ROYAL DORNOCH PRO SHOP REFURBISHED

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ROYAL DORNOCH GOLF CLUB Royal Dornoch Golf Club has re-opened its new look shop.  Located in the Clubhouse at Royal Dornoch, the shop caters for the many visitors and members visiting the renowned Championship and Struie courses in the Scottish Highlands. Neil Hampton General Manager commented "The Pro-shop is the first place our visitors are welcomed to the club and it is important that the ambience and decor reflects the level of customer service they expect."  Each month Royal Dornoch Golf Club carry out visitor surveys and stemming from the feedback, giving them the momentum to dramatically improve the reception area of the club.  It is clear even at this early stage that the new fit out has been a great success with visitors and members having a more relaxing sign in at the shop and a chance to browse." "This is the first full refit of the shop for 20 years," said Andrew Skinner, the clubs Professional and Pro-shop proprietor. "It was stripped back to bare walls and we have had everything remodelled with new flooring, lights, and fixtures and fittings to bring it up to the 21st century."  The new design gives us flexibility to display more goods with the sales area increasing from just under 30sqm to 50sqm.  This added space not only provides room for customers to browse but let's staff talk to golfers about the course, the weather and their round." The contract to refurbish the shop was awarded to Millerbrown, a leading retail design and store fitting company based on their understanding of the brief and the clear interpretation of the clubs vision.  This can clearly be seen in the quality of the fixtures from empathetic dark oak fittings, through to the etched glassed door and windows. Commented Paul Sanders, senior designer at Millerbrown, "We are delighted to have worked with Royal Dornoch and are proud to be associated with such an iconic club.  Royal Dornoch now not only have a great looking shop, but also one that has been designed with a state-of-the-art retail display system enabling them to merchandise the shop to the highest standards. Our growing overseas client base in Europe, North Africa, Russia, and the Far East tell us that they love this level of attention to detail - and also the quality of our workmanship – and it's most gratifying for us to see how well this is working at Royal Dornoch" The Pro-shop at Royal Dornoch and its website royaldornochproshop.co.uk, is the only place you can purchase Royal Dornoch branded goods and the new exclusive Royal Dornoch tweed range.  The Royal Dornoch crest appears on all their merchandised goods and are already proving a must have item for the visitor.

MORAY TAKE FIRST DAY FALL IN SENIOR NORTHERN COUNTIES CUP

By ROBIN WILSON The Moray Golf Club were the first big fallers in their opening defence of the  B D Fraser Senior Northern Counties Cup at Brora today. Their double foursomes tie against Fortrose and Rosemarkie finished all square  but when second couple Chris MacLeod and Michael Dean whose one hole win after 18 holes  extended the tie into extra holes MacLeod and Dean three putted the 19th hole for their team to go out. Host club Brora who have a formidable first couple in former full Northern Counties Cup winners, Jim Miller and Ian Grant spearheading their challenge to a third senior triumph provided the four holes to see their first team into today's third round after a win over Elgin but the Brora second team were ousted by Strathpeffer. Royal Dornoch's first team received a bye from  McDonald/Ellon but their second team after a first round win over the Fortrose and Rosemarkie's  second team were then beaten by Inverness who are  Brora's third round opponents tomorrow morning. With the late withdrawal of MacDonald/Ellon the two remaining  North East clubs at Brora, Cruden Bay and Deeside, were in action against each other and Deeside triumphed by six holes. Results  Round 1 Elgin bt Forres 2 holes. Fortrose and Rosemarkie (2) bt Royal Dornoch (2)   6 holes.  Duff House Royal bt Nairn Dunbar (1)  1 hole.  Round 2  Fortrose and Rosemarkie (1)  bt Moray at 19th.  Strathpeffer bt Brora( 2) 2 holes. Brora (1) bt Elgin 4 holes. Inverness bt Fortrose and Rosemarkie (2) 1 hole. Duff House Royal bt The Nairn 3 holes. Royal Dornoch (1) wo McDonald Ellon scr Nairn Dunbar (2 ) bt Tain 8 holes. Deeside bt Cruden Bay 6 holes.

TEXAS SCRAMBLE AT STONEHAVEN ON MAY 26

Stonehaven Golf Club are holding an 18 Hole Gents Open Texas Scramble on Saturday, May 26 and some tee times are still available.

The price for a team of four is £32, please contact the club on 01569 762124 or register online for available tee times.

Brian Lawson
Match Secretary

MARTIN LAIRD GOES UP EIGHT PLACES TO 31st IN WORLD RANKINGS

FROM THE BBC SPORTS.COM WEBSITE
Scotland's Martin Laird has climbed eight places to 31st in the latest world rankings.
The 29-year-old Glaswegian finished tied for second at the Players Championship at Sawgrass at the weekend.
Laird closed with a five-under-par 67 to finish on 11 under, two strokes behind winner SITE
Matt Kuchar.
"I'm obviously very happy with how I played," said the Scot.
Laird went out in 33 with birdies at the second, seventh and then moved into the joint lead with Kuchar thanks to a hat-trick of birdies from the 11th.
But errors at the 14th and the long 16th, as well as the bogey at the 18th, left the Scot two shots behind Kuchar.
Laird added: "That's one of the best rounds I've ever played under the circumstances and the conditions."