A links golf course on the Ayrshire coast, Gailes is located amongst heather and gorse a mile (1.8 km) north northwest of Dundonald Camp and 1½ miles (2 km) south of Irvine. Owned and managed by the Glasgow Golf Club, which is based 26 miles (42 km) to the northeast at Killermont, this is a par 71 course extending to 6535 yards (5975m) or a more challenging 6903 yards (6312m) from its championship tees.
The Glasgow Club wished to develop a links course and leased land from the Duke of Portland in 1892. A clubhouse opened in 1895. The design as it is today was completed in 1912 and was the work of Willie Park Jnr (1864 - 1925). Park considered this course as one of the best of the many he laid out. The land was purchased outright in 1924.
Regularly selected by Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews as a qualifying course for the Open Championship, golfer Sandy Lyle (b. 1958) has described the course as "one of the world's truly great tests of links golf".