Ailsa, The Legend of Turnberry

Ailsa, one of two Turnberry golf courses, is one of the Scotland's most famous links courses. It's a legend in its own right and should be on the "must play" list of every serious golfer.

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Bounded by breathtaking coastal views of the Isle of Arran, Ailsa Craig and the Irish Sea, the Westin Turnberry Golf Resort offers an unforgettable golfing experience. Surrounded as it is by some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery, and the scene of so many of golf's most dramatic moments, Ailsa is arguably one of the most famous courses in championship golf.

Ailsa is a place where legends are born. Nick Price, Greg Norman and Tom Watson all won golf’s most coveted trophy at Turnberry. I was lucky enough to be there for all four days of the 1977 Open Championship, and at the 18th green on the final day when Watson defeated Jack Nicklaus. He fired a 7-iron some 175 yards to the green and sank the putt to win by one stroke over Jack Nicklaus.

I was also delighted to walk the course with one of the new guys on the international circuit, a young man that was soon to make his own mark in golf: Greg Norman was still in his early 20s in 1977.

One would think that a golfing experience such as Ailsa at Turnberry would be reserved for the rich and famous. Not so. Every year thousands of golfers of all levels of skill take to Ailsa's links and enjoy the thrill of playing an Open Championship course.

When the wind blows in over Ailsa Craig – the famous rocky dome some nine miles out in the Irish Sea to the west - the first three holes can be really tough. Then, from the short, par 3 fourth, the course follows the shoreline and meanders in and out among the dunes and craggy rocks until it reaches the 11th. The 9th hole, Turnberry’s signature par 3, is known the world over for its scenic beauty, and its difficulty. To stand on the tiny tee, lean against the wind, and gaze out over the boiling waters to the green far beyond is an experience that can only be described as awesome, and it's one you'll find only in Scotland.