William Johnstone, James Lang, Will G O Lindsay and Andrew McCulloch founded the club in 1897. They were all members of golf clubs in Glasgow, but had a vision to create a golf course on the Ayrshire coast away from the industrial fog of the city, and substanially free from winter frost that would allow golf all year round. "In starting this Club, the promoters have in view the large number of members of inland courses who would be glad of the facilities afforded by membership of a good seaside course in addition to the course on which they already play, and they therfore propose that the Annual Subscription should be only Ten Shillings and Sixpence, with an entrance fee of a like sum for members who join now."

Within the first year a two storeyed temporary clubhouse had been erected. The first permanent structure was built in 1909 at a cost of almost £4.000. Major alterations were made in 1934, and the dining room extension added in 1961. A new entrance was built in the mid 1990s, and the clubhouse has been extensively refurbished over the last few years. Following the failure of the course at Dundonald in the aftermath of the Second World War, Western Gailes acquired the Dundonald Clubhouse to use for staff quarters, and potentially a dormie house. This clubhouse was eventually sold some years later.

Founded in 1897, the first nine holes were ready for play by the spring of 1898. A major achievement completed by the first greenkeeper Mr Morris. Initially the course was allowed to develop naturally from the terrain shaped by the ravages of nature. Areas have had to be reshaped in the past 60 years as a result of wartime tank manoeuvres across the 10th and 17th holes. New 3rd, 4th and 5th holes were designed to allow for an access road to the harbour. Nature has exerted much more control than man in the development of Western Gailes. The 7th hole remains as difficult today as it did in the picture of 1909.

The railway has been a very significant part of Western Gailes history. The train allowed the members from Glasgow easy access to the Ayrshire coast, making the development of Western Gailes possible. A station was built at the club.  It was the way most members travelled to the club until the 1950s. The last train left Gailes station on Hogmanay 1966. The railway remains a major feature of the course as you head back from the 14th homewards.