Dream golf home: Cottage in middle of Royal Troon Open Championship course for sale
A house in the middle of Royal Troon Golf Club – home to the 152nd Open Championship – has gone up for sale with a price tag of £1.5m.
Real estate agency Strutt & Parker’s branding has been seen on a “For Sale” sign outside one of the two cottages that make up Blackrock House, which was built before Royal Troon existed.
The cottage is slap bang in the middle of Royal Troon in Ayrshire, Scotland, and sits adjacent to the 16th hole – a par 5, 572 yard challenge called “Well”. The second green is to the west.
The house is a four-bedroom semi-detached property and could set you back a seven-figure sum.
Like nothing else in the world
Annabel Blackett, associate at Strutt & Parker, said: “The sale of Blackrock House is one of those rare times where you can safely say there isn’t anything else like this available in the world.
“Built before the Royal Troon Golf Club even existed, the home’s driveway meanders through the course and takes you into almost another world – a world which must surely feel like a dream for any golf fans!
“From here, you can watch five holes from the comfort of your own home, and of course you also have the club on your doorstep for your own playing.
“While the views are fantastic year-round – and particularly with the coastal waters in the distance – the position really comes into its own when a championship as prestigious as The Open is in town.
“This week, The Open is being hosted at Royal Troon for the 10th time, which means you can watch the likes of Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson tee off from various rooms in the house – certainly not a claim you could make anywhere else in the world!”
“Now split into two homes, our clients have owned Blackrock House for 30 years, so this sale presents a rare opportunity for someone to own a slice of one of the most famous links courses in the country.
“It’s little surprise that launching a home as special as this has created the level of buzz and interest that we’ve seen so far.”
Inside Blackrock House
Royal Troon trepidation
Of hole No16, the Open says: “The first genuine respite of the back nine arrives at the 16th with Well.
“The first par-5 since the 6th, this hole provides some much-needed relief to players battling to save par, and provides a very good birdie chance, despite usually playing against the wind.
“Yet even the 16th provides no free handouts, as a perfectly placed burn that cuts through the centre of the fairway can often take driver out of the hands of all but the longest hitters. This leaves a very long second shot, which can render the green out of reach.
“A cross bunker ensures a hit-and-hope strategy will likely fail too, ensuring most players will be left with a shot of between 80 and 100 yards to possibly the most abundantly bunkered green on the course. A birdie chance, for sure, but you most certainly will have to work for it.”