SCOTTISH GOLF TOURISM GALA NIGHT AT ST ANDREWS

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                              The Kingsbarns behind-the-scenes team take a bow.

KINGSBARNS WINS 'SCOTLAND'S BEST 

EXPERIENCE' AWARD

NEWS RELEASE
Kingsbarns Golf Links has won the prestigious accolade of ‘Scotland’s Best Golf Experience’ at the inaugural Scottish Golf Tourism Awards.
The Fife venue, which was recently confirmed as the host of the 2017 RICOH Women’s British Open, received the prize during a glittering bash at the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews on Friday evening.
The award, voted for by Scottish golfers in an exclusive online poll, was one of 14 gongs handed out on the night, which celebrated the crème-de-la-crème of the Scottish golf tourism industry.
Collecting the award, Alan Hogg, the chief executive of Kingsbarns Golf Links, commented: “This is fantastic, I’m genuinely shocked. I have to say a massive thanks to everyone who voted for us and well done to all of my staff for all of their efforts. What we do isn’t rocket science: we just try to look after our customers to the very best of our abilities, so I’m very proud to accept this award on behalf of everybody at Kingsbarns Golf Links.”
The director of the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards, Tom Lovering, added: “Kingsbarns Golf Links is a fully deserving winner of this lofty accolade. Having visited myself many times in the past, I can vouch for the quality it delivers across the board. From the customer service to the friendliness of the staff, the quality of the course and the superb catering, it epitomises everything that makes the experience of playing golf in Scotland not just good but truly great.”
Organised in conjunction with VisitScotland, bunkered magazine, the PGA in Scotland and the Scottish Golf Union, the evening was hosted by top broadcaster Alison Walker and was the culmination of a summer-long campaign which attracted over 21,000 votes.
As well as Kingsbarns’ victory in the top award on the night, another of the highlights was the Special Recognition Award handed out to Peter Lederer, the chairman of 2014 Ryder Cup host venue, Gleneagles Hotel. Europe’s victorious captain Paul McGinley and 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus were amongst those to pay tribute to Lederer via video-link on the evening.
The ceremony brought the curtain down on what has been an unforgettable year for Scottish golf, highlighted by the hugely successful return of the Ryder Cup to Scotland in September – the first time that the match was contested in the game’s home country in over 40 years.
Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said: “Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists at the inaugural Scottish Golf Tourism Awards. It was fantastic to see such a great turnout and the quality of golf businesses nominated is indicative of the wealth of world-class courses and accommodation providers we have here. I was also delighted to see a spread of winners from across the country, showing that wherever you go in Scotland, golf is at the heart of the tourism industry.
“We have our history to thank for our position as Scotland, the Home of Golf but it is the hard work and dedication of the entire golf tourism industry which helps to maintain this reputation across the world.
“There is no doubt that 2014 was a momentous year for golf tourism in Scotland but it is incumbent upon us all to continue that momentum and continue to welcome the world into 2015 and beyond.”
2014 SCOTTISH GOLF TOURISM AWARDS
WINNERS IN FULL
PGA in Scotland ‘Coach of the Year’
Alan McCloskey
SGU & SLGA ‘Commitment to Customer Focus’
Aberdour GC
Best Hotel (under 20 rooms) Old Loans Inn
Best Hotel (over 20 rooms) Fairmont St Andrews
Best Customer Service Dundonald Links
Best Pro Shop Blairgowrie GC
Best Clubhouse Trump Turnberry Resort
Best Catering Gleneagles Hotel
Value for Money (Under £50) Glenisla GC
Value for Money (Over £50) Trump Turnberry Resort

Best Course (Under £50) Boat of Garten GC
Best Course (Over £50) Kingsbarns Golf Links
Special Recognition Award Peter Lederer
Scotland’s Best Golf Experience Kingsbarns Golf Links