All that has changed. A recently completed makeover, which began in September of 1999, has so altered the identity of the Arran that it has surrendered its very name. The Kintyre, set to open in late spring, is not only a worthy companion to the Ailsa but every bit as stout a test. The new holes have been so well received that Turnberry is looking at a composite course for future events. The first five holes of Kintyre are nearly identical to Arran's opening quintet.
Big changes kick in at number six.
The seventh hole, a sweeping dogleg-left par four, continues the climb up Bain's Hill, where sheep graze along the right side of the fairway for added ambience. Kintyre's eighth is where the magic begins. On this 298-yard par four, you drive toward the ocean's horizon to an elevated fairway. From there, it is a breathtaking peek down at a tiny green hard by the sea, framed by dramatic rock outcroppings and a little slice of beach that is in play. On the par-five ninth, the lighthouse is the aiming point, and the fairway falls off into scrubby dunes.