Dundonald Links’ status as a firm favourite among the world’s best golfers has been further enhanced with award success at the Ladies’ European Tour (LET) 2026 season launch.

Home to the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open – was presented with the coveted ‘Best Course Condition’ award in recognition for its exceptional course condition during last July’s event.

Voted for by both players and staff of the LET, the award recognises the work and effort from the dedicated greenkeeping team at Dundonald Links, led by golf course superintendent Rob Wooddisse, who worked tirelessly to ensure the golf course was presented superbly during tournament week.

Taking place from July 24-27, the 2025 ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open saw England’s Lottie Woad emerge victorious on her professional debut, fending off a star-studded field which included world number one Nelly Korda making her first appearance at the event.

The tournament saw record crowds gather to watch the star-studded field battle it out over Kyle Phillips’ acclaimed links course, with 11,000 spectators attending across a week – the highest in the event’s history.

Wooddisse said: “We are extremely grateful to receive this award, especially as it’s voted for by the players and LET staff themselves.

It’s a real honour for the entire team. The build-up to tournament week involves countless hours of preparation and during the event our staff and volunteers work tirelessly from early morning until late in the day to ensure the course is presented at its very best.

“To hear such positive feedback from the players – who compete on the finest courses around the world – is incredibly rewarding and makes all of that hard work worthwhile.”

This July, the venue will welcome the tournament back for the 2026 ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, extending the resort’s long-standing association with one of the marquee events on the global women’s golf calendar.

The tournament will be the only LPGA Tour event held in Scotland and will mark the eighth time in 12 years that it has been held at Dundonald Links – and the fifth straight year in a row.

David-Ross Nicol, director of golf at Dundonald Links, said: “Rob and his team set the standard year after year, and this award is a fitting recognition of the care, expertise and sheer hard work that goes into presenting the course at the highest possible level.

Tournament week demands an enormous amount behind the scenes and the condition of the course this year was nothing short of exceptional. We’re incredibly proud of what the team has achieved.

“With the 2026 ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open on the horizon, there’s already a real sense of excitement building across the resort. We’re looking forward to welcoming the world’s best players back to Dundonald Links and delivering another unforgettable championship.”

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Goswick Links is well on its way to adding its first all-new hole since the 1960s with the construction of the par-3 7^th designed by renowned golf course architects, Mackenzie & Ebert that replaces the existing par-3 9^th hole.

Goswick broke ground on the new hole near the end of 2025 and Golf Course Architect Tom Mackenzie signed off on the shaping of the tees, green and surrounds. Finishing work on the two greenside bunkers remains. The new hole will be ready for play in April.

“It’s just amazingly rewarding to see everything coming together,” said Mackenzie during a recent site visit.

“I hope we have delivered what we promised we were going to deliver in terms of the improvement to the front 9 and creating a really good new hole.”

A video of his comments as well as insights into the hole’s design can be viewed by clicking here.

MASTERPLAN

The creation of this new hole represents a major milestone in a front 9 improvement plan proposed by Mackenze & Ebert and approved overwhelmingly by the club’s membership in 2022.

Since then, Goswick has improved the 2^nd and 3^rd hole green surrounds, built new tees and significantly resculpted the green on the 4^th hole, as well as building new tees on the 5^th and 6^th holes that have added length.

At the same time that it carved out the new 7^th hole, the club also built new dramatically positioned tees on what will become the 8^th hole. Those, too, will be ready for play in April.

The removal of the 9^th hole now creates the opportunity to reroute the 1^st hole and to build a world class short game practice facility.

Those improvements are scheduled to begin in October. The Mackenzie & Ebert plan also calls for new tees and a new green for what will become the new 9^th hole. The timing of that work remains to be set.

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