Royal Troon Golf Club
The Old Course clubhouse in 2009
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| Club information | |
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 Location in Scotland
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| Coordinates | 55°31′55″N 4°39′00″W / 55.532°N 4.65°WCoordinates: 55°31′55″N 4°39′00″W / 55.532°N 4.65°W |
| Location | Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland, U.K. |
| Established | 1878, 138 years ago |
| Type | Private |
| Total holes | 45 |
| Tournaments hosted |
The Open Championship, The Amateur, Senior British Open |
| Website | royaltroon.co.uk |
| Old Course | |
| Designed by | George Strath and Willie Fernie, 1888; James Braid, 1923 |
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 7,175 yards (6,561 m) |
| Course rating | 75 |
| Portland Course | |
| Designed by | Willie Fernie, 1895; Alister MacKenzie, 1921 |
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 6,289 yards (5,751 m) |
| Course rating | 71 |
| Craigend Course | |
| Par | 27 |
| Length | 1,191 yards (1,089 m) |
 The Firth of Clyde beach and Royal Troon are separated by raised sand dunes |
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Royal Troon Golf Club is a links golf course in Scotland, located in Troon, South Ayrshire, southwest of Glasgow.
The club, which now has a total of 45 holes, was founded 138 years ago in 1878, initially with five holes. It lies adjacent to the Firth of Clyde. George Strath was appointed in 1881 as the club's first golf professional, and together with 1882 Open champion Willie Fernie (golfer), designed the original course, expanding it to 18 holes by 1888. The two were assisted by Charlie Hunter, greenskeeper of the neighbouring Prestwick Golf Club, in Troon's formative years.
When Strath left the Club's employ in 1887, Fernie became head professional, and served in that role until his death in 1924. He laid out the club's original Portland Course as well; this course was named in honour of the 6th Duke of Portland, an essential early Troon Golf Club patron and facilitator, who was one of the region's largest landowners.
The Club's property lies between the Firth of Clyde on the west, a caravan park on the south (slightly further south lies Prestwick Golf Club), the railway line and main road on the east, and the town of Troon on the north. Glasgow Prestwick Airport is located slightly to the south and east of the club, and low-flying aircraft are nearest its southern section.
Just prior to Royal Troon hosting its first Open Championship in 1923, the Old Course was redesigned, lengthened, and strengthened by James Braid, a five-time Open champion, one of the era's top architects, and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Other than having new back tees on several holes, the current Old Course is essentially very similar to Braid's finished work.
Troon was granted its "Royal" designation in 1978, during its centennial. Its clubhouse is richly decorated with historical golf artifacts. James Montgomerie, father of champion golfer Colin Montgomerie, served as Secretary in the 1980s.
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Wikipedia