Machrihanish Golf Club
Machrihanish, Scotland
Course Layout
110 features mapped — fairways, greens, bunkers, tees, water. Data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Course by the Numbers
Calculated from 110 mapped features. Areas are measured directly from the polygon geometry.
About Machrihanish Golf Club
The Machrihanish Golf Club is a classic Scottish links course situated in Machrihanish north of the Mull of Kintyre. The main course, with views of the western seaboard including the Paps of Jura and Ireland, was ranked the No. 39 course outside of the United States by Golf Digest in 2005. In particular, the first hole is often rated as one of the best opening holes in the world. Jack Nicklaus has cited the 1st at Machrihanish as the top opening hole in the world.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What Should You Expect to Shoot?
These expected scores use the World Handicap System formula: your handicap index × slope ÷ 113, plus course rating. Use them to set a realistic target before you tee off.
Championship
Rating 74.0 · Slope 140 · Par 72 · 7,000 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 8 | 82 | +10 |
| 10 | 14 | 88 | +16 |
| 15 | 21 | 95 | +23 |
| 20 | 27 | 101 | +29 |
| 25 | 33 | 107 | +35 |
| 30 | 39 | 113 | +41 |
Medal
Rating 72.0 · Slope 132 · Par 72 · 6,500 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 6 | 78 | +6 |
| 10 | 12 | 84 | +12 |
| 15 | 18 | 90 | +18 |
| 20 | 23 | 95 | +23 |
| 25 | 29 | 101 | +29 |
| 30 | 35 | 107 | +35 |
Club
Rating 70.0 · Slope 125 · Par 72 · 6,000 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | 74 | +2 |
| 10 | 9 | 79 | +7 |
| 15 | 15 | 85 | +13 |
| 20 | 20 | 90 | +18 |
| 25 | 26 | 96 | +24 |
| 30 | 31 | 101 | +29 |
Ladies
Rating 73.0 · Slope 130 · Par 72 · 5,400 yards| Your Handicap | Course HCP | Expected Score | Over Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 7 | 80 | +8 |
| 10 | 13 | 86 | +14 |
| 15 | 18 | 91 | +19 |
| 20 | 24 | 97 | +25 |
| 25 | 30 | 103 | +31 |
| 30 | 36 | 109 | +37 |
Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 71 |
| Yards | 375 | 516 | 391 | 432 | 179 | 435 | 439 | 191 | 374 | 3,332 | 446 | 389 | 178 | 559 | 413 | 412 | 178 | 366 | 559 | 3,500 | 6,832 |
| Stroke Index | 7 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 17 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 12 | 14 |
Holes That Decide Your Round
Play for the fat of the green and take bogey off the table. Build your pre-round plan →
Three good shots beats two heroic ones. Bogey here is a solid result for anyone above 10 handicap.
Attack the pin — if your wedge game is on, this is where strokes get gained back.
Expected par or better. If you drop a stroke here, it's usually a mental mistake — which is trackable.
Pre-Round Checklist for Machrihanish Golf Club
Your Game Plan for Machrihanish Golf Club
The scorecard tells you the course. The Grand Plan assessment tells you you — which part of your game is actually bleeding strokes. Pair both, and you have a pre-round strategy tailored to this course AND your weaknesses.
Tee Sets
Championship
- Yards:
- 7,000
- Par:
- 72
- Course Rating:
- 74.0
- Slope:
- 140
Medal
- Yards:
- 6,500
- Par:
- 72
- Course Rating:
- 72.0
- Slope:
- 132
Club
- Yards:
- 6,000
- Par:
- 72
- Course Rating:
- 70.0
- Slope:
- 125
Ladies
- Yards:
- 5,400
- Par:
- 72
- Course Rating:
- 73.0
- Slope:
- 130
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the par at Machrihanish Golf Club?
Machrihanish Golf Club is a par 71 course with 18 holes measuring 6,832 total yards. Front nine par 35 (3,332 yards), back nine par 36 (3,500 yards).
What is the longest hole at Machrihanish Golf Club?
The longest hole is hole 13, a par 5 playing 559 yards.
Which hole is hardest at Machrihanish Golf Club?
Hole 6 has the lowest stroke index (1). It's a par 4 playing 435 yards.
What should I shoot at Machrihanish Golf Club?
Use the expected-score table above — it's calculated from your handicap and this course's official WHS rating and slope. A 15 handicap typically shoots mid-80s to low-90s depending on the tee set; a 25 handicap mid-90s to low-100s. Track your actual scores against these targets to see how your game travels.