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Indoor pool, games hall and a fitness suite and studio for a wife who does that sort of thing and a steam room and sauna for those like me who prefer not to. There are massage therapies and various other preening and pampering treatments along with a Teen Zone and a Soft Play Area for younger kids. What more could you ask for?

Auchrannie is family-oriented and therefore not so suited to golf-guy-groups. But for young families who, if it turns nasty outdoors can’t easily retreat to the bar for the afternoon or go back to the room for a siesta, this is an all weather, indoor oasis. I would go as far as to say that Auchrannie Spa is one of the best family leisure resorts in Scotland – and I know an awful lot of families who agree.

The good alternative on the other side of the island is the Kinloch Hotel in Blackwaterfoot. The Kinloch is the most popular golfing hotel on the island, with the peerless Shiskine Golf Club only five minutes walk away. The Kinloch’s setup is more suited to golfing groups, with regular evening entertainment, themed dinners and a general, cheery, relaxed air that parties of golfers will feel comfortable in. Although the leisure facilities are not on a par with the Auchrannie – and few are – the Kinloch is still good for families, with a small pool and gym area.

Machrie Bay’s a hoot to play for any age group, the only concern being the road that flanks the first and over which you pitch at the ninth. Clear instructions are given not to play when a vehicle is on its way, which is not all that often on this quiet side of the island. In the golfing annals of Arran, a story circulates of the time the late, great Walter Hagen made a trip to play the Machrie course. He was intent on playing the Machrie on the not-too-distant Isle of Islay but some Glasgow wag
intentionally or speciously sent the party to the wrong island. Hagen and co played the wee nine-hole Machrie Bay course anyway and experienced its stunning views looking over to Kintyre and its fabulous sunsets, and it no doubt met with whole-hearted approval.

My gang was similarly delighted to take to the fairways of Lochranza Golf Club on the north of the island. While the course is firmly family friendly, it also caters for stag parties. An odd mix, you might think, but the stags in this case are of the four-legged variety, great 12-pointers that come down from the surrounding high hills to feed off the sweet fairway grass and don’t seem to mind golfers wildly swinging a golf club six feet away. There was a herd of around 40 beasts the evening we played, magnificent creatures that you never normally get so close to. Off course, we took to walking beaches, skimming stones, visiting cheese and chocolate factories, breweries and distilleries, castles and cafes and just generally hanging out, which is a pretty good thing I might add for a family to do.
You will want to drive around the island at least once, probably tackling its 56-mile
circumference on two separate days, as we did. The igneous chunk afloat in the wide Clyde Estuary offers hundreds of stunning view points.

The north is mountainous and elemental while the south is pastoral, a reflection, so the tourist
people keep reminding us, of the Scottish mainland – a Scotland in miniature. The Isle of Arran has more golf per head of population than anywhere else in the world. There are around 4,500 full-time Arran-ites ,with a total of seven golf courses between them. It also has a golf pass that allows you to play around all seven courses for the princely sum of £90, incredibly good value. Another thing worth noting is that the golf season here is pretty much year round. With the Gulf Stream hugging the coasts, there’s rarely any frost and there are some serious accommodation and golf bargains.

While the gang was having a leisurely breakfast or playing in the hotel pool, I fitted in a few extra rounds. Shiskine Golf Club is pure links and regularly featured in golf magazines’ top 100 listings. It’s unusual in that it only has 12 holes but is an absolute playing gem from start to finish. You’ll savour the third and fourth set next to the Doon, a curious, craggy cliff-face along from which is the famous King’s Cave, where Robert the Bruce is said to have held out watching a spider. What a wonderful little course! Next on the pecking order I would say is

Besides that is its location – and what a location. Scotland has one thing the rest of the developed world is scarce on: peace and quiet. Step outside the Kinloch’s front door and you can reach out and almost touch it. If it weren’t for such a fabulous little golf course just 400 yards along the beach, I’d indulge in my second favourite pastime of doing absolutely nothing, and Blackwaterfoot is just the place to do it. Our kids are both learner golfers and although not fully committed to the game, they were delighted to chip and putt their way around Machrie Bay, a nine-hole golf course just five minutes north of Blackwaterfoot which is happy to allow children (and dogs) on the course.

Going for golf 2006 Tel: +44(0) 1268 554100

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Lochranza, Isle of Arran, Scotland. KA27 8HL  Tel: 01770 830273 Fax: 01770 830600
 office@lochgolf.demon.co.uk
 www.lochranzagolf.com  
18 holes (6 double/6 single greens), par 70, 5,470 yards 
Weekdays £16 per round, £21 per day;
weekends £16 per round, £21 per day 
Shop and snack area, changing
facilities, showers, trolley hire, club rental