CRAIBSTONE TO REOPEN ON MAY 1: NEW OWNERS, NEW MANAGER

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com 
An Aberdeen golf club and 18-hole course, closed for several weeks after its owners went bust, is to reopen on May 1 under new management.
The man who has taken on the challenge of revitalising the club, rebuilding its membership and making it an attractive venue for pay-and-play visitors is a well-known name in North-east golf - but he won't named until next week.
Craibstone Golf Centre, Bucksburn has been bought from the liquidators for an estimated £450,000 by Marshall Leisure whose parent company, Marshall Trailers (Aberdeen) Ltd has its headquarters within a mile or two of the golf venue.
Charles Marshall, managing director of Marshall Trailers, Aberdeen, a family company set up over 60 years ago, said: “We are bringing this golf course back to life and looking to a long and successful future for Craibstone Golf Centre.
“Marshall Leisure will welcome old and new members with golf and satisfaction guaranteed.
“It was important that Craibstone Golf Club found the right person to head up the golf operations we feel we have secured the ideal man to make Craibstone a professionally well-run golf club for members and visitors alike.
“We will name the man we have chosen early next week. With his 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. We intend to be fully open for 1^st May so all members can enjoy the course and play their weekly medals – we are putting updates on our website - www.marshall-leisure.co.uk - which hopefully lets everyone see what is happening and allowing them to be aware of the various developments that are occurring.
“Now that all the legal issues are resolved we can concentrate fully on making Craibstone a course of which we can all be proud. 
 “We already have excellent playing conditions and I’m pleased that Robert Hardie, our head greenkeeper, has returned to the course.” 
Mr Marshall admits that he is not a golfer - walking is his favourite pastime - but he when he saw that the Craibstone Golf Centre was on the market earlier this year he recognised it as a business opportunity almost on his doorstep.
It is understood that many of the membership of 450 at the end of last year, when the club was still functioning, may have found pastures new during the closure of the course and the uncertainty about its future.