Recommended
Sailing journey · Islay, Jura & Arran
The West Coast Clipper
Golf, whisky and the sea road, by private clipper.
Arran is a natural anchorage on the sea road — twelve holes, then Lochranza.
VII
The Register · Course VII
ShiskineTwelve holes on Arran.
Blackwaterfoot · Isle of Arran
The Course
Shiskine has twelve holes, and no ambition whatsoever to have eighteen. Laid out at Blackwaterfoot in 1896 beneath the basalt shelf of Drumadoon, it is played in a little over two hours and remembered for a lifetime.
The holes are short, blind and gloriously unreasonable — the Crow's Nest tee, the Shelf, a semaphore arm to tell you the green is clear. Nobody finishes without wanting to go straight round again.
We reach it by helicopter from Glasgow, by fast launch on a Clipper week, or by the Ardrossan ferry with a car waiting on the pier. Lunch in the tearoom afterwards is non-negotiable.
How access works
Getting on at Shiskine.
Four steps, quietly handled. You are never asked to enter a ballot, queue for a release, or negotiate with a club yourself.
I
A conversation first
You tell us the dates, the party and what the week is for. No forms to chase — the Chief Concierge replies personally within forty-eight hours.
II
We approach the club
Times are secured through our own allocations and, where required, a member's introduction. Nothing is offered to you that we cannot hold.
III
Confirmed in writing
Tee times, caddies, transfers and the houses either side are confirmed together on one itinerary, with a single point of contact for the whole week.
IV
Looked after on the day
The starter, caddie master and clubhouse know you are coming. Clubs, cars and the table for dinner are already arranged.
Begin with a conversation
Nine to eighteen months' notice is ideal; shorter notice is often still possible.
The Gallery
Shiskine, seen closely.
Select any photograph to view it full screen, with zoom.
"Twelve holes, two hours, and the widest grin you will wear all week."
Where Shiskine sits
Journeys that include Shiskine.
Every week we build is bespoke, but these sample journeys show how Shiskine is usually placed — the houses kept either side of it, and the pacing around the round.
7 days · 7 rounds · Ayrshire, Fife & the Highlands
The Full Register
Add an Arran afternoon to the Ayrshire opening days.
4 days · 3 rounds · Fife & East Lothian
The Kingdom
A west-coast prelude before crossing to Fife.
Prefer to see the whole register? All sample itineraries.
Before you play
Shiskine — questions we are asked most.
Access, timing and the practicalities of arranging a round at Shiskine. If your question isn't here, the concierge will answer it directly.
Is Shiskine really only twelve holes?
Twelve holes, and deliberately so. It is one of the most charming rounds in Scotland — blind tee shots over the Arran cliffs, done in a little over two hours, and best followed by tea in the clubhouse.
How do we reach Arran?
By ferry from Ardrossan, by private launch, or as an anchorage on the West Coast Clipper voyage. The crossing is part of the pleasure.
How far ahead should we book Shiskine?
Nine to eighteen months for the summer months, and longer where a specific date matters. July and August are the island's busiest weeks. We hold provisional dates while the rest of the week is built around the round.
Are caddies and clubs arranged for us?
Yes. A senior local caddie is booked per guest as a matter of course, and premium rental sets are placed in the car if you would rather not travel with your own. Clubs can also be shipped ahead and waiting in the pro shop.
Do you handle transfers and accommodation as well as the tee time?
Always. A round is never sold alone — the private car, the house you sleep in, the table booked for dinner and the pacing of the day are arranged together, so the golf sits inside a week rather than beside it.
What happens if the weather closes in?
Scottish links play in most weather, and the round usually goes ahead. Where a course closes, we move the tee time within the week or substitute a comparable links nearby, and any unrecoverable green fee is returned in full.
By invitation & introduction
Request availabilityat Shiskine.
Tee times at Shiskine are secured privately, often a season or more in advance. Share a few details and our Chief Concierge will respond within forty-eight hours with the dates we can hold for you.
Or write · concierge@northofthewallgolf.com