[Photo: The par-3 9th, The Machrie Links / Deanamuir / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:9th_bunkers_(2).jpg)

The Machrie Golf Links

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Why you should definitely visit

A proper championship test at over 7,000 yards, played across dune land most visitors only ever see from the beach below. Green fees run from £74 in winter to £185 in summer.

About

A championship links course laid out across the same dunes as the Big Strand, five minutes from the airport on Islay's west coast — one of Scotland's most storied golf courses, dating to 1891, and open to any visiting golfer, not just hotel guests.

Highlights

18-hole championship links, redesigned by David J Russell and reopened in 2018 — plus The Wee Course (six holes, par 3) and The Hebrides, an 18-hole social course (plus a playoff hole) mirroring the original 1891 design at one-tenth scale
Par 72, 7,024 yards from the back tees (slope 120–136 for men, 122–132 for ladies, depending on tees) — among the longest links courses in Scotland
Today's standout holes: the short par-3 9th playing straight out to sea, the 2nd squeezed between river and beach, and the risk-reward 7th along the shore
Green fees include the Wee Course, The Hebrides, and the short-game practice area

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Visit info

Opening hours

Open year-round, weather permitting. Tee times bookable online or by phone (01496 302310); seasonal pricing applies — £74/round in winter up to £185/round in summer.

Parking

Not published online — presumably on-site at the clubhouse for a working golf resort, but this wasn't independently confirmed. Worth checking when booking.

Accessibility

Not specified by the course online — contact the pro shop directly (01496 302310) for accessibility needs.

Visit The Machrie Golf Links's official website ↗

Trip tips

Best time to visit

Summer for the best weather and long evening light, though tee times run right through winter at lower rates.

Nearest facilities

Full clubhouse on site — changing rooms, pro shop, covered driving range, short-game practice area and The Hebrides social course — plus 18 Restaurant & Bar at the Machrie Hotel for food afterwards. Club hire (£40/round, £60/day) and GPS-equipped buggy hire (£40/round, £60/day) both available if you're travelling light.

What to bring

Waterproofs — this is an exposed, weather-open course even in summer. Bring your own clubs if you have them, though rental sets and buggies are both available on site. Dress code and any handicap certificate requirement for visitors aren't published online — worth checking when you book.

Mobile signal

Reasonable coverage, given proximity to Islay Airport and the main road — one of the better-served spots on the west coast.

Pairs well with

The Big Strand beach walk, which the course borders; the Port Ellen distilleries (Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Ardbeg), about 10 minutes' drive.