Royal Troon Golf Club, Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland

Of course you come to Royal Troon Golf Club to play the famous Postage Stamp 8th, a flip-wedge of a par-3 to a green set on a tiny shelf in the dunes, where Gene Sarazen scored an historic ace in his return to the Open in 1973, 50 years after his first visit. He followed up his ace with a 2 out of the bunker, giving him a “par” 3 for the two days! The “Railway” 11th, tight against the stone boundary, is almost equally famous. Don’t overlook the rest of the course though! Site of other memorable Open heroics by the great Arnold Palmer, Tom Weiskopf, and Tom Watson, as well as some Greg Norman heartache when he drove into a bunker thought out-of-reach on the 18th in the 1989 Open playoff, this is championship golf at its finest in an historic, traditional setting. The finish, including the par-3 17th with the ancient Marine Hotel overlooking the green, and the 18th with the green hard against the wonderful old clubhouse, makes for an atmosphere that is everything you could possibly hope to experience on your Scotland trip. Lunch and tea in the clubhouse are included with the green fee, and is a second 18 on the club’s Portland Course, a free round that not enough people take advantage of, as this is a fun and challenging links as well!