One of the first men on the scene of the fire says the hotel “went up like a matchbox”.
Golfer Graeme Miller, 40, had arrived for a round at Belleisle as the building started to smoulder. He revealed: “As I got out my car I could see small amounts of smoke drifting from the hotel.
“In the time it took me to change into my golf shoes and walk over, the hotel had burst into flames.
“The whole building must have been alight within minutes and it was a terrible sight.”
As golfers were ushered away from the scene, Graeme teed off in front of the burning building.
And dad David captured a now iconic image of the tee shot.
Graeme, Ayr United’s commercial manager, scored a birdie four on the first hole as the building blazed behind him.
He said: “My dad grabbed the phone and said ‘You won’t see another picture like this’.
“It’s just sad this has happened to the old hotel as it could be such a great facility for the park and golf course.
“Seeing it go up like a matchbox was not a pleasant sight.”
