Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club is a golf club and course in Barassie (on the outskirts of Troon, Ayrshire) on the west coast of Scotland.[1] Formed as Ossington Golf Club in 1887, the first course was at Holmes Farm in Kilmarnock. The Club quickly became Kilmarnock Golf Club. The club moved to Barassie in the 1890s.
The town of Kilmarnock boasts a proud sporting heritage with some of the oldest football, rugby, cricket and bowling clubs in Scotland and the UK. (See Kilmarnock FC ; Kilmarnock RFC)
The course itself is a Open Championship Final Qualifying venue, and has undergone considerable changes over the past few years. It has twenty seven holes, and also has much improved facilities in the clubhouse and professional's shop run by Gregor Howie.
The additional nine holes are part of the championship course and have added a different dimension to Barassie with a Par of 72 and a Standard Scratch of 74. The course measures at just under 7000 yards and the new holes provide some challenges, perhaps no more so than the par 3 fourth hole or the quirky double dog leg par 5 eighth.
The course was host for The Amateur Championship in June 2001 along with Prestwick Golf Club and played host to the European Youths Championships the previous year. The Open Championship at Royal Troon in 2004 saw Barassie play host to the Junior Open Championship.
Well known members include Jim Milligan and Gordon Sherry who played in successful Walker Cup teams and Alan Reid who was the Scottish Amateur Strokeplay Champion. Milligan was Scottish Amateur Champion in 1988 whilst Sherry was The Amateur Champion in 1995. Alasdair Watt was Scottish Amateur runner up in 1987, losing to Colin Montgomerie of Royal Troon Golf Club. John Montgomerie won the Scottish Amateur in the 1950s. As well as being Scottish Club Champions, Barassie have also been European Club Champions in the 1990s.