The Village at Machrihanish Dunes – the acclaimed Scottish seaside resort – was named No. 19 in Golf World’s inaugural “Top 100 Resorts in Britain and Ireland” list. The list also heralds Machrihanish Dunes as the No. 6 best place to stay and play in Scotland, calling the course “golf in the raw” and describes the resort’s Ugadale Cottages as ‘sensationally good’.
Rankings for this list, the first Top 100 of GB&I Golf Resorts produced by Golf World, were compiled with the assistance of golf travel industry insiders and well-travelled golfers. Each resort was marked in four categories; golf course/s, accommodations, non-golf amenities, and setting, with quality and quantity of courses representing nearly half of the overall mark, 40 points out of 100.
“Since opening, The Village at Machrihanish Dunes has been fortunate to be recognized for the quality of our golf course, our exceptional accommodations, world-class service and commitment to sustainability and economic development in the community,” said David Southworth, Founder and CEO of Southworth Development, an affiliate of which owns and operates The Village at Machrihanish Dunes. “We’re very proud of our team and hope we can continue to capture the hearts of golfers and guests from around the world that stay at Mach Dunes.”
Machrihanish Dunes Golf Course, a 7175-yard links course that was designed by native Scotsman David McLay Kidd, opened to critical acclaim in 2009. The first 18-hole links course in the UK to earn certification by Golf Environment Organization (GEO), the course was the first links course built in Western Scotland in 100 years, and the first ever to be built on a Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI). In the construction of the course only seven of the course’s 259 acres were altered, and Machrihanish Dunes maintains strong environmental and sustainable practices, including no use of chemical pesticides or herbicides and no mechanical fairway irrigation. Machrihanish Dunes Golf Course is consistently named to the lists of best golf courses in Scotland and Great Britain and Ireland.
The resort’s two historic hotels, The Ugadale Hotel in Machrihanish and The Royal Hotel in downtown Campbeltown, were painstakingly restored and reopened in 2012. Both hotels have earned luxury four-star status, having undergone a rigorous review process by VisitScotland.
Since its opening, The Ugadale Hotel has earned a slew of awards, including ‘Best New Hotel,’ ‘Best Golf Hotel,’ and ‘Best Small Hotel’ from the Scottish Hotel Awards and Golf Tourism Scotland, while The Ugadale Cottages have themselves earned the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. The Ugadale Hotel features 22 rooms and suites, many with stunning golf course and ocean views, the boutique Serenity Spa, a fitness center, and dining options that include The Kintyre Club for more formal dining and The Old Clubhouse Pub for a casual bite. The Royal Hotel offer 23 rooms, all overlooking picturesque Campbeltown Harbour, along with the lively Black Sheep Pub and a fine-dining restaurant, the Harbourview Grille.
The Village at Machrihanish Dunes is a majestic destination where guests can experience the striking beauty of Scotland, enjoy premier links-style golf, dine and relax. For more information, or book a stay, visit http://machrihanishdunes.com
Pictured top Machrihanish Dunes 18th Green