Craibstone golf course, near Bucksburn on the northwest outskirts of Aberdeen.

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Billy Sim, the Turriff-born director of golf and course manager at a variety of upmarket clubs in Portugal and latterly Spain over the past 20 years, is returning to the North-east to take on what might well be his toughest challenge.

Craibstone Golf Centre’s new owner, Charles Marshall of Marshall Trailers Ltd, has chosen Sim, pictured,  as the "ideal candidate" to put the 10-year-old club, based at Bucksburn, near Aberdeen, back on its feet.
The 18-hole woodland course, practice facilities and clubhouse have been closed for several weeks after the previous owners went into liquidation.
Mr Marshall, not a golfer but recognising "a first-class business opportunity on his doorstep," has bought the course and buildings for £450,000 and plans to refurbish the clubhouse and buy new greenkeeping machinery before the "open for business under new management" signs go up on May 1.
Billy said: “I am really excited about coming back to the North-east after so many years abroad. I had other offers but I have to say that Mr Marshall and his team are so full of enthusiasm for the future of Craibstone, it was an easy post to accept although I expect it to be a lot of hard work.
“I have been lucky over the years, working mainly with former Ryder Cup player and now top course designer Dave Thomas and his son Paul, on several of their overseas design projects such as San Roque and Hacienda del Alamo in Spain .
“During that time I have met, played golf and become friendly with a lot of celebrities and famous names such as Sean Connery, Bruce Forsyth, Kenny Dalglish, Butch Harmon, Bob Torrance, Dean Robertson, Gordon Strachan, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Paul Lawrie, who incidentally has sent me a text of congratulations.
“All that experience and contacts I will take to the Craibstone post and help create what Mr Marshall is looking for from me in my job as Golf Operations Manager.”
A low-handicap golfer and brought up in Macduff, Sim, a life-long supporter of Highland League football team Deveronvale, served his time as a greenkeeper at Duff House Royal and later worked at Royal Tarlair.

When Dave Thomas designed the Newmachar Hawkshill course, Billy Sim was on his construction team and Thomas was so impressed with Sim’s work ethic that he took Billy with him on subsequent new golf course projects overseas.

Sim later branched out on his own with posts as course manager or director of golf on the Algarve at Salgados, Carvoeira, Penina and Parque da Floresta. He established a reputation as a “Red Adair” of golf clubs on the Iberian Peninsula – answering SOS’s to sort out their course problems.

“It was important that Craibstone Golf Club found the right person to head up the golf operations and I feel that in Billy I have secured the ideal candidate to make Craibstone a professional, well-run club,” said Charles Marshall.

“With Billy’s experience and the knowledge and expertise that my team can bring, we feel we have a winning formula – all we need now is for members to let us know if they intend returning.

“Billy is someone who is respected in the golfing world, who will assist us in making Craibstone truly special. We know what needs to be done to make all our members proud of their club. All we can ask is that they give us the time and support – and we will deliver. Billy Sim will make it happen and Marshalls will help him make it happen.

Sim's first task will be to persuade those who made up the membership of 450 to 500 before the club and course were shut down by the liquidators to rejoin the club.

During the hiatus, a fair number have joined other golf clubs and events such as the Aberdeen schools championships, regularly played at Craibstone, have been switched to other venues - organiser Derek Johnstone has taken the schools to Murcar Links - because there seemed to be a possibility that Craibstone Golf Centre would be closed for good.  

Billy, pictured right with Butch Harmon, former Tiger Woods' coach,  flew back to his Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort villa in Spain at the weekend, having accepted Mr Marshall's offer to become the Golf Operations Manager.

He will return to Craibstone GC on Thursday to start work immediately. His wife Gina and three children, Daniel (15), Andrew (13) and Kelly Ann (10) will follow at the end of the Spanish school term in June.
All the Sim family speak Spanish fluently - and Billy can also converse in Portuguese .. not bad for a "Turra Loon."

+To access the Marshall Leisure website which carries up to date news about developments at Craibstone Golf Centre,

CLICK HERE

Marshall Leisure is a subsidiary of the Marshall family who currently run and operate Marshall Trailers and Marshall Farms, two successful local companies in the North-east of Scotland.