Nestled in the dunes of a pristine seven-mile beach on the stunning Hebridean island of Islay lies The Machrie, a modern, relaxed hotel with a world-class golf links.
As well as being recognised in the top 50 resorts in the UK & Ireland, The Machrie is ranked as one of the best golf resorts in the world by Today’s Golfer in its ‘Golf World Top 100’ list.
Just a 25 min flight from Glasgow or two hours by ferry from Kennacraig, The Machrie features 47 beautifully designed rooms, suites and lodges, some with their own outdoor terraces and stunning views.
The Machrie is located on the south-west of the Isle of Islay, just five minutes from the airport. The word "machrie" is a corruption of the Scottish Gaelic machair, which means more or less the same as "links" did on the east coast of Scotland.
The course was designed by Willie Campbell in 1891 and was intentionally made long, at least by 19th Century standards, to attract golfers to Islay. Set in the dunes of Islay, Queen of the Hebrides, The Machrie Links course is one of the most beautiful locations in world golf. Originally designed in 1891 by Willie Campbell, the course has now been fully modernised by D J Russell, the former European Ryder Cup Vice Captain and PGA tour player.
There is a reason why the Scots invented golf on links land, Machrie land, and the links turf on which the course sits is among the finest in Scotland. The dramatic setting of Laggan Bay and the sand dunes has few equals, and with the ever changing nature of the challenge offered by this acclaimed layout it’s time you played the Machrie!
The Machrie Links hosted a famous match in 1901 between James Braid, John Henry Taylor and Harry Vardon for a prize of £100, reputed to be the largest prize of its kind at that time in the British Isles. Harry Vardon called Mount Zion, now the 17th hole, but originally the first hole, "the hardest hole I have seen". The links later hosted the Western Isles Open Championship in June 1935.
