be refunded once the spot is filled.
- If the spot cannot be filled, no refund will be issued.
- Please email events@golfersjournal.com to request a cancellation.
