The town of Gailes is fast becoming a magnet for golfers everywhere, especially now that a third, pure links course has been added to the mix. This is Southern Gailes, tucked somewhat in between Glasgow Gailes and Western Gailes, in fact it is entirely possible to play all three courses without getting in your car. Designed by Kyle Phillips, he of Kingsbarns’ fame, this is the latest, new must-play links on the Scottish rotation. Southern Gailes is the longest and most difficult of the Gailes’ links courses, a tough, penalizing design, yet playable for the average golfer with many different tees. What really makes it unique is that while Southern Gailes is built on pure, sandy linksland, the property was initially flat, with little elevation change. But the design team was able to use modern machinery to craft dunes, hollows, and undulations to rival any of the great Scottish courses, without bringing in sand or turf from the outside. Nature provided the turf, Mr. Phillips provided the rest. Our favorite holes are the 3rd, a fun and demanding par-5 with a little burn splitting the fairway, making pinpoint accuracy a must, and the par-3 13th, aimed directly at the sea, with Western Gailes just a few yards over the green across the railroad tracks, into the prevailing wind and often requiring a wood (at least!). No expense was spared at Southern Gailes, from the clubhouse facilities to the links, and it is surely the last links course that will ever be developed in Scotland. Don’t miss it!