New Torrance Course opens to public

at Fairmont St Andrews on July 13

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY FAIRMONT ST ANDREWS
The Fairmont St Andrews, a five-star cliff-top resort at St Andrews, the Home of Golf, announced this week it will open the exiting new Torrance Course to the public for play from Monday, July 13 onwards.
The new improvements on the Torrance Course were conducted under the direction of golf course architect Gary Stephenson. With eight holes re-designed, new tee boxes and revetted bunkers throughout, the course is set to become one of Scotland's most dramatic new courses.
It has already been named an Open qualifying venue for the 2010 Open championship (when the Old Course is the Open venue) and the popular course is set to go from strength to strength when some of the legends of golf play the Torrance course next month at the Cleveland/Srixon Scottish Senior Open.
"We are simply delighted with the progress of the Torrance Course," said Charles Head, general manager of Fairmont St Andrews. "Already being selected as the host site for two of Scotland's more prestigious events, is very telling as to the quality of experience the Torrance Course will offer our guests when it opens."
The most striking changes to the Torrance Course are the re-routing of eight holes, four from the Kittocks Course and four from the Torrance Course and the new Scottish links-style revetted bunkers.
Now, with the changes complete, the course has gained its own remarkable identity.
From the tee shot on the first hole to the final putt on the 18th green, the Torrance Course offers a truly unforgettable round of golf, complete with stunning, panoramic views of the Fairmont St Andrews hotel, the town of St Andrews and the Eden Estuary.
"The golf course is a must-play for those making their golfing pilgrimage to St Andrews. It's without a doubt among the best if you ask me and that's not easy to do in this country, " said Sam Torrance, the original course architect for The Torrance.
"The new sightlines on some of the holes have created a uniqueness and playability unmatched by any other course in the area. If I may say so, I think the new Torrance course is simply brilliant!"
The hotel has just recently completed a £17 million refurbishment project that includes the opening of the new Kittocks Course, a stunning coastal golf course with spectacular views over the Eden Estuary and sands of St Andrews.
Other upgrades recently undertaken by the resort include refurbished rooms, a new Rock and Spindle sports bar with large LCD televisions and a pool table, and a sensational brand new signature Spa, featuring Kerstin Florian products (usually found in Oscar night goodie bags").
The Fairmont St Andrews sits on 520 acres of stunning open coastline overlooking the North Sea and the historic town of St Andrews.

Bonnyton stages first ever Scratch Open

over 36 holes on Sunday, July 11

On July 11, Bonnyton Golf Club will host the first ever Bonnyton Scratch Open. The 36-hole tournament will be open to all male amateur golfers with a handicap of 5 and under.
The event will also be a counter in the Renfrewshire Order of Merit and the winner will receive an SGU voucher for £300 (First eight prizes in total)
Bonnyton is considered by many to be the best conditioned course in Renfrewshire and club officials are confident that everyone visiting the club for the first time will be very impressed by the lay-out of the course and the general facilities on offer.
Entries can be made online by emailing bonnytonscratchopen@hotmail.co.uk.
This is the first scratch open event to be held at the course and so long as the inaugural event is a success this will become a permanent fixture on the 36-hole scratch open rota.

Douglas Park GC holding an Open Weekend

Douglas Park Golf Club (Bearsden, Glasgow) is holding an Open Weekend on Saturday and Sunday (May 9-10).
Prospective new members receive a courtesy round of golf, a PGA Professional free swing check and complimentary refreshments.
To read all about it click on the following link DOUGLAS PARK OPEN DAY

Get your picture taken

with Eisenhower Trophy

at Fairways, Inverness

tomorrow

By NEIL D HAMPTON
Golf & Marketing Director
Loch Ness Golf Course & Fairways Driving Range
Castle Heather, Inverness
We are going to to be fortunate to have the Eisenhower Trophy on display at Fairways on Tuesday(May 5) for two or three hours in the late afternoon/early evening.
The Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men, organised by the International Golf Federation. It is named after the late Dwight D Eisenhower, who was President of the United States when the tournament was first played. He was a very keen amateur golfer.
Recent Eisenhower Trophy tournaments have featured teams from more than sixty countries.
Scotland won the trophy for the first time last October near Adelaide in Australia 2008 and were represented by Calum McAullay (Tulliallan), Wallace Booth (Comrie) and Gavin Dear (Murrayshall). Calum has already made his mark on the European Tour professional circuit while Wallace and Gavin are still concentrating on their amateur golf and are Walker Cup team candidates.
If you would like to see this impressive trophy and have your picture taken with it, just come along to Fairways. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see - and hold - one of golf's most prestigious trophies.
We will have the trophy from 11am on Tuesday until 8pm that night.
Neil D Hampton
Tel: 01463 713335
Fax: 01463 712695
Mobile: 07801 510688
Web: www.golflochness.com

Drive to attract more members, playing and social

You can play Stonehaven for a fiver on Open
Day, May 16

A round of golf for a fiver!
That’s the special deal on offer at Stonehaven Golf Club on Saturday, May 16, when the club is holding an Open Day.
All golfers will be welcome to play at Stonehaven that day and try out the club’s facilities – and anyone who decides to become a member of the club on the Open Day can do so for a special discount price of £350.
Club manager Morag Duncan said: “The Open Day is part of our drive to attract more members and it will give golfers in the North-east who may not be members of other clubs the chance to play our course and see how attractive it is.
“We also want people to see our clubhouse, which has been refurbished recently and enjoys the most magnificent views of Stonehaven Bay.
“We’ll also be encouraging our members to bring a guest along for a game on May 16 so we are planning for a very busy day at the club.”
Tee times can be booked on 01569 762124.
More than 10,000 leaflets advertising the club have been distributed recently in the Stonehaven area.
Mrs Duncan said: “It’s not only golfers we want to attract to our club. We welcome social members who can join for less than £1 a week and enjoy the facilities in our clubhouse."

++Picture at the top is Stonehaven Golf Club's own "Amen Corner," which has a more legitimate claim to the name than that on the Augusta National Course. The Cal Carson Golf Agency image is of Stonehaven's 18th green from the wall round the Kirk o' Cowie graveyard.

Free round of golf at La Manga for one night

bed and breakfast hotel room booking

NEWS RELEASE BY THE AZALEA GROUP
Former La Manga Club touring pro Seve Ballesteros won five majors to earn the right to free golf at the Spanish resort. In 2009 all golfers have to do for the same privilege is book a hotel room.
As if being able to play golf on La Manga Club’s three fantastic courses wasn’t enough to tempt people to the five-star resort, now they can play them for free.
Every visitor can receive a free round for each night they spend at the five-star Hotel La Manga Club Principe Felipe before July 10 and from August 23 to October 31 – a saving of €71 per day, or €497 on a week’s golf.
Bookings must be confirmed by May 18, and prices start from just €91.50 per person per night on a bed-and-breakfast basis.
Packages also include complimentary access to the indoor pool, fitness centre, saunas and steam rooms at Spa La Manga Club and complimentary use of the on-resort shuttle bus service.
With three championship courses, extensive practices facilities and an ideal, year-round climate, all set in the Murcia region of southern Spain, the award-winning La Manga Club resort is the perfect golf destination.
In addition, the resort also boasts first-class tennis, football, cricket and spa facilities among the wide range of available activities.
For more information call 0034 968 175577, email reserve@lamangaclub.com or visit www.lamangaclub.com


About La Manga Club
As a result of 37 years of continued investment, innovation and commitment to excellence, which have ensured that it has remained at the forefront of the sector, La Manga Club is widely recognised as Spain’s flagship resort and as one of the finest in the world.
Evidence of this is provided by its numerous World Travel Award nominations and prizes, such as the World’s Leading Sports Resort (top 5, 2006 and 2007), Spain’s Leading Golf Resort (winner, 2006), Europe’s Leading Golf Resort (winner, 2001, 2003 and 2005), and Europe’s Leading Conference Hotel (winner, 2003). In addition, the hotel obtained the prestigious Q for Quality certification in 2002.
La Manga Club is a spectacular resort located in the Murcia region of south-east Spain. Set out over an area of some 560 hectares (approx. 1,400 acres), it offers visitors a five-star hotel, luxury vacation apartments and 450 hectares of sports facilities, highlights of which include its three 18-hole golf courses, 28 tennis courts and its eight-pitch professional football centre, which also offers facilities for cricket, rugby and Gaelic football.
The resort is also home to innumerable leisure facilities, such as the Spa La Manga Club with its 13 luxurious treatment rooms, comprehensive fitness centre and 25m indoor swimming pool; meeting, banqueting and incentive facilities, and more than 20 restaurants and bars.
La Manga Club is located in a unique setting amid the rolling hills that separate the crystalline Mediterranean from the warm waters of the Mar Menor Sea in Murcia, southern Spain. Lying to the south of the Costa Blanca, this region is known as the Costa Cálida, or 'warm coast', thanks to its mild, year-round Mediterranean climate.

Turnberry (and Girvan) needs a

regular European Tour event

FROM THE GOLFWEEK.COM WEBSITE
By ALISTAIR TAIT
Turnberry needs an Open Championship. It needs a regular European Tour event.
The town of Girvan, five miles south of Turnberry, could do with a regular dose of big-time golf.
I know Girvan. At least I remember Girvan.
Time was when this little Ayrshire seaside town was a popular tourist destination for Scottish families. In summer, the town would be packed with holiday makers from Glasgow.
I remember going to Girvan as a boy on a family holiday. Happy memories – for me and Girvan.
I remember a seaside town bustling with energy. There isn’t much energy in Girvan these days. It’s just another tired, rundown Scottish seaside town.
Pity, because it’s situated in one of the prettiest areas of Scotland. Aside from the nearby Turnberry Links, the most scenic of all the British links lay-outs, Girvan looks out onto Ailsa Craig, the Mull off Kintyre and the Island of Arran with its majestic Goat Fell mountain. On a clear day, you can see the coast of Ireland.
You only need to drive 17 miles south of Turnberry to the pretty seaside village of Ballantrae to get an idea of just how scenic this coastline is.
This is also Burns country, as in Scottish poet Robbie Burns. The countryside lends itself to poetry. Rolling farmland turns into rugged uplands as the hills sweep up from the coast.No wonder people flocked here to get away from the city.
The advent of cheap air travel to Spain and other European destinations in the 1980s killed Girvan as a holiday destination. The town suffered as a result.
Despite the efforts of the South Ayrshire council to try to regenerate the area, Girvan is struggling. The town is currently reeling from the news of planned redundancies for 145 workers at the FMC Biopolymer plant, a seaweed reprocessing plant. That number may not seem a lot, but it’s huge for a town of only 8,000 people.
This year’s Open obviously won’t take the town back to its glory days, but the income the championship generates will be much welcomed.
Two years ago, a study estimated that approximately £75million were pumped into the Carnoustie region due to the Open Championship. Girvan would gladly welcome some of that money.
Although the idea of a luxury hotel and golf course with green fees of £210 goes against my blue-collar background, I can see the benefit Turnberry brings to the local area. Girvan needs Turnberry to be successful. So the Open will help.
So, too, would a regular European Tour event. Leisurecorp, the group that owns Turnberry, wants to stage the European Open at Turnberry. The Leisurecorp-owned event is currently held at the London Club.
Leisurecorp has gone sour on the idea because it doesn’t want to jeopardise Turnberry’s place on the Open Championship rota.
“We were talking about the European Open and the ability to have it occasionally pass by at Turnberry,” Leisurecorp chief executive David Spencer said. “It would make sense for Leisurecorp to bring it here.
“We would only look at doing that if we took full counsel from the R&A and the European Tour. The Open Championship is the pinnacle of any tournament that can be staged at any venue, and it is very important to the future of Turnberry and the west coast of Scotland.”
R&A chief executive Peter Dawson admits he and his organization wouldn’t be best pleased for Turnberry to become a regular European Tour stop.
“We like to think the Open Championship venues are special in the sense they are not used as routinely as others,” Dawson said. “But we also recognise the realities of commercial life today, and it is something to be discussed.”
St. Andrews and Carnoustie stage the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship every year and yet are in no danger of coming off the Open rota. The same should be true of Turnberry.
If they want a solution then why not hold the European Tour event on Turnberry’s Kintyre course and save the Ailsa for the Open? There are plans to upgrade the Kintyre course anyway.
The good news for Girvan is that the R&A says it won’t have to wait another 15 years for the Open to return to Turnberry.
Better news would be a regular European Tour stop for Scotland’s most scenic course. Leisurecorp, the R&A and the European Tour need to find a way to make that happen.
Girvan needs all the help it can get.

Golfing students holding an auction

at Fairways, Inverness on April 24

By NEIL HAMPTON
The students studying for a golf management degree at Dornoch are running an auction as part of their course.
The money raised will help fund their golf team in events and competitions against other universities and colleges and they have managed to gather quite and impressive array of items for the auction as well as a few extras that will be put into a raffle.
The auction will be held at Fairways Driving Range, Castle Heather in Inverness on Friday, April 24 with viewing from 6.30pm and the first lot under the hammer at 7.30pm.
Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend to help raise funds for the golf team.
As well as the auction and raffle there will be a Spot the Golf Ball competition to win a bottle of Balblair Malt Whisky and a prize draw towin lessons with the resident professionals at Loch Ness Golf Club or Dornoch College.
To help smooth the way, a glass of wine and some nibbles will be provided to all who attend and hopefully we can help the students raise the profile of the college as well as helping them to compete against their fellow students while promoting the best of golf in the Highlands.
I look forward to seeing you there.
Auction and Raffle Items.
1. Book by author Ed McCosh: "How to improve your golf game (and your life)"
2. Signed Darren Clarke Flag
3. 2009 Scotland Football Team Framed Print
4. Bottle of Scottish Parliament Whisky
5. Framed Augusta Print
6. Bottle of R&A Whisky
7. Titleist Custom Fitting Session at Kingsacre Golf Academy
8. Signed 2007-09 Ross County FC Shirt
9. Four-ball round at Loch Ness.
10. Four-ball round at Brora
11. Signed Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC Shirt
12. Four-ball at Spey Valley
13. Signed Rangers FC Shirt
14. Four-ball at Craigielaw
15. Four-ball at Fairmont St Andrews
16. Four-ball at The Carrick at Loch Lomond

Harrington looks forward

to a ‘classic’ at The

3 Irish Open

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY EUROPEAN TOUR
Three-time Major Champion Padraig Harrington today confirmed that he will challenge for The 3 Irish Open – the event he describes as his personal ‘Fifth Major’- over the classic links of County Louth, Baltray, from May 14-17.
The 37-year-old Dubliner, pictured above, is thrilled to be seeking his second 3 Irish Open title in three years over a course which he believes can serve the double purpose of helping him repeat his achievement of 2007 when he followed up his victory in his home national championship by winning The Open at Carnoustie.
This time around, Harrington will arrive at Baltray with his thoughts turning to a third successive Open title at Turnberry in July, and he believes that the classic links lay-out of County Louth Golf Club, or Baltray as it is more affectionately known, will provide the perfect launch pad to his preparations for his second defence of the Claret Jug.
“I think that with this year’s event being on a classic links course like Baltray, it could instil a lot of confidence and assist when looking ahead to Turnberry and going there to try and defend The Open again,” said Harrington.


“Playing The Irish Open on a links course will, in a way, naturally start my preparations for The Open because so many of the conditions will be similar.
“Baltray certainly is one of the most exciting links courses in the country and I expect the tournament there to be a great success. I would put the fifth as one of the best holes in the world. It’s a superb par-3 at just 175 yards, not a beast of a hole but a great golf hole.
“The seventh is another great par-3 and both are as good as you will get anywhere. I know the golf course well and I have a lot of memories - I can remember some tough days out there in East of Ireland Championships.”
Harrington believes that his 2007 Irish Open victory, when he ended a 25 year wait for a home winner, played a huge part in him winning his first Open Championship.
“You couldn't underestimate how important winning The Irish Open was in terms of going onto win The Open at Carnoustie,” he said. “It told me that I could go and win a tournament under a lot of focus, pressure and distractions, which gives you a huge amount of self-confidence when you can come through something like that.
“The Irish Open obviously brings a lot of distractions, as many things are going on that week and you just have to accept it. It's not a week to spend a lot of time hitting shots on the range and trying to find your game. You just have to turn up and play with what you've got, doing the best you can.”
While the game’s four Major Championships are Harrington’s driving focus for the season, he places a huge amount of importance on The 3 Irish Open.
He said: “I think if you asked any golfer what the most important tournaments on the calendar were for them, they would all reply that the four Majors are above all others, but then, after that, I would think that every player has a desire to win their national open.
“It’s certainly a very big deal for an Irishman to win a national title in front of his home crowd. Our country really supports its sportsmen and women with unbelievable passion and I think that kind of support has helped so many Irish sports stars to achieve great success.
“I am very pleased to hear that 3 are sponsoring The Irish Open, I always look forward to playing my national open and hope I can repeat my success of two years ago.”
Robert Finnegan, Chief Executive of 3, said: "We are honoured and delighted to have Padraig Harrington playing in The 3 Irish Open. As a three-time Major winner Padraig is aiming to win his third Open Championship in a row this summer, and that is a sure sign that 3 really is golf's lucky number. We hope everyone gets behind Padraig at The 3 Irish open to demonstrate the huge support that exists up and down the country for our most decorated golfing hero."
Martin Cullen TD, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism said: “Padraig Harrington, the first European to win back-to-back Major Championships is a sportsman who has honed his talent to achieve true greatness. I am delighted this gifted and celebrated Irish golfer will participate in this year’s 3 Irish Open at Baltray. The links at Baltray which are among the best-rated in the world, combined with the support provided by the new title sponsor 3, will make The 3 Irish Open one of the most impressive and exciting events on The European Tour.”
Fans have the chance to make significant savings at The 3 Irish Open by taking advantage of advance ticket offers.
Season tickets to see Harrington and many of the world’s best players in action for four days over the classic links lay-out at Baltray, County Louth, are available at a 30 per cent discount if purchased before midnight on Sunday, May 10; while advance Daily Ticket purchases carry a 25 per cent discount on the Gate price.
Junior fans, under the age of 16, who are accompanied by a paying adult, will be granted free access to the tournament throughout the week.
To take advantage of these outstanding advance ticket offers, please visit: http://www.europeantourtickets.com/ or call the following numbers:
Republic of Ireland Customers call: 1 890 252 698
Customers outside of the Republic of Ireland call: +44 (0) 800 023 2557
The 3 Irish Open Ticket Prices are as follows:
Adult Daily Gate €20 Adult Advance €15
Adult Season Gate €50 Adult Season Advance €35
Senior Daily Gate €15 Senior Daily Advance €10
Senior Season Gate €35 Senior Season Advance €25
Juniors U-16 Free if accompanied by a paying adult.

Scottish Heartlands

Golf Pass provides

one-stop booking shop

An exciting new golfing product which promises to deliver great golf, wonderful accommodation and friendly service all in one package, has just been launched to coincide with the new golfing season.
Launching the Scottish Heartlands Golf Pass at Downfield, spokesman Jim Docherty of Alyth Golf Club said: "For years we have lived in the shadow of St Andrews and Carnoustie, and whilst we have benefited from the publicity and the extra visitors that these Open venues have attracted to the area, today's golfer is more discerning and is looking for value for money, a high standard of course, as well as a warm friendly environment in which to stay.
"We have specifically selected each part of the Scottish Heartlands Golf Pass to compliment each other and in this way we know that the golfer will be looked after in one comprehensive package"
Courses were chosen to provide an example of the diversity on offer in the Heartlands area. Downfield is pure parkland, Monifieth is a hybrid of links and heathland, Alyth is renowned for its views in a heathland setting, Blairgowrie Lansdowne is long and tree-lined and Scotscraig offers a little of everything.
The hotels involved:
Best Western Woodlands
Best Western Invercarse
Red House at Coupar Angus
are all sympathetic to the requirements of the golfer and are geographically located to allow those using the pass to base themselves within a short driving distance of any three courses.
The beauty of the Scottish Heartlands Golf pass is that there is never more than half an hour drive between each course, allowing ample time for two rounds in a day.
With a One Stop Booking system, all enquiries will be handled through the website http://www.heartlandsgolfpass.co.uk/ or telephone and with prices starting from just £199 for two nights and three rounds of golf, The Scottish Heartlands Golf Pass is the ideal vehicle to welcome back old friends or introduce new converts to the joys of golf in the Scottish Heartlands.
Caption for photograph above:

Downfield Golf Club professional Kenny Hutton gets ready to launch the Scottish Heartlands Golf Pass in the company of (left to right) Dawn Tinker (Golf Desk Scotland), Julie Ann Smith (Golf Desk Scotland), Gordon Whiting (Redwood Leisure), Steve McLaren (Monifieth Golf Links), Barry Liddle (Scotscraig Golf Club), Jim Docherty (Alyth Golf Club) and Pat Fraser (Redwood Leisure).

Website: http://www.heartlandsgolfpass.co.uk/

St Andrews Links quartet make

Golf Digest Top 100 courses

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ST ANDREWS LINKS TRUST
Four of St Andrews Links’ seven courses have been listed in the prestigious Golf Digest Top 100 Courses ranking for the first time, prompting the magazine to name the town as the world’s “pre-eminent destination” for golf.
After only four months in operation the Castle Course has been named at No 65 in the list, two places behind the New Course. The Jubilee Course has moved into the top 100 at No 92, while the Old Course is in second position overall.
Golf Digest is one of the leading golf publications in America. Its authoritative biannual ranking of the top 100 courses outside the US is compiled by more than 900 golf course panellists, the editors of its 23 editions around the world and a range of golf experts.
The poll appears in the May edition of the magazine which describes St Andrews as “the game’s pre-eminent destination.”
The magazine praises David Kidd for his work on the Castle Course and suggests it demonstrates the “continuing evolution at the Home of Golf."
Alan McGregor, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust, which manages and maintains the seven public courses in St Andrews, said: “It is a wonderful achievement to have four courses recognised in such a definitive ranking. For The Castle Course to be included so soon after it opened is remarkable. It is also pleasing to see some well deserved recognition for the Jubilee Course. This is no mean feat when you see the calibre of the courses from around the world included in the ranking.
“A great deal of hard work goes into maintaining the courses at St Andrews Links in top condition and recognition such as this from one of the world’s leading golf publications is something of which St Andrews and Scotland as a whole should be proud.”
The recognition for the Castle Course follows hard on the heels of several awards. It was recognised by Travel & Leisure Golf magazine in America as the New Course of the Year and was named International Development of the Year by Golf Inc magazine in America pipping the Els Club in Dubai to the title.
The Castle Course was named as the 2008 Turf Professional Project of the Year by the Institute of Groundsmanship, the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and some leading turfcare journalists.
Golf World magazine in the UK included the course in its top 100 ranking almost as soon as it had opened.
The Old Course was once again the top course in Scotland according to the ranking, finishing ahead of Muirfield in third position, Turnberry at No 5, Carnoustie at No 8, Royal Troon at No 15 and Kingsbarns at No 18. The poll was topped by Royal County Down in Northern Ireland.

Castle Course, St Andrews re-opens

for new season on Wednesday, April 1

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ST ANDREWS LINKS TRUST
After a successful opening few months in 2008, when around 14,000 rounds of golf were played, the seventh course at the Home of Golf will reopen for the high season.
Designed by leading golf architect David McLay Kidd, the Castle Course attracted a great deal of attention and received recognition as the best new course of the year. It scooped a series of prestigious international awards from publications such as Travel and Leisure Golf, Golf Inc and Golf Magazine in the US. It was also named straight away in the Golf World Top 100 ranking in the UK.
The Castle Course is managed and maintained by St Andrews Links Trust which looks after the other six public courses in St Andrews including the famous Old Course.
The course proved popular from the outset and, with its dramatic undulating landscape atop the cliffs overlooking St Andrews, it provided a challenge for golfers of all abilities. After listening to feedback from golfers, work was carried out over the winter.
“We were very happy with the way the course performed in its first four months,” said Alan McGregor, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust. “There was a great deal of feedback from golfers and we have studied closely the responses we received. In partnership with the architect and the Links Management Committee, we have made a few modifications to the course over the winter months and these alterations should ensure that golfers have an even more enjoyable experience.”
Much of the work has taken place on the 15th hole. The mounds in the middle of the fairway have been removed and the burn in front of the green has been re-routed to create more room for approach shots. On the fourth hole, the large mound to the right of the green has been removed and mounds have also been removed from the fifth, sixth, 14th and 18th fairways.
The distinctive Castle Course clubhouse will also reopen on April 1 and patrons will be able to have a relaxing meal in the restaurant as they enjoy striking views of St Andrews and out to the North Sea.
The course opens for play on Wednesday, April 1 and will be open for the season until November 1. Tee times can be booked by contacting 0044 1334 466666, emailing reservations@standrews.org.uk or online at www.standrews.org.uk.

Cut-price offer of

Spanish villa to

rent for a week

If you want to take advantage of a 20% discount on a week's stay at a two-bedroom detached villa (see image on right) at the five-star La Torre Golf Resort in the Murcia region of Spain, switch over to our sister website, http://www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk/, and read
about the offer from Rob Humphries, a father of one of the girls who competed in the Under-16 events at the recent 2nd Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Festival.

Home Suite Home Golf in Old Course Hotel

package costs £1,770 per person

PRESS RELEASE
The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa has launched a “Suite Golf” package that offers guaranteed tee times on St Andrews’ Old Course, recognized worldwide as the Home of Golf.
Whilst indulging their passion for golf, visitors can enjoy life in a luxury suite at the five-star Old Course Hotel, which enjoys a unique location overlooking the 17th Road Hole of the Old Course and St Andrews Bay, made famous by the iconic film Chariots of Fire.
In addition to a round over the Old Course, the three-night package includes a tee time at The Duke’s Course, the Peter Thomson-designed heathland course that offers majestic views over the historic town of St Andrews, and a round over either the New or Jubilee Course.
Off the course, the Suite Golf package also comprises dinner on two nights in the Road Hole Fine Dining, the hotel’s award-winning restaurant that boasts three AA rosettes, and a 50-minute luxury spa treatment in the hotel’s Kohler Waters Spa.
“St Andrews is a world-renowned golfing mecca and the best place from which to enjoy it is the luxurious Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, which borders the 17th fairway of the Old Course making the experience all the more memorable,” says Debbie Taylor, Managing Director, Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa.
“Due to overwhelming demand, the St Andrews Links Trust traditionally runs a daily ballot for the highly-coveted tee times on the Old Course, so it is a real bonus to be able to include guaranteed tee times on a course considered a must play due to its historic place in the heart of golf.”
In addition to playing golf, visitors can also sample the unique atmosphere and historical coastal setting of St Andrews by visiting the historical buildings of St Andrews Castle, the Cathedral ruins and the University of St Andrews, the most ancient in Scotland. Around St Andrews there are also many picturesque fishing villages, such as East Neuk, Crail and Anstruther, to explore as well as numerous country parks and nature trails.
The Suite Golf package, launched in honour of ‘Homecoming Scotland 2009’, a series of events throughout the year in honour of poet Robert Burns’ 250th birthday, starts at £1,770 per person based on two people sharing and is valid until the end of 2009.

For further details email reservations@oldcoursehotel.co.uk and mention booking reference HOMGLF or visit www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk
-

Stephen Sweeney joins

coaching staff at St

Andrews Golf Academy

PRESS RELEASE
St Andrews Links Golf Academy has strengthened its coaching team with the addition of PGA-certified instructor Stephen Sweeney (pictured right).
A native of County Donegal in Ireland, Sweeney is pleased to be back in the UK and said, ‘Teaching at one of the best academies in Europe, located at the Home of Golf, is going to be an extraordinary experience. I am delighted to be a member of the team and have the opportunity to contribute to its continuing success."
Stephen has taught world-wide. He oversaw the highly successful junior development programme at The Montgomerie in Dubai, one of the Gulf’s most respected academies, and he has also spent time in the US, with stints at Sawgrass Country Club in Florida and the Butch Harmon Golf School in Las Vegas.
While working in the Gulf Region, Stephen was a regular competitor on the UAE PGA Circuit. Stephen’s tournament background ensures he will have major input into new St Andrews Links Golf Academy programmes which provide strategic coaching and course management advice to players out on the golf course.
Steve North, director of instruction at the Academy said, "We aim to bring the best possible coaching to St Andrews, and Stephen’s technical knowledge combined with his competitive experience will be invaluable to our students."
St Andrews Links Golf Academy’s objective is to explore coaching beyond the physical aspects of the golf swing and expose students to full physiological training and mind coaching.
Academy instructors have seen nearly 10,000 golfers per year since the facility opened in 2006, giving Scottish golfers access to the best teaching and coaching while providing unique programmes such as Prepare to Play the Links which guarantees an enhanced playing experience for international visitors.

Inchmarlo Golf Resort's Laird's Course, looking west (image by courtesy of Inchmarlo Golf Resort).

Inchmarlo Golf Resort

is sold by Shelbourne

to property developer

One of the most popular and successful pay-and-play golf resorts in Scotland has changed hands for an undisclosed sum.

Majority shareholder Jonathan Shelbourne, pictured on the left above with Susan Simpson of the Ladies Golf Union and Inchmarlo secretary Andrew Shinie, said he had sold his entire stake in Inchmarlo Resort and Golf Club, near Banchory to property developer Frank Burnett and businessman Colin Wilson.

Mr Shelbourne, a retired helicopter pilot who started the Inchmarlo complex from scratch with his father-in-law Bob Massie, Deeside, would not reveal the size of his stake in Inchmarlo, which is set amid the wooded, rolling foothills or Royal Deeside, or how much he will collect from the deal.

It is thought other shareholders are in the process of concluding negotiations with the new owners who aim to develop the existing facilities as well as adding a hotel and housing.

Mr Burnett has already lodged plans for an additional 35 holiday lodges at Inchmarlo which features an 18-hole course, a nine-hole course, a 30-bay floodlit and covered driving range, a visitors' restaurant, two clubhouses and villa accommodation with 104 bedrooms on its 100 acres.

The deal announced sees Stanley Troup, the former chief executive and chairman of diversified Aberdeen-based industrial service group Richard Irvin, joining the boards of both Granite City-based Frank Burnett Ltd and Inchmarlo Golf Centre as chairman.

A spokesman for the new owners said: "We will need a period of consolidation. Our immediate objectives will include a programme of continuous improvement for the existing facilities, simultaneous to continuing discussions and negotiations in connection with the enhanced development.'"

He added: "The current economic climate and the impact it has had on other similar projects has been uppermost in our minds as we created our own corporate strategy for the future.
"Various contingencies have been planned to ensure that both our short and long-terms plans can continued to be developed."

+Both Inchmarlo courses were designed by North-east man Graham Webster. The nine-hole course was opened by Paul Lawrie in June, 1997 and the 18-hole Laird's Course in July 2001.

+The villa accommodation already in place represented an £8million investment two or three years ago. It has been a very successful move and gave Inchmarlo Golf Resort the ability to not only stage golf tournaments such as last year's Scottish women's county golf championship finals but also house all the competitors "on site."

+Susan Simpson, the Ladies Golf Union's head of golf operations, visited Inchmarlo last year with a view to playing one of its prestigious tournaments there at a future date.

+With hotel rooms not only at a premium in Aberdeen but also very pricey, the combination of a golf course that can offer accommodation for competitors is a big attraction for tournament organisers.

Scottish Disability Golf tuition and Open Day

PRESS RELEASE
Anyone with a disability or serious health problem is invited to attend the following Golf Training Open Day.
Established golfers, or anyone interested in learning how to play, are invited to come along to the Forrester Park Golf Resort in Dunfermline, on Friday, March 27 from 09:30 until 13:00 to receive tuition from our PGA professionals.
A round of golf is also available at Forrester Park from 14:00.
Anyone can learn how to play and a disability, serious health problem or mobility issue, should not be a barrier to playing and enjoying golf.
Since its launch in 2006 the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership has provided golf and tuition to hundreds of people with various disabilities and health issues, including those with sensory loss, i.e. the blind, vision-impaired and the deaf, as well as amputees and those with learning difficulties and other mobility issues
There is only a nominal charge for the package of PGA tuition and a round of golf.
For more details about the day, please contact Jim on 01334 650 963 or sdgp@btinternet.com

Celtic Manor Resort launch new country

membership scheme at £4,000 a head

PRESS RELEASE
The Celtic Manor Resort has launched a new country membership offer for its prestigious Twenty Ten Club, encouraging golfers from all over the United Kingdom to become a real part of next year’s Ryder Cup.
With the majority of the club’s existing membership coming from Celtic Manor’s immediate surroundings in South Wales, the country membership offers an opportunity for those from further afield to join one of the most prestigious new golf clubs in Britain.
Restricted to golfers whose primary residence is outside of a 75-mile radius of The Celtic Manor Resort, country membership brings all of the same fantastic benefits as full membership but with a saving of £1,000 on both the joining fee and the annual subscription.
Not only will country members enjoy full playing privileges on the spectacular Twenty Ten Course, the first in history to be purpose built for the Ryder Cup, they will also receive a season ticket to the big match between Europe and America in 2010 as well as the opportunity to purchase another one, both tickets including hospitality places in a members’ pavilion.
Before the much-anticipated showdown takes place, country members will have the chance to familiarise themselves with a stunning golf course which is bound to create high drama during the fevered atmosphere of The Ryder Cup.
With water hazards on half of its holes, some driveable par-4s and reachable-in-two par 5s, The Twenty Ten contains a host of risk and reward dilemmas which golfers will never tire of playing. Two more championship courses – Roman Road and The Montgomerie – also form part of the membership package as well as use of the Forum Health Club with its state-of-the-art gymnasium and 20-metre swimming pool within the Resort Hotel.
For new country members, all this comes at a cost of just £2,000 joining fee, payable over two years interest free, and a £2,000 annual subscription.
Facilities at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort also include a luxury spa and children’s creche, as well as tennis courts, shooting, fishing, mountain biking and walking trails plus a choice of outstanding restaurants.
Conveniently situated on the M4 just two hours from London, the Resort is readily accessible to people travelling from most parts of the UK.

SCOTTISH GOLF SHOW INJECTS £1.25 MILLION

INTO CITY OF GLASGOW ECONOMY

PRESS RELEASE BY DENE COMMUNICATIONS
It is calculated that The City of Glasgow is set to enjoy an injection of £1.25 million into the local economy as a result of the fourth annual Scottish Golf Show. The three-day extravaganza is set to boost business for local restaurants, hotels, bars, increase consumer spend and attract new visitors, which organisers at PSP estimate upwards of 15,000 over the weekend.
After three years in Edinburgh the event’s new home is Glasgow’s SECC, Scotland’s largest exhibition facility. From Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd March, the event officially tees off the Scottish golfing season. Boasting 30 bay indoor driving range, 1000sq/m of practice areas including putting, short game and a special junior area as well as over 1000 free golf lessons by 14 top PGA professionals will combine to ensure a fantastic family day out.
The Eisenhower Trophy won by the Scottish Amateur team at the World Amateur Team Championships in Australia last October will be on display as well as ‘Trick Shot King’ and former Trick Shot World Champion Dave Edwards entertaining the crowds with his amazing show.
The event is teeming with over 100 exhibitors from the latest golfing gadgets to international golfing getaways to quirky golfing goods. Special discounts and credit crunching bargains are available from American Golf and top brands including Nike, Callaway, Taylormade, Mizuno, Yonex will tempt visitors.
Mark McCardie, Product Manager Golf from VisitScotland commented “VisitScotland is once again delighted to be associated with the Scottish Golf Show as title sponsor as the show continues to go from strength to strength.
In the current climate the National audience is more important than ever and the show is a fantastic platform for the Scottish Golf industry to highlight the superb product offering that we have in Scotland and the great deals that are available”.
Malcolm Roughead, OBE, Director of Visitor Engagement at VisitScotland says ‘’Scotland is the Home of Golf and it provides golfers with the ultimate golfing experience that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Scotland has recently been awarded Destination of the Year award and The Scottish Golf Show represents a great platform for the golf industry to capitalize on this opportunity to promote Scotland as the No. 1 golfing destination.’’
PSP Event Director, Tom Lovering, says: “We are delighted that the Scottish Golf Show has such a positive impact on the local economy and we are very excited about bringing this event to Glasgow for the first time.
“In the current financial climate it is vital to provide an event that delivers both a financial benefit to the city but something the whole family can come along to and enjoy. This event has grown bigger and better every year since it began in 2006 and I’m sure Glasgow will not be disappointed!”
Tickets are priced £8 adult, £5 for 5-15yrs, Under 5s are free and a family of four is priced at £20.
TICKET HOTLINE: 0141 353 1715 OR http://www.thescottishgolfshow.co.uk/
The Scottish Golf Show is supported by the following headline sponsors:
· Visit Scotland: Scotland’s national tourist organisation– http://www.visitscotland.com/, www.visitscotland.com/samsscotland
· American Golf: Europe’s No 1 golf retailer– http://www.americangolf.co.uk/
· Flyglobespan: Scotland’s award winning airline - http://www.flyglobespan.com/
· Bunkered: Scotland’s top selling golf magazine – http://www.bunkered.co.uk/
· PGA: Professional Golfers Association - http://www.pga.info/
· SGU: Scottish Golf Union – http://www.scottishgolf.org/

+++The Scottish Golf Show is run by PSP Publishing Ltd. The Glasgow-based publishing house spans across 30 titles, employs 50 staff and also runs the prestigious golfing event the Bunkered Match-play Challenge. Founded in 1995, PSP Publishing Ltd is one of the most dynamic, enterprising and successful publishers in the country.

Tee it up for a friendly welcome

in the Borders

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY VISITSCOTLAND

Four golf courses in the Scottish Borders have been named the friendliest in the region in the new Scottish Borders Golf Guide 2009. The new edition of the guide recognises the warm welcomes on offer at the 18-hole courses the Hirsel and Minto and the 9-hole courses St Boswells and Selkirk.

The courses are part of the Freedom of the Fairways Golf Pass which is featured in the new edition of the Scottish Borders Golf Guide for 2009. It has become the most popular golf pass in Scotland and is supported by Tontine Hotel in Peebles.

The guide, published by VisitScotland, provides information on accommodation and how to book golf at the 21 courses in the Scottish Borders.
The Scottish Borders is increasingly being recognised as a short break golf destination with an array of outstanding 18-hole golf courses. The Freedom of the Fairways Golf Pass covers all of the courses in the region and offers the 3-Day Golf Passport which entitles the golfer to up to six rounds of golf over three consecutive weekdays (weekends four rounds) at the cost of £88 per person (£44 for juniors).

The 5-Day Golf Passport allows up to ten rounds of golf over five consecutive weekdays (weekends eight rounds) at the cost of £120 per person (£70 for juniors).
‘’We are delighted to offer the golfers this fantastic product which represents great value for money considering the quality of the participating courses,” said Sandi Hellowell, Regional Director at VisitScotland.

“The prices have been put on hold for 2009 which is an added incentive to come here to play. As golf is one of the key themes of the year of Homecoming Scotland 2009 we are looking forward to welcoming more golfers to this beautiful part of Scotland.’’
Golf Passes are available to purchase from February 1, 2009 and are valid between April 1 and October 31, 2009.

There are 21 golf courses in the Scottish Borders to choose from. To purchase Freedom of the Fairway Passports either phone 01835 863170, visit the online shop at http://www.visitscottishborders.com/ or pop in to any of the Visitor Information Centre’s in Borders.

For more information on golf in the Scottish Borders go to: http://www.visitscottishborders.com/. The guide is available via website at http://www.visitscottishborders.com/Brochure.aspx%20visitscotland.com:

For more information on the Homecoming Scotland 2009 events programme go to: http://www.homecomingscotland2009.com/.

GREAT GOLF SHOW TICKET DEALS

Tickets to the London Golf Show 2009 are now on sale and the golfing extravaganza is celebrating the launch of its fifth outing with a great two-for-one ticket deal.
Anyone buying tickets before April can get two tickets for the on-the-door price of £15 simply by quoting the code LAUNCH when purchasing tickets online or over the phone.
The London Golf Show will be back at ExCeL from May 1-3 and the golfing bonanza will offer everything golfers' hearts desire including big brands, custom-fitting, a huge indoor driving range, a massive American Golf Store, celebrity appearances and countless competitions with great prizes to be won.
And if the two-for-one promotion isn’t enough, the London Golf Show has also teamed up with BODY WORLDS and The Mirror of Time to offer a joint ticket to the two events for just £17.50.
BODY WORLDS is the Original Exhibition of real human bodies created by world renowned anatomist Dr Gunther von Hagens and features collections of authentic human and animal specimens which explores health, fitness, science, anatomy and physiology.
Those buying a joint ticket can visit any day of the London Golf Show and take in BODY WORLDS at the O2 up until May 3.
For more information or to buy tickets call 0844 837 1650 or go to www.londongolfshow.com.

La Manga Club shortlisted for Golf Resort Award
PRESS RELEASE
La Manga Club, Europe’s leading luxury sport and leisure resort, has been shortlisted in the Luxury Golf Resort category of the World Luxury Hotel Awards.
Now in their third year, the awards celebrate the world’s finest hotels and resorts. Award winners set the benchmark for luxury hotels in achieving recognition for their world class facilities and service excellence.
Shortlisted in the Luxury Golf Resort category, Spain’s La Manga Club has offered first-class golfing facilities and five-star accommodation for over 20 years. In 2007, Q-Plus, an organisation founded by the National Association of Greenkeepers of Spain, awarded La Manga Club the first certificate in Spain for the quality of its three, 18-hole championship courses.
La Manga Club’s courses have been host to a wide range of sporting legends including Jose María Olazábal, Seve Ballesteros and Colin Montgomerie and a number of leading tournaments such as the Spanish Open, Spanish PGA Championships, BMW Golf Cup International. It is also the winter training base for the German PGA.
With three 18-hole championship golf courses, year round sunny climate and high-tech practice facilities, the resort is the ideal winter holiday destination for golfers of all levels.
The resort is also famed for its leading golf tuition and academies which are ideal for golfers of all ages and abilities.
Set over 1,400 acres of picturesque Spanish landscape, La Manga Club is home to a five-star hotel, four-star apartments and a luxury spa. The resort also hosts over 20 bars and restaurants, 28 tennis courts and eight football pitches.
Murcia Airport is just 30 minutes from La Manga Club. Airlines currently flying direct include: bmibaby, easyJet, Flybe, Thomsonfly, Jet2.com, Monarch and Ryanair.
Alicante airport is around an hour from La Manga Club.
For more information about Golf Academies or for reservations, call +34 968 175 577 visit www.lamangaclub.com or e-mail reserve@lamangaclub.com

WATCH THE WORLD’S BEST IN STYLE AT LOCH LOMOND

Loch Lomond Golf Club, home of the Barclays Scottish Open, has announced that it will be making the club’s luxury private motorboat available for exclusive daily hire at this year’s tournament, which takes place from the 9th-12th July.
Moored in the harbour beside the 18th green, the motorboat will be available for guests to use as they wish throughout the day. With a skipper at hand the lucky few will be able to cruise around the loch, taking in the beautiful surrounding scenery, as well as taking advantage of some fantastic viewing points alongside the course to watch the golfing action.

A complimentary pass into the magnificent Rossdhu House is also included in the package.
Since its inception in 1986 and in particular following its move to Loch Lomond in 1996, the Barclays Scottish Open has developed into one of the most popular events on The European Tour.

Traditionally staged the week before the Open Championship, the tournament attracts some of the biggest names in the game. Last year Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Ernie Els, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie among others competed alongside the banks of Loch Lomond.
With its stunning setting on the shores of Loch Lomond and views of Ben Lomond and the Scottish Highlands, Loch Lomond Golf Club is a private international club with members from over 30 countries. The course, which was designed by renowned architects, Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, opened in 1994 and was most recently voted 11th in Golf Digest’s Top 100 courses in the world ranking. The Club has played host to the Barclays Scottish Open for the past 10 years.
Private hire of the Loch Lomond yacht requires a minimum booking of eight people. Further information on boat hire and other hospitality opportunities is available from Vicky.Nesbitt@lochlomond.com . Tel: 01436 655555.

Padraig Harrington gets a par 3 from top

of mountain in South Africa

PRESS RELEASE
Double Open champion Padraig Harrington has become the first professional golfer to conquer the world’s most amazing par-3 hole.
The Irish star took the helicopter to the top of Hanglip Mountain at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort on the Big 5 Entabeni Safari Conservancy in Limpopo Province in South Africa for the challenge of the Extreme 19th.
There he hit driver to the green the shape of Africa some 400m below.
After hitting four practice balls Harrington smashed his competition ball into the bunker surrounding the green before flying back down and splashing out to just about 18 inches and holing the putt for the first par by a professional.
Harrington said the Extreme 19th is one of the most amazing holes he has ever played.
He said: “This is golf in 2010…this is the type of innovation and excitement we need to get more people playing golf. There aren’t many new innovative ways to play the game but this is certainly one of the best. And now I’ve got bragging rights over all the other professionals who have played this and not managed to make a three. I love everything about it.”
Harrington is the ninth of the designers from the unique 18 signature course at Legend Golf & Safari Resort to play the Extreme 19th .
The Signature Course has been designed by 18 of the world’s leading golfers, with each of them designing one hole.
The list of signatures who have been honoured to work on the project reads like a who’s who of world golf including Trevor Immelman, Sergio Garcia; Bernard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Justin Rose, Vijay Singh, K J Choi, Retief Goosen and of course Padraig Harrington to name but a few.
But Harrington is the first to conquer the Extreme 19th with a par three.
After hitting four practice balls to judge the distance and wind, one of which he hit to just five feet from the pin, Harrington was a little disappointed when his chosen competition ball took a slight gust of wind as it travelled the 25 seconds hang time before landing off the horn of Africa in the sand.
But after pacing the 35 yards to the pin he played a wonderful shot before placing and cleaning his ball and sinking the short putt with a steely determination that has seen him win three Majors.
He said: “I now really do have bragging rights across the world on practice tees with Justin Rose, K J Choi, Michael Campbell, Retief Goosen, Sergio, Luke Donald, Raphael Jacquelin and Trevor Immelman. This is one of my proudest par 3’s.”
And he went further by suggesting that the Extreme 19th would make a great play-off hole and even a great hole for a special made for TV event.
He said: “I think this hole is awesome! I love the whole experience, the helicopter, the views, the drama, the green the shape of Africa. The whole concept is fantastic and I’m looking forward to coming back and taking on the challenge of the Extreme 19th again.”
Harrington took the helicopter to the Extreme 19th as part of his trip to inspect the 10th hole he has designed at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort – the first hole he has ever designed.
And after inspecting his par 4, 10th, Harrington said he was delighted with the finished product, but that he may like a few more bunkers adding.
He said: “I’m delighted to have been involved in this project especially as it’s the first golf hole I’ve designed.
“I love the drama of playing towards the mountain and when a few trees have been moved from the left of the fairway golfers will have a great view of the ‘Tiger line’ down Harrington’s Alley...the best way to the green. The fairway bunkers are great but I think I’d like just a few more in there. It’s great to be able to put a bit of your golfing personality into a hole and I’ve tried to do that here. “
The unique 18 signature golf course is due to open for play in March 2009 and is taking bookings now and is already one of the most talked about courses in Africa. But the challenge of the Extreme 19th is one you can take now at Legend Golf & Safari Resort. While the Entabeni Safari Conservancy is also inspiring visitors – including all 112 Miss World contestants who recently spent six days there.
For more information about Legend Golf & Safari Resort please go to www.legendgolfsafari.com

Wales launches National Caddy Scheme

Golf news from Visit Wales

PRESS RELEASE
With the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor Resort near Newport fast approaching, and more golfing visitors to the principality in 2008 than ever before, Wales is now firmly on the golfing map. With further initiatives such as a new National Caddy scheme, more innovative websites to make booking a break easier and a series of exciting professional events in summer 2009, Visit Wales is expecting a bumper golfing year.

Visit Wales to launch National Caddy Scheme in 2009
Due to rising demand for caddies at golf courses across Wales, Visit Wales is launching a new National Caddy Scheme in January 2009 - the first of its kind in Europe. When the scheme is launched golfers will be able to book an approved caddy in less than 60 seconds at http://www.caddylocator.com/, and wannabe caddies can already visit the same site to sign up to the scheme.
The scheme has been designed to create a gold standard for registered caddies in Wales and aim to equip caddies with the knowledge and skills to offer a premium service, with lessons in golf etiquette and the role of the caddy, as well as improving both technical and general knowledge of the course and the surrounding area.

New Wales Winter Golf site – two-night breaks from £89
The Wales Golf Holiday Company recently launched a new collection of Winter Golf Breaks in Wales at http://www.wintergolfbreaks.co.uk/. The breaks have been designed to provide value golf at a wide choice of venues, with two night packages starting from only £89. Winter golf is an increasingly appealing option for golfers who want to play championship golf, but not pay championship prices.
The operator has selected the best choice of winter courses around Wales which will offer the best winter golf. Players have a choice of links golf courses to the south, of links golf courses to the south west and north, with championship parkland throughout the principality.

Golf North Wales launches new-look website
Golf North Wales (http://www.golf-northwales.co.uk/) recently launched a new-look website where visitors can book tee times and accommodation live. Other features include a live weather feed, offers and discounts on green fees and accommodation, regional tourist information and an interactive map linking to individual pages on the 24 golf clubs in the region.

Championship breaks at three leading Welsh courses
GEM Wales (http://www.gemwales.com/) has teamed up with Marriott St Pierre, the Vale Hotel Golf and Spa Resort and host of the 2010 Ryder Cup, Celtic Manor Resort to offer one-night golfing breaks from only £67 per person, including two rounds of golf.

Golfing events in Wales summer 2009:
April 22-23 – Ryder Cup Wales Welsh Open Young Professional PGA Championship at Bull Bay Golf Club on Anglesey
June 4-7 – The Celtic Manor Wales Open at Celtic Manor Resort near Newport
June 19-21 – Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Porthcawl
July 23-27 SWALEC Wales Challenge at the Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort near Cardiff
July 28-30 – Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Welsh Open PGA Championship at Marriott St. Pierre Golf & Club in Chepstow
August 6-9 – S4/C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe at Royal St David’s Golf Club in Harlech
September 2-4 – Ryder Cup Wales 2010 Welsh National PGA Championship at Ashburnham Golf Club

For more information on golf holidays across Wales visit http://www.golfasitshouldbe.com/

Loch Lomond members bid to

raise £100m for course buy-out

FROM THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
By Glenn Gibbons
Members of Loch Lomond Golf Club are attempting to raise £100million to buy-out its American owners and rescue one of Scotland's most exclusive organisations from financial calamity. Spearheading the move to take over is the former Hibernian chairman, Ken Lewandowski.
Loch Lomond, which hosts the Barclays Scottish Open and also owns Dundonald, the links course in Ayrshire, is still officially owned by Lyle Anderson of Arizona, but its debt at Bank of Scotland has forced the latter to assume control by placing it in the hands of a New York-based re-financing company, who are now actively seeking potentials buyers.

With around 800 members, the vast majority reputedly in possession of personal fortunes that would justify the description "plutocrats," the projected selling price would require each to put up £125,000.

But, as Lewandowski pointed out, "It would almost certainly be an equity-based proposal. Some members would want to take a number of shares, while others may not want to buy in at all, but remain members of the club."

Niall Flanagan, general manager of Loch Lomond, revealed that there is interest from "eight or nine parties from the Middle East, Europe and America," although actual offers have yet to be received. Flanagan also suggested that a membership buy-out would not only be the most suitable solution to the club's present difficulties, but would be among the favourites in any betting on who would be Loch Lomond's next owners.

The recently-formed, eight-strong Members' Executive Committee, met yesterday to discuss possible strategies, but it is likely to be some time before it is determined that purchase of the club by the members is possible.

Recent developments have clearly caused a certain resentment among members, not least of them an increase in annual fees which, for those based in Europe, have more than doubled. The previous £3,250 per annum is to go up to £7,000, for European members, while 'international' members – that is, most those domiciled in America – will rise by £500 to £3,750.

It seems reasonable to infer that the hike in subscriptions is a form of insurance against the eventuality of no buyers being found.

Since the golf club does not make a profit – "it is very close to profitability", said Flanagan – anyone wishing to purchase would probably have to do so for reasons of prestige, as opposed to a return on their investment. Or they would have to find a way of making the business profitable.

Since Anderson himself had been looking in vain for a buyer for the 18 months before Bank of Scotland effectively took control of the company nine weeks ago – the search started long before the global economic downturn – it is hardly surprising that agreement among the members to make an offer would make them favourites to assume ownership.

The bank put the running of Loch Lomond into the hands of Marotta, Gund, Budd and Dzera on October 20 and appointed Stephen Marotta and Philip Gund as the directors to whom the present management are directly accountable.

So far, little has changed, but, as well as increasing revenue, it seems likely that the present running costs of £9million a year will have to be addressed.

"It takes a lot to run a club like this," said Flanagan. "We have 151 permanent, full-time staff and that figure goes up to 350 in the summer, with so many part-time workers required. The costs of maintaining Rossdhu House (the 18th-century clubhouse] are very high and, naturally, it is expensive to maintain the golf course itself as one of the best in the world.

"But we are good employers for the local area, for Balloch and Alexandria at Loch Lomond and for Ayr at Dundonald. We wouldn't want to see that change."

There is, for the time being at least, no threat to the Scottish Open itself, as Barclays are Committed to their sponsorship agreement for another four years. Indeed, it is expected that next summer's tournament will boast its most attractive field ever, thanks to a number of factors.

"It has become an iconic event for Scotland," said Flanagan. "When pictures of Loch Lomond at the Scottish Open go around the world, there is no doubt that it helps tourism here. It is a very attractive tournament, with crowd of 25,000 a day coming here, and that's mainly because it is staged on such a wonderful golf course in a magnificent location.

"Now that the Race For Dubai is part of the European Tour, we expect the field next year to be the best yet. We believe there will be more US PGA Tour players and more Australians. The fact that the Open Championship is to be played just down the road at Turnberry the week after will also be a help."

And, because of the Race For Dubai, players wishing to qualify for that by remaining members of the European Tour, now have to play 12 tournaments a year instead of 11. An extra one may not sound much, but it can be difficult for many who also play in America.

"In that respect, the Scottish Open is perfectly placed, just a week ahead of the Open itself. We are confident players who haven't been here before will be here from now on."

THE NUMBERS GAME

$100,000, 000 is the asking price for Loch Lomond Golf Club.

800 is the total membership number.

£125,000 is the average contribution required from each member to fund buy-out.

£3,250 is the existing annual fee for members.

£7,000 is the proposed new fee for members in Europe.

£3,750 is the proposed new fees for international members.

151 is the number of full-time 'permanent' employees at Loch Lomond.

350 is the employment level at club during the summer.

92 is the number of international members who paid their annual subscription last year but did not play the course once

Enterprising Brora

professional extends
competitive season

By ROBIN WILSON
Brora for winter golf ... and competitive golf too!
Today sees the tee off for the first of club professional Brian Anderson's extension of the competitive playing season.
From today the first of what he likes to call Poet's Day opens will continue through December and January at very attractive entry fees for members and non-members over a course that since the start of winter has remained in excellent playing condition.
With the backing of the Brora Management Committee who are guaranteeing a full 18 holes in competition mode (no winter tees or greens), the local professional has been given the green light to run a series of open Stableford competitions.
The second Poet's Day Open is next Friday, November 21; then two dates in January 2009, the 16th and 30th..
The competitions are self-funding with a high percentage of the entry money paid out in vouchers. Starting times are available from 9am each day and are bookable in advance with the Broa club secretary, telephone 01408 621417, or just turn up and play.
In the run-up to Christmas it will also be possible to win a turkey for the Christmas Lunch. Played for on the first two Saturdays of December, the 6th and 13th, the local Co-Operative Store have agreed to sponsor two Turkey Trot 18-hole open foursome Stableford competitions. In a slight difference to the Poet's Day opens, these two Saturday competitions are restricted to Brora members and members of clubs with reciprocal agreements with the Brora Golf Club, namely, Golspie, Royal Dornoch, Helmsdale, Tain, Bonar-Bridge/Ardgay and Durness.
The entry fee per player, men, women or mixed couples is £5 each. The winners will get Co-op vouchers for their turkey or alternatively Christmas fare of their choice.
In launching these events Brian Anderson said, “By virtue of its links character Brora golf course offers very favourable winter playing conditions and when we experience the fine weather days throughout the winter period where better to keep your game in shape than at Brora?
"Golfers who play in the Poet's Day competitions are invited to return for a further game at the reduced green fee of £10 until the end of March and will get 20% discount off their first visit in April.”
Sunday's North Golf Alliance fixture will now be played at Tain Golf Club. Starting times have been issued. Reay Golf Club will now host the fixture on Sunday, November 23.

Golf Monthly's list of top 100 courses

Where does your course figure in the Golf Monthly magazine's list of 100 top courses in Britain & Ireland?
Log on to the following to find out:
http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/courses/tophundred/279009/golf-monthly-top-100-course-rankings-1-100.html

Three awards for The Castle Course at St Andrews

The Castle Course in St Andrews has received three prestigious international awards in its inaugural season.
The course has been recognised by Travel & Leisure Golf magazine in America as the New Course of the Year. It was also named International Development of the Year by Golf Inc magazine in America pipping the Els Club in Dubai to the title.
In August, the course was recognised by the Institute of Groundsmanship, the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and some leading turfcare journalists as the 2008 Turf Professional Project of the Year.
The Castle Course opened for play on 28 June and after only a few months was included in the authoritative Golf World Top 100 rankings, an impressive achievement for a new golf course.
By 31 October when it closed down for the winter, 14,000 rounds had been played on The Castle Course and bookings have already been coming in for its first full season from April 1 to October 31 next year.
As the seventh course at the Home of Golf, The Castle Course has attracted a great deal of media interest from around the world since the project started and an international naming competition for the course was held through the St Andrews Links website www.standrews.org.uk.
Alan McGregor, general manager of the Trust, said, “For a new golf course to receive this level of recognition at such an early stage is quite remarkable. When we began working with the architects David Kidd and Paul Kimber we knew we were going to create a special course but I don’t think anyone realised just how dramatic and eye-catching it was going to be.
“It has been a successful first half-season with many golfers from near and far playing the course. We have received a large amount of positive feedback and, it is fair to say, some questions about the challenging nature of the course. We had always anticipated making some changes as the course matures and we will be working on it over the winter. But overall we are absolutely delighted with how the course is progressing and we are looking forward to next season.”
The Castle Course sits on a spectacular clifftop location overlooking the ancient town of St Andrews. It has been designed as a links-like course with undulating fairways and landforms and crisp, sandy lies. Over the winter some of the mounds in the fairways will be cut back and reduced and some adjustments will be made to the green surrounds on a few holes.
As well as adding to the golf offering in St Andrews, The Castle Course has brought economic benefits to the town creating jobs for 40 people across the greenkeeping, reception, retail and food and beverage departments and helping to encourage visitors to stay longer and play more golf.
Tee times for The Castle Course from 1 April to 31 October, 2009 can be booked by contacting 0044 1334 466666 or emailing reservations@standrews.org.uk.

Turnberry Hotel closes from today for £30million refurbishment ahead of

next year's Open

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE

Leisurecorp, the Dubai World investment company focused on the sports and leisure sector, has taken ownership of its latest acquisition, the Turnberry Resort in south Ayrshire.

First announced in May, the £55 million deal sees Turnberry transferred from Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) to Leisurecorp.

Starwood has entered a 50-year management agreement with Leisurecorp to manage the hotel and after extensive restoration, the property will become a member of its Luxury Collection portfolio.

From today the hotel will close for a £30 million refurbishment ahead of the 138th Open Championship in July 2009.

Internationally-renowned interior designer Mary Fox Linton has been appointed to lead the refurbishment which will see the 101-year hotel restored to the original vision of the original architect, James Miller.

Working in conjunction with a heritage consultant, the refurbishment will ensure that the building’s heritage is maintained while delivering beautifully-designed stylish hotel rooms and facilities.

Alan Rogers, Group CEO, Leisurecorp, said: “Turnberry is a significant addition to our property portfolio and we take seriously our responsibility to restoring the hotel and facilities to its former glory. When the eyes of the world fall upon Turnberry next summer, we are determined that the venue will stand tall with pride, taking its rightful place as one of the top golf courses in the world.

"At Leisurecorp, we have been lucky enough to have worked with some of the world’s best performers in their fields, from sporting superstars to designers and architects. Since we announced the deal with Starwood in May we have been working hard on the development plans and are delighted with Mary Fox Linton’s appointment and her vision for Turnberry.

“Next week Shanghai kicks off the inaugural Race to Dubai and arguably one of the most exciting seasons in The European Tour’s history. For Leisurecorp, this will see three of our golf courses rise to the occasion with the South African Open at Pearl Valley Golf Estates, the Open Championship at Turnberry, and the Dubai World Championship to climax the season at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

"We are certain that each of these tournaments will prove our passion and commitment to the golf world.”

Mary Fox Linton has an impressive list of historic hotels to her name, including One Aldwych, London; The Dorchester Hotel, London; The Athenaeum, London; The Grove, Chandler’s Cross; and Carlisle Bay Antigua.

Mary Fox Linton said: “The chance to restore this hotel to its former glory is a wonderful opportunity and I feel so passionate about it. When you arrive, you can’t help but smile. The interiors of the hotel will be brought back to their original grandeur with a contemporary interpretation of James Miller’s original vision for the hotel.

"I have tried to look at the hotel through the eyes of Miller and interpret what I think he would have envisioned for the hotel, maximising open spaces, comfort and of course the very best of quality.”

Tour School qualifier going back
to Dundonald Links for 3 years

Dundonald Links is to be used as one of the venues for the First Qualifying Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School for the next three years.
The renowned Ayrshire links, which is the sister course of Loch Lomond, became the first Scottish course to be used as a venue for a European Tour Qualifying School event when it hosted one of the six Stage 1 qualifying tournaments this summer and now the deal has been extended through 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Next year’s event will be played on September 15-18, 2008.
“We are delighted to extend the agreement which saw us host a Stage 1 event for the first time this September and are confident we can build on its success,” said John Caven, the Director of Operations at both Loch Lomond and Dundonald Links.
“This year we weren’t blessed with great weather, but we did receive lot of positive feedback from competitors and feel sure our continued involvement with the Tour School can only enhance the profile of the course.”
Mike Stewart, the European Tour’s Senior Tournament Director and Qualifying School Director, said: “This year, competitors faced some of the most testing conditions we have ever seen at a Qualifying School venue.
“The weather was brutal, however, the course provided a tough but fair challenge and that, coupled with the level of support we received from the team at Dundonald Links, meant it was a simple decision for us to return.
“We are delighted the Club has agreed to host the 1st Stage of the Qualifying School for the next three years.”
This year, a total of 31 golfers came through Stage 1 at Dundonald Links and qualified for the Second Qualifying Stage in Spain. The event was won by Scotland’s Euan Little who put together rounds of 74, 73, 70 and 67 for a four under par total of 284 and a one shot victory over England’s Craig Goodfellow. Six other Scots, Duncan Stewart, David Patrick, Mark Hillson, Chris Kelly, Mark Kerr and Scott Henry, also progressed to Spain.
Next year, Dundonald Links will host two prestigious international events, the other being the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy, to be played on September 8-10.
This will be the fourth year in-a-row that Dundonald Links has hosted what has developed into one of Europe’s most eminent junior events. England’s Sam Hutsby won the title back in 2006 and he was succeeded by Italy’s Claudio Vigano in 2007. This year, England’s, Stiggy Hodgson, winner of the 2008 Carris Trophy, led from start to finish to claim an eleven shot victory over French junior champion, Arnaud Abbas. The leading girl was Holland’s Marieke Nivard.
The Championship attracted 51 national junior champions from 28 different countries.
To book a tee time at Dundonald Links please call +44 (0)1294 314000
Email reservations@dundonaldlinks.com or visit www.dundonaldlinks.com

Turkish Delight as PGA Sultan is
named for Eisenhower Trophy

PRESS RELEASE
A PGA branded course in Turkey has cemented its growing international reputation by being selected to jointly stage the prestigious Eisenhower Trophy.
Antalya Golf Club’s PGA Sultan course will play host to some of the world’s best amateur golfers in the biennial team championship 2012.
The PGA Sultan's selection by the International Golf Federation sees it follow in the footsteps of some illustrious names including St Andrews’ Old Course, Royal Melbourne, Pinehurst and Royal Adelaide which have all hosted the Eisenhower Trophy since its inception in 1958.
Antalya club manager Ugur Budak is delighted with the decision, which saw them beat off competition from Italy and Austria, and will see the Sultan share matches with the Cornelia’s Faldo course.
Budak cited the PGA status as pivotal in its success in securing the event.“I believe the PGA brand was one of the key factors why so many people showed confidence in us,” he said.
“In golf, tradition is everything therefore hosting such an event with a whole tradition behind it is an amazing honour and big opportunity.
“Turkey and Antalya has done a lot during last few years to promote golf and improve the quality of its courses. This caps all these efforts and as the manager of the Antalya Golf Club I always believed that being a PGA branded course took us a couple of steps ahead of our competitors and put us in a unique position among many reputable and prestigious courses.
“The selection of the PGA Sultan course as host of the Eisenhower Trophy 2012 is proof of this. This event will not only cement Turkey and Antalya’s standing as important figures in the golf world it will also increase the importance of golf in Turkey.”
Antalya, which will host Europe's largest pro-am, the PGA National Pro-Am Championship next month, is situated on the shores of the Turkish Mediterranean and the complex includes the Sirene Beach and Hotel Resort and Kempinski Hotel.
Robert Maxfield, PGA property and commercial director, said: "It's fantastic news for Antalya Golf Club and we're delighted that one of our PGA branded courses has been recognised with being awarded such a prestigious tournament.”
The PGA Sultan is one of a growing number of PGA branded facilities that includes Gleneagles, The Belfry and Palmerstown House.Overseas resorts carrying the PGA brand have also been established in India, Russia, Spain, and China with agreements also signed for Tunisia.ends

Carnoustie Presents the Perfect Combination

PRESS RELEASE
The Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee has announced that its popular Combination Ticket will cost just £150 during the 2009 season.
That means a visitor can play a round on each of Carnoustie’s Championship, Burnside and Buddon Links courses for just £20 more than the standard cost of a green fee on its Championship course where Ireland’s Padraig Harrington won the memorable Open Championship in 2007.
It also represents a remarkable saving of 30% on the cost of individual green fees for Carnoustie’s three courses.
“We believe that in the current financial climate golfers everywhere are still looking to play great golf courses but they also want to get the best possible deal” said Colin McLeod, Carnoustie’s Golf Services Manager.
“The Combination Tickets is ideal for golfers who want to play three excellent links courses, one of which is considered amongst the best in the world. The only stipulation is that all three rounds have to be played over three days or less.”
Carnoustie’s Championship course elicited rave reviews from many of the world’s best players during the 2007 Open Championship. World No. 1, Tiger Woods, described it as a fantastic test and his words were echoed by Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie and others.
“It’s got length. It’s got great bunkering,” said Els. “You’ve really got to have your wits about you when you play this course. It’s probably the best bunkered course that you’ll ever find in the world.”
Carnoustie’s Burnside course is not long at 6,028 yards but it is an excellent test and has been used as an Open Qualifying venue on a number of occasions including 1953 when Ben Hogan won the title on his first and only attempt.
The Buddon Links is Carnoustie’s newest course. It was designed by Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas in the 1980s and has since been extensively upgraded. It measures 5,420 yards and has a par of 66.
More information about Carnoustie’s 2009 green fees is available on http://www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk/ or from the Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee offices on 01241 802270. Tee times for all three courses can be booked on-line.

FREE GOLF ON OCTOBER 21 AT NEW KITTOCKS
COURSE, FAIRMONT ST ANDREWS

PRESS RELEASE
Fairmont St Andrews are proud to announce that the newly re-designed Kittocks course is now open and available for play. To celebrate its opening, Fairmont St Andrews are having an Open Day on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 when the Kittocks course will be available for a FREE ROUND of golf.
Those interested in playing golf on the Kittocks course for free on this date should call 01334 837023.
In addition to free golf, those attending the Open Day will be able to enjoy 50% off luxury Spa treatments in the five-star hotel’s new signature Spa. To book a 50% off Spa treatment for Tuesday, October 21, call 01334 837045 in advance.
Speaking today, Gary Slatter, Director of Golf for Fairmont St Andrews, said,
‘Kittocks is a fantastic course that hugs over a mile of St Andrews coastline. With its panoramic views and improved lay-out, Kittocks is one of the most enjoyable courses in Scotland. Kittocks Open Day will be a day when locals and golfers from around Scotland can come to the Home of Golf, play Kittocks for free and see how golf in the area is getting better and better.’
The Kittocks course is a coastal golf course, with stunning views over the Eden Estuary and beaches of St Andrews. The former Devlin course that reminded Gene Sarazen of Pebble Beach, has been re-routed with two holes coming from the Torrance course.
Gary Slatter added, ‘Given that our Kittocks course will be in full play throughout the Winter without any temporary greens or tees, we have a number of great options for golfers including a fourball for £99 only. If you are looking to play a sea view course, at the Home of Golf this winter, Kittocks will give you a golfing experience to remember.’
The re-routing of the two courses is part of an overall £13.5 million upgrade for the hotel including refurbished rooms, a new sports bar with large lcd televisions and pool table plus a sensational signature Spa, featuring Kerstin Florian products (usually only found in Oscar night goody bags!).

About Fairmont St Andrews
Set in 520 acres of breathtaking coastline, Fairmont St Andrews offers an all-round experience with two world-championship golf courses as well as the destination Spa and opportunities for walking, riding and cycling close by. The hotel also has a wide choice of bars and restaurants, including the award winning fine dining restaurant, Esperante and the Clubhouse which has sensational views out to sea and over to St Andrews. For those seeking the ultimate weekend break, the hotel has its own private helipad and arrival by helicopter can be arranged from Scotland’s major airports.

The Kittocks name is taken from the SSSI area of land on the course that is inhabited by a family of deer. This protected area comes into view on several holes and provides abundant wildlife to be seen during a round on Kittocks, including pheasants, rabbits and hares, deer, grouse and badgers.

Technical information on how the Devlin has been changed to become Kittocks
(1) The lake on the second hole has been reshaped and will appear larger.
(2) The former 3rd and 4th holes of the Devlin are now on the Torrance.
(3) The par 3 third (formerly the 5th) has new tees and a different angle to the green for the front decks.
(4) The bunker on the left on hole 6 (now the 4th) has been removed.
(5) The mounding to the right of the par five 5th (former 7) has been lowered so a golfer can now see the green and surrounding bunkers.
(6) A new tee has been built on 6 giving it more length and a slightly different angle.
(7) The 7th hole has lost a bunker in the narrow alley between the wall and the other bunkers. This encourages the golfer to try to drive through the narrow area between the sea and the other bunkers. The area to the right is now growing in and will no longer be fairway.
(8) The double fairway on the 9th will still be there but the grass will be longer on the right side, and the rough will be lowered on the left side.
(9) On the short par four 10th the middle bunker (at 192 from the tee) has been removed and the golfer now has another alley where they can run their ball towards the green.
(10) The par five 11th has gained four mounds on the right side so a golfer can better visualize the hole (and know which mound their ball is near).
(11) The 12th has lost a bunker on the left and one on the right from the tee.
(12) A new front tee is being built on 14 (former 16th).
(13) One bunker has been removed from the 15th (the hidden one on the hill).
(14) The superb par three 16th remains, the one bunker near the forward tees is gone.
(15) The big news on Kittocks is the finish, the former 17th of the Torrance is now the 17th of Kittocks, still a great par four with a new rear tee giving other options. The left side (in the rough) has been reshaped to now include large retainer ponds areas that are in play on 17 and 18.
(16) The 18th hole is the former 16th on Torrance and is a long par four dog leg left. One bunker has been removed short right of the green. There are many new shadows from the new mounding to the right side of the second half of the fairway.

Additional Information
Formerly The St Andrews Bay Hotel, from 2006 the hotel has been managed by the luxury hotel collection, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. Fairmont hotels are one-of-a-kind properties where sophisticated travellers can discover culturally rich experiences that are authentic to the destination. Fairmont's portfolio includes over 50 distinctive hotels, with plans to develop over 20 new properties in the coming years in destinations as diverse as Beijing, Abu Dhabi, and South Africa. Situated in some of the most exclusive and pristine areas in the world, Fairmont is committed to responsible tourism and is an industry leader in sustainable hotel management with its award-winning Green Partnership programme.
Fairmont is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a leading global hotel company with over 80 hotels worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel brands. The company also owns Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties.
Fairmont, St Andrews has 209 bedrooms, seven suites and two four-bedroom Manor Homes. The Manor Homes, each sleeping up to eight people in four bedrooms, offer guests the seclusion of a private home with the service and comforts of a five-star hotel on the doorstep. With both chauffeur and butler service, the Manor Homes are ideal for special weekend celebrations.

Devlin Course re-named Kittocks
at Fairmont St Andrews

PRESS RELEASE
It has just been announced today that from October 1st the former Devlin course at Fairmont St Andrews, will be re-named as Kittocks.
Fairmont St Andrews is a five-star cliff top hotel, with two championship golf courses that enjoys panoramic views over the golden beaches and medieval sky line of St Andrews, the Home of Golf.
Speaking today, Gary Slatter, Director of Golf for Fairmont St Andrews, said,
‘We are very excited about the re-naming of our former Devlin course to Kittocks. The new name change reflects not only the millions of pounds worth of changes being made to both the Kittocks course and the Torrance, our Open qualifying course for 2010 Open championship, but also reflects an essential strand of Fairmont properties worldwide, that they all have an authentically local feel. The recent decision to also improve Kittocks, will create one of the best golfing resorts in the world.’
Kittocks name is taken from the SSSI area of land on the course that is inhabited by a family of deer. This protected area comes into view on several holes and provides abundant wildlife to be seen during a round on Kittocks, including pheasants, rabbits and hares, deer, grouse and badgers.
The coastal land the course is built on reminded the legendary golfer Gene Sarazen of Pebble Beach when he first visited the site, as one of the course’s original architects. The Kittocks course will also feature heavily in a new production of the new JJB Slazenger golf advert with Tony Jacklin, Andrew Murray and Gary Wolstenholme. The 30 minute show will be broadcast on Sky Sports Extra and Setanta Golf.
Talking today about the new design features on the Kittocks course, Slatter said. ‘We have worked with architect Gary Stephenson to improve both layouts and to accentuate the strengths of both courses. Kittocks will have two holes from the original Torrance lay-out.
With the re-positioning of several tees and three new greens, plus the addition of state of the art drainage systems both courses will be even better than before and worthy of their accolades including being named 18th best Golf Resort in the World by Conde Naste Traveler.’
The re-design of the two courses is part of an overall £13 million upgrade for the hotel including refurbished rooms, a new sports bar with large lcd televisions and pool table plus a sensational signature Spa, featuring Kerstin Florian products that are usually only found in Oscar night goody bags!
With all the improvements on both Fairmont St Andrews courses, it is expected that with events such as the Torrance Cup with Sam Torrance next week, that the fine reputation of both Kittocks and the Torrance courses will grow and grow.
What's changed to make the Devlin the Kittocks
(1) The lake on the second hole has been reshaped and will appear larger.
(2) The former 3rd and 4th holes of the Devlin are now on the Torrance.
(3) The par 3 third (formerly the 5th) has new tees and a different angle to the green for the front decks.
(4) The bunker on the left on hole 6 (now the 4th) has been removed.
(5) The mounding to the right of the par five 5th (former 7) has been lowered so a golfer can now see the green and surrounding bunkers.
(6) A new tee has been built on 6 giving it more length and a slightly different angle.
(7) The 7th hole has lost a bunker in the narrow alley between the wall and the other bunkers. This encourages the golfer to try to drive through the narrow area between the sea and the other bunkers. The area to the right is now growing in and will no longer be fairway.
(8) The double fairway on the 9th will still be there but the grass will be longer on the right side, and the rough will be lowered on the left side.
(9) On the short par four 10th the middle bunker (at 192 from the tee) has been removed and the golfer now has another alley where they can run their ball towards the green.
(10) The par five 11th has gained four mounds on the right side so a golfer can better visualize the hole (and know which mound their ball is near).
(11) The 12th has lost a bunker on the left and one on the right from the tee.
(12) A new front tee is being built on 14 (former 16th).
(13) One bunker has been removed from the 15th (the hidden one on the hill).
(14) The superb par three 16th remains, the one bunker near the forward tees is gone.
(15) The big news on Kittocks is the finish, the former 17th of the Torrance is now the 17th of Kittocks, still a great par four with a new rear tee giving other options. The left side (in the rough) has been reshaped to now include large retainer ponds areas that are in play on 17 and 18.
(16) The 18th hole is the former 16th on Torrance and is a long par-4 dog leg left. One bunker has been removed short right of the green. There are many new shadows from the new mounding to the right side of the second half of the fairway.
Additional Information
Formerly The St Andrews Bay Hotel, the hotel was bought by the luxury hotel collection, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, in 2006. Fairmont hotels are one-of-a-kind properties where sophisticated travellers can discover culturally rich experiences that are authentic to the destination.
Fairmont's portfolio includes over 50 distinctive hotels, with plans to develop over 20 new properties in the coming years in destinations as diverse as Beijing, Abu Dhabi, and South Africa. Situated in some of the most exclusive and pristine areas in the world, Fairmont is committed to responsible tourism and is an industry leader in sustainable hotel management with its award-winning Green Partnership programme.
Fairmont is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a leading global hotel company with over 80 hotels worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel brands. The company also owns Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties.
Fairmont, St Andrews has 209 bedrooms, seven suites and two four-bedroom Manor Homes. The Manor Homes, each sleeping up to eight people in four bedrooms, offer guests privacy and seclusion.

“Shanks for the Memory” Exhibition at
World Golf Hall of Fame in Florida

World Golf Hall of Fame member Bob Hope shared his love of golf with millions by way of multiple entertainment genres and beginning onSaturday, November 8, the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Florida will pay tribute to his life in a special exhibition, “Bob Hope: Shanks for the Memory.”
Set to offer the largest collection of Hope memorabilia ever placed on public display in a single exhibition, “Shanks” will remain on display throughout 2009.
“The family is thrilled that the World Golf Hall of Fame is going to exhibit Dad’s golf memorabilia,” said Linda Hope, Bob Hope’s daughter.
“Dad would have loved the idea that things he saved and cherished will finally be shared with others who love the game of golf.”
“The World Golf Hall of Fame is committed to sharing the fascinating stories of the Hall of Fame members, like Bob Hope, who made great contributions to help bring the sport to where it is today,” said Jack Peter, the Hall’s Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
“This exhibit has given us a golden opportunity to build out a tribute to an American entertainment icon, who was 100% addicted to golf.”
Guests will find rich story-telling alongside more than 300 artifacts as they wind through a variety of set pieces designed to reflect the different eras and locations significant to Hope’s life, including England, Cleveland, New York, Hollywood, Palm Springs, Washington D.C. and sites of USO shows around the world.
In each set, stories covering a broad range of topics will be revealed, including the special relationship he shared with his wife Dolores, with whom he regularly played golf, as well as his achievements in live entertainment, radio, television, books and movies throughout eight decades of the 20th century.
The exhibition will offer insight into the close friendships Hope shared with Hall of Fame members, celebrities and United States Presidents over the years.
It also will look at the impact Hope made as a fervent entertainer of the men and women of the United States Military, which was validated in 1997 when he became the first person in American history to be named an Honorary Veteran.
A video presentation in the specially-created Bob Hope Theatre will feature some of Hope’s best-known golf stand-up and skits, as well as tributes from some of the game’s most recognizable personalities.
While displaying varied artifacts from nearly every aspect of Hope’s life, the exhibit will feature a red carpet walk through Hope’s “majors,” featuring artifacts that represent some of the most important achievements in his life. for the memory.”
Hope is considered by many to be one of golf’s greatest promoters and a dedicated amateur who admitted to playing more than 2,000 golf courses around the world—often with celebrities, professionals and even presidents. Hope’s affection for golf went beyond playing, making an impact as an author, promoter, sponsor and educator of the game.
For more information about the Hall of Fame, visit www.wgv.com

St Andrews Links Trust freeze visitor

green fees for seven courses in 2009

PRESS RELEASE ISSED BY ST ANDREWS LINKS TRUST
St Andrews Links Trust today announced a freeze on visitor green fees for its seven public courses for 2009.
The announcement means that high season green fees for visitors to the Old Course will remain at £130, the New and Jubilee courses at £65 and The Castle Course at £120.
While visitor numbers to the Links courses this year have remained at normal levels and The Castle Course is enjoying a busy opening season, the Links Trust has taken the decision to freeze prices at an increasingly uncertain time for the economy and amid suggestions in some quarters that Scottish golf tourism is suffering.
Alan McGregor, general manager of St Andrews Links Trust, said the Trustees had decided to act proactively.
“Visiting golfers have made a huge financial contribution to St Andrews Links over the years enabling the Trust to invest significantly in the courses and facilities whilst at the same time keeping other prices low,” he said.
“In view of this and in recognition of the economic downturn, the Trustees believe that we need to do as much as we can to encourage visitors to come to the town to play golf and to stay here by freezing green fees for the 2009 season.”
The move was welcomed by Colin Dalgleish, managing director of Perry Golf. He said, “Many businesses in the golf tourism sector are starting to feel the pinch as the slowdown in the American economy, in particular, starts to have an effect. The Links Trust’s freeze on green fees sets a significant lead and should help to make St Andrews and Scotland more attractive to visiting golfers.”
The high season green fees on the other Links courses next season will be: the Eden £40, the Strathtyrum £25 and the Balgove £12.

Advanced Reservations for play on the Old Course and The Castle Course in 2009 can be made from 10am on September 3.

Seventh course at the Home of Golf opens

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY ST ANDREWS LINKS TRUST
For only the sixth time in 600 years of history a new golf course opened at St Andrews Links, the Home of Golf, today.
The Castle Course was opened by the Duke of York at a special ceremony attended by around 150 leading figures from the world of golf and from golf clubs and organisations in St Andrews.
Continuing a line which began when the first track was cut through the gorse to create what became the Old Course, The Castle Course is the seventh course run by St Andrews Links Trust and the first championship-length 18-hole golf course to open at the Links for more than 100 years.
The Duke of York, a former captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, unveiled a commemorative plaque at the first tee of The Castle Course and declared the course officially open for play.
The first tee shot was struck by Edwin Burtnett, from Tampa, Florida, who won the worldwide competition to name the course which was held in November 2006. Edwin was one of 12 people out of more than 4000 entries to suggest The Castle Course. He and his wife Tiffany were invited to the opening ceremony as guests of honour.
Stuart Maxwell, the Scottish Minister for Communities and Sport, attended the ceremony as did the Lord Lieutenant for Fife Margaret Dean and Provost of Fife and St Andrews Links Trustee Frances Melville.
The Duke of York was given a short tour of the course by designer David McLay Kidd and later attended a reception in The Castle Course Clubhouse.
St Andrews Links Trust chairman Alastair Dempster said, “We are honoured to have The Duke of York conduct the official opening of The Castle Course. This is a historic occasion not just for golf in St Andrews but for Scotland as a whole. It is the most substantial project undertaken by the Links Trust and we are very pleased with the outcome. We believe The Castle Course will be an excellent addition to the Scottish golf scene and will attract golfers from near and far for many years to come.”
General Manager Alan McGregor said, “The brief for The Castle Course was to design an enjoyable and challenging course which would make the most of the splendid location here on the cliff tops overlooking St Andrews. David and his co-designer Paul Kimber have achieved that goal.
"The course boasts some wonderful holes which offer views out over the ancient town of St Andrews, out to the North Sea and to the Angus coast and the Grampian mountains in the distance. The Castle Course will provide a different test of golf to the other courses in St Andrews. We hope it will encourage visiting golfers to spend longer in town as well as offering something new to local golfers.”
Edwin came up with the name after reading about Kinkell Castle which occupied part of the site, near the current location of the clubhouse, in the late Middle Ages. The course logo is adapted from a Scottish peer’s helmet which forms part of the Monnypenny family crest. The Monnypennys of Pitmillie owned the land in this period.
After hitting the first ceremonial drive, Edwin said, “It was pretty nerve-wracking with so many people watching but it is a memory I will treasure for the rest of my life. I love golf and have been fascinated by St Andrews and the courses here since my first visit a few years ago. This is a wonderful golf course and I am very proud to have played a part in naming it.”
The Castle Course sits on 220 acre site above Kinkell Braes to the south-east of St Andrews. The par 71 course has five tees on every hole which vary the length from 5460 to 6759 yards. The championship length is 7188 yards.
The clubhouse features a striking circular design and has a glass-fronted restaurant overlooking Kinkell Ness, the furthest outcrop of the cliffs. The building has a geothermal heating and cooling system which generates energy from the earth using 150m deep boreholes and heat pumps. The installation of the system received support from the Scottish Communities and Households Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) which is funded by the Scottish Executive through the Energy Saving Trust.
The Castle Course is open for public play and its first season runs until 31 October. Next year it will open from April to October.
Tee times can be booked online at www.standrews.org.uk or by contacting the Reservations department on 001334 466666 or emailing reservations@standrews.org.uk.

*St Andrews Links Trust is a charitable organisation responsible for the management and maintenance of the Links courses at St Andrews, including the famous Old Course, host of the 2010 Open Championship.
*The Trust was established in 1974. It employs more than 200 permanent staff and seasonal workers during the high season. It manages a number of additional facilities including two clubhouses, a golf practice centre and three shops.
*More than 200,000 rounds are played over six public courses, which feature two additional championship courses (the New and the Jubilee), two 18-hole courses (the Eden and the Strathtyrum) and a nine-hole course (the Balgove).
For more information visit www.standrews.org.uk.

GOLF STAR IAN POULTER MAKES

DREAM COME TRUE FOR

HERTFORD SCHOOLBOY SAM (10)

Golf-mad 10-year-old Sam Nicholls was given a 'slice' of stardom when Open Championship hopeful Ian Poulter took him for surprise coaching at Mill Green Golf Club.

Poulter - one of the UK's most flamboyant golfers - turned up unannounced at Sam's home in Bayford, near Hertford, as part of a day's filming for the Disney Channel, who had searched nationwide for a young golfer to feature ina programme with the Ryder Cup star.

Sam, a member of Mill Green's successful junior Tiger Club, was surprisedwhen Poulter, resplendent in all white golf gear, knocked on his door early in the morning.

He gave the 32-year-old golf fashion icon a tour of the family home, which included mowing the lawn, before going to Mill Green Golf Club for lunch and coaching on the club's par-3 course - where Sam's sisters acted as caddies.

And during the afternoon session, Sam and Ian disappeared at one point - only to return to the course in matching blue and white checked trousers, created especially by Poulter's own tailor, to complete the day's shoot for the TV programme, which will be shown in July.

Sam a pupil at Morgans School, in Hertford, said: "It's not every morningthat you answer the door to a famous person - it was a day I'll never forget. Ian was fun to be with, he's really cool and I had a brilliant time.

"The checked trousers he gave me were fantastic. But they ripped during filming and Ian said he'd get me a new pair made. He's very kind."

Sam, who plays off a handicap of 22 and wants to be a golf professional, is an active member of Mill Green's Tiger Club. The club was set up five years ago to teach four to 16-year-olds how to play golf and now has around 100 pupils under the guidance of head professional Ian Parker.

Said Ian Parker: "It was a real thrill to have Ian Poulter at the club. He gave Sam some pointers which he used in our junior training session later in the day. The day was amazing for Sam and his family and a great honour for all of us at Mill Green Golf Club."

Sam was completely at ease during the filming and caused much laughter when bursting into giggles and shouting 'cut' to the director during one take.

At the end of an exhausting but thrilling day, Sam presented Poulter with his very own Tiger Club membership certificate and golf bag tag, complete with a good luck message on the back. Said Poulter: "Sam's a fantastic kid and I was delighted to be able to spend some time with him. He clearly loves his golf and it was great to be able to give him a few hints and tips. We had a lot of fun filming."

Mill Green boasts both a challenging 18-hole lay-out and a nine-hole course, a golf shop, excellent practice and tuition facilities and equipment hire in addition to a bar and restaurant and function rooms perfect forsocial events and conferences.

The club is part of the Crown Golf group, the UK's largest golf course owner/operator with 33 properties in its portfolio and more than 50 courses.

With pride in customer service and innovation, it aims to provide anoutstanding golf experience for its members and visitors, tailor-made tosuit the lifestyles and needs of a wide range of golfers.

Turnberry Hotel & Golf Resort to be
sold for £55 million

The owners of Turnberry have agreed to sell the famous south Ayrshire hotel and golf resort for £55m.
It is expected that Leisurecorp will complete the purchase from Starwood Hotels and Resorts later this year.
Under the terms of the deal, the hotel at Turnberry will be redeveloped before the resort hosts the Open Golf Championship in July 2009.
Turnberry has two 18-hole championship courses - the Ailsa course and the Kintyre course.
Leisurecorp and Starwood have signed a letter of intent for the sale which is expected to be completed by October 31, 2008.
It will see Starwood continue to operate the five-star resort, with a 30-year plus management contract.
Alan Rogers, group chief executive of Leisurecorp, said: "You only have to look out across Turnberry's Ailsa course towards the landmark lighthouse to know that the resort is one of the world's greatest golf destinations.
"We are looking forward to working with Starwood on finalising and announcing our future development plans for the resort over the coming months."

STONEHAVEN CORPORATE DAY

Stonehaven Golf Club are holding a Corporate Golf Day on Friday, May 30 to raise money for the upkeep of the outdoor swimming pool at Stonehaven. The format is for teams of four (men, women or mixed) with two scores counting per hole. Tee times are available from 9am to 3pm.

A view of Carnoustie Links' eighth green.

Carnoustie’s online booking service

clocks up its first £1m in green fees

The Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee celebrated a major milestone last month when its ground-breaking Online Tee Time Booking System clocked up its first £1 million in sales.
That milestone was reached almost four years to the day since Carnoustie became the first Open Championship venue to launch its own fully automated online tee time booking system and it comes at a time when its online bookings now account for nearly 20% of all visitor bookings.
“We launched our online booking service back in March, 2004, but, for the first year or so, the vast majority of visitors continued to book tee times using the traditional methods, said Colin McLeod, Golf Services Manager at the CGLMC.
“However, last year, online bookings shot up to almost £375,000 and all the signs are that over the next few years they will continue to rise at a significant rate.”
The CGLMC launched its online Tee Time Booking System in order to provide visitors with an easily-accessible, round-the-clock booking service.
“Currently, somewhere around 60% of our overseas visitors come from the USA and so are faced with a time difference of anywhere between 5-10 hours when they want to book a tee time,” said McLeod.
“Our online system enables us to be open 24 hours a day for all our customers. It simplifies the booking process, which has increased our green fee revenue and also benefited the local and national economies as well.”
The success of Carnoustie’s Online Tee Booking Systems has been one of the key factors in the CGLMC winning Golf Tourism Scotland’s prestigious Golf Secretariat Award twice in the last three years. There are also plans ahead for an upgrade of the whole website and visitors will soon be able to book a tee time in several different languages.
“Carnoustie identified an early opportunity to bring a competitive advantage to the Links and approached Business Gateway for assistance”, explains Business Gateway advisor, Lynn McCabe who initially gave technical and professional advice on the project.
The system can be accessed by logging onto http://www.carnoustiegolflinks.co.uk/ and following the simple instructions. Tee times on all three of Carnoustie’s 18-hole courses can be booked online. No booking fees or credit card fees apply.

LONDON GOLF SHOW HAILED AS A SUCCESS

Lee Westwood officially opened the fourth London Golf Show and hailed it a “great success”.
The 35-year-old admitted it’s the first golf show he has ever been to and was amazed at the scale of the event.
He spent the day touring the show, signing autographs, giving interviews and taking part in some of the show’s most popular features such as the floating green and the 100ft putt – where he even paid the £2 charity donation for SPARKS.
Speaking at the Your Place Abroad stand, Westwood paid tribute to the show, even though he admitted to not performing quite up to scratch on the golf challenges.
He said: “The show has been great. From a golfer’s point of view it is terrific because they get to see all the equipment under one roof and actually give it a try.
“I’ve enjoyed having a go at the 100ft putt and the floating green although my attempt on the putting green was abysmal.”
Westwood wasn’t the only famous face to praise the show. Ex-Arsenal and England defender Kenny Sansom was among the other celebrity visitors to eulogise about the event.
“I’ve looked round and I think it’s great - if you’re a golf lover there’s no better place to be,” he said.
“You can get free lessons here, they’ll tell you little things you can iron out. I was here last year and I got a lovely belt which has got a pitchmark repairer and ball marker on it.
“There’s lots here. If you’re a golfer then this is the place to come.”
Westwood attended the show as an ambassador of Your Place Abroad who had a very successful show.
Chris Davies, the company’s chief executive said: “We had a local businessman from London come down to the show and he’s putting deposits down on 12 properties in the Bahamas worth $2m each. That’s the only confirmed sales but we’ve also had about 1,000 entrants to our competition and just over 40 solid property enquiries so it’s been a very good show.
“We’ve already been speaking about going to Birmingham and hopefully we’ll be bringing some more celebrities there. The quality of visitors has been excellent for our industry and obviously the numbers have been fantastic.”
And Davies’ thoughts were echoed by other exhibitors.
Ben Davis, Cleveland’s marketing manager for the UK and northern Europe, said: “The London Golf Show team continues to put on first-class shows that deliver exactly what we need.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to showcase our product and get clubs in people’s hands. As always it’s been a great success and I’m looking forward to the next one.”
YourGolfTravel.com’s managing director, Andrew Harding, was emphatic in his praise for the show and believes it has become integral to the golf industry.
He said: “Because we’re an internet business we don’t get to meet our clients very often face to face and get a bit of interaction and feedback, so that’s been really invaluable to us as a business.
“As we don’t have a shop where people can walk in and meet us it gives us a unique experience really.
“There’s this show and the NEC show and that’s it - two opportunities a year we get to do it.
“We’ve had tons of interest and hundreds of leads that potentially will turn in to business.
“Sponsoring the 100ft putt has been brilliant. We’ll be speaking to the organisers trying to negotiate the 100ft putt sponsorship for the NEC in Birmingham. We’re definitely going to Birmingham, 100 per cent, in fact 110 per cent...
“There’s been some really good feedback from visitors this year as well. People have enjoyed it, there’s a lot of things to do; a lot of manufacturers which is important; and the London Golf Show has become part of the golfing calendar.
“Just like tour events the London Golf Show has got to be what people do every year. It’s important for the golf industry that that happens.”
Visitors to the show were also delighted with what was on offer.
Steve Tilley, 43, from Edgeware, North London, said: “It’s my first visit to the show and it’s been very good.
“I’ve had a look around most of the stands and enjoyed the interactive features which were really good.”
David Stapleton, 55, from Bishops Stortford, visited with his 10-year-old son Nick.
He said: “The demo areas were good. There are a lot of companies and you can try gear out. american golf is really big and there’s loads of gear in there.
“I’ve ended up buying a wedge and it’s been a good afternoon. I’ll definitely come next year.”
Betty Sworowski, 47, travelled down from Rotherham, south Yorkshire, for the show.
She said: “I came last year and this year has been very good too. We’ve had a go on the putting and tried out all the new drivers.”
Linda Masters, 49, from Sevenoaks, in Kent, visited with her son Simon, 11.
“It’s always worth coming here every year,” she said.
“The chance for my son to get his hands on some clubs is always brilliant here.
“The exhibitors are really keen to let the kids experiment and have a go with the clubs. We’ll definitely be back next year.”
Sue Ridenton, 42, from Croydon, explained: “It’s nice to enter the different competitions and just have a wander around.
“There have been plenty of opportunities to try out clubs which was good and my other half’s had a go on a lot of the different features.”
The Golf Show Group’s chairman, Colin Brunton, reflected happily upon the three-day event.
He said: “Once again I was able to look back with great satisfaction as we closed the doors on another successful London Golf Show.
“We are again indebted our loyal exhibitors and client base, without whom there would be no success story to report, in 2008 or any other year.
“I was delighted to hear so many people telling me what a great show they’d had and certainly we seem to have the formula right.”
“We’ll be back again next year, same time same place.”

Another First for 12 Fife courses

Teeing up at the home of golf has never been easier thanks to the launch of a new website dedicated to golf in Fife.
First in Fife, a group of 12 courses in the historic golfing region, has teamed up with the UK’s largest online tee-booking service, TeeGenius, to provide a one-stop shop for golfing in the region at http://www.firstinfifegolf.com/.
The website’s booking element launched on April 2 and sales of the Golfpasses have already increased; this follows a 70 per cent growth of sales last year.
A three-round pass is available for £59, with the five-round equivalent for just £92, and visitors can choose from any of the 12 member courses including Kinross and Aberdour.
The new facility allows golfers to buy their pass and see real-time availability for all of the courses so they can book tee-times that best fit their trip.
Ewen Watt, chairman of First in Fife, said: “The Golfpass has come a long way since we launched it in 2004, but we are still determined to offer a great Scottish welcome and great Scottish value to our growing number of first-time and repeat customers. “We know this is a very competitive market, and we are determined to keep ahead of the competition by installing our new online booking system for 2008.”
Jago Brown, managing director of TeeGenius, said: “First in Fife’s online booking system will show how technology can help golf clubs improve their operations, customer service and revenue, by allowing golfers to search for and book tee times at so many courses all at the touch of a button.
“Our unique capabilities for integrating with various software companies and business models have made us instrumental in such an innovative project.”
For more information visit http://www.firstinfifegolf.com/ or to find out more about TeeGenius go to http://www.teegenius.co.uk/.

World Golf Hall of Fame outstanding attraction

You'll feel you're in the clubhouse when
you listen to players like Palmer,
Nicklaus and Nancy Lopez

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME
The World Golf Hall of Fame has joined in partnership with the Sports Museum of America (SmA) as an exclusive Founding Sports Partner.
The relationship with the New York City-based, all-sports museum will include a display on the World Golf Hall of Fame and its legendary members. As the one-and-only Hall of Fame dedicated to golf, the World Golf Hall of Fame will be united with over 50 other single-sport Halls of Fame and museums represented in SmA, which will officially open on May 7, 2008.
“The World Golf Hall of Fame is extremely delighted about our partnership with the Sports Museum of America, a dedicated relationship that is now over two years old,” said Jack Peter, Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
“Our collaboration offers an exciting opportunity to extend the Hall of Fame’s message to an even broader audience, including the abundance of sports fans that visit New York each year.” As a Founding Sports Partner, the World Golf Hall of Fame is working closely with SmA to give guests a glimpse into the rich history being showcased in the story of golf in the United States.
The museum will include a dedicated Golf Gallery, which will be comprised of stories, video and artifacts from World Golf Hall of Fame members, among other professional golfers.
Visitors will be engaged by stories and signature memorabilia from some of the sport’s greatest American players and contributors in the Hall of Fame including Amy Alcott, Patty Berg, JoAnne Carner, Raymond Floyd, Bob Hope, Bobby Jones, Tom Kite, Nancy Lopez, Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Charlie Sifford, Annika Sorenstam, Curtis Strange, Louise Suggs, Karrie Webb, Kathy Whitworth, Babe Zaharias and more.
The World Golf Hall of Fame also will be recognised in SmA’s “Hall of Halls” gallery, which will promote the institution itself, the World Golf Hall of Fame members, and the annual Induction Ceremony. Joint promotional efforts will be undertaken by both partners, and SmA will make an annual donation to support the World Golf Hall of Fame.
“We’re grateful that our long-term partner, the World Golf Hall of Fame, has helped us bring some of the amazing stories of golf in the U.S. to life for our visitors," says Founder and CEO Philip Schwalb.
“You’ll feel like you are in the clubhouse while you listen to legends like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Nancy Lopez tell you about their mental approach to the game, and you’ll have fun with the high-tech interactives that engage you in ‘Strokes Of Genius.’ We may be used to whispering on the golf course, but we’ll be making a loud noise in New York City, and we hope to interest our millions of guests in visiting the World Golf Hall of Fame in St Augustine, Florida, where they can explore this wonderful sport even further and celebrate its history.”
Website: www.sportsmuseum.com

Trick shot master visits Aberdeen on Thursday

World famous Jeremy Dale at
Kings Links Centre

North-east golfers will get an up close and personal slice of the action when Kings Links Golf Centre, Aberdeen plays host to an exclusive masterclass with the UK’s leading trick shot exponent Jeremy Dale.
A genuine switch-hitter, Dale has been ranked as high as world number two. He can hit quality golf shots both left and right handed, displaying skills which have earned him a reputation for excellence in more than 20 countries worldwide.
Dale will be putting his talents to the test during a live demonstration at Kings Links from 6-7pm on Thursday (May 1st). The free event is open to the public.
Paul Girvan, director of golf at The Kings Links Golf Centre, said: “Jeremy is a master of extraordinary shots and one of the most talented players to ever grace the world’s golf courses. We are delighted to be able to bring someone as well respected as he is to Aberdeen and are in no doubt that he will put on a great show.”
The Kings Links Golf Centre, situated on Golf Road, Aberdeen (behind Pittodrie) is the largest independent golf retail centre in Scotland and boasts a 56 bay floodlit driving range on two tiers with carpeted bays and the finest quality mats and range balls.
The award-winning 3000 sq ft superstore, stocks everything for the beginner to the seasoned golfer. Kings Links is operated by Craig Group Leisure, a division of global shipping and energy services firm, Craig Group.

Press Release

Steve North of St Andrews Links Golf Academy
honoured as “Most Admired Operator”

Steve North, Director of Instruction at St Andrews Links Golf Academy has been included
in Golf Inc. Magazine’s annual list of the 20 “Most Admired Operators” chosen from
around the globe.
Industry leaders from world-class facilities including Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, and Mission Hills in China were also announced as winners.
Prior to heading up the facility at the Home of Golf, Steve spent four years as David
Leadbetter’s foremost instructor in Asia.
Steve took over the position in St Andrews in 2006 and has been responsible for developing an innovative coaching programme designed to help golfers of all abilities from beginners to leading amateurs and professionals.
The golf academy is recognised for the exceptional way in which it has addressed the challenges of a diverse clientele with a range of needs. Steve and his team of PGA Golf Management professionals serve a large community of local golfers as well as the thousands of visitors who come from around the world to experience golf in St Andrews.
As a testament to the success of the golf academy, it collaborates with a number of local golf
clubs, and a number of local and national squads have chosen to use the facility for their
training.
The R&A Bursars from the University of St Andrews, and members of the St Andrew Links Junior Golf Association are coached by Steve and staff instructors. The golf academy features four instruction studios equipped with some of the most advanced ball-tracking, digital analysis and ultra-sound putting scan technology available.
Specialised programmes such as “Prepare to Play the Links” are designed to help visitors maximise their enjoyment of playing links golf and their experience of playing The Old Course.
Golf students benefit from a unique web-based E-coaching facility, allowing them to revisit their lessons online where they can view their video swing analysis and listen to their instructor’s audio commentary. Besides delivering thousands of hours of private tuition and coaching, the instructors also handle major corporate events for global enterprises.
“The golf academy is committed to promoting the game in Scotland and welcoming visitors from all over the world,” said Steve. “We design innovative programmes and work with our clients to deliver coaching tailored to their individual requirements. I am pleased to receive the recognition and we will continue to offer the highest standard of coaching and service to our clients.”
John Grant, Golf Manager at St Andrews Links Trust, said: “Under the guidance of Steve North, St Andrews Links Golf Academy has become firmly established as one of the leading facilities of its kind in Europe. The combination of excellent coaching and cutting-edge technology has been a welcome addition to the services and facilities here at St Andrews Links."

Live it, Visit Sam’s Scotland

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
As one of VisitScotland’s official ‘Golf Ambassadors’, former Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance is proud to fly the flag for his country all over the world. Here, Sam reveals exactly why he thinks Scotland, its people and its golf courses are so special:

S if for Social Scene. It’s no secret that Scottish people are renowned for being very amicable. We’re always up for going for a pint or a dram in the 19th hole and always good for a chat. In fact, we’re always good for anything sociable, really. Why is that? Well, we’re easy going people with good natures. Golf clubs in Scotland are social scenes themselves.
You will always find someone sitting in a clubhouse chatting with friends, enjoying the stunning scenery outside or mulling over the game they’ve just had or are about to enjoy. The social scene is an important part of everything in life, whether it’s to do with work or sport and leisure, and Scotland certainly scores big time in that department.
C is for Character. The biggest reason why Scotland has so much character when it comes to golf is mainly down to one thing – links golf. It is just so different to parkland golf that is played by the majority of the people the world over. With seaside golf, you have to use your brain so much more and, personally, I just love that. So, too, does Tiger Woods. As he’s often said, he loves to think and plan his way around a links course.
Another aspect of the character these courses have is that they are just so natural. So much so, in fact, that you often look out of a clubhouse window and ask yourself, ‘is there actually a course here?’ Yes, there is and, what’s more, you’re going to enjoy playing it, too.
O is for The Open. To me, The Open is the biggest individual event in golf and, without question; it’s the event all British and European players really want to win. Like so many people, I just love the Open and that’s because it has everything, including great crowds and a wonderful atmosphere.
I personally love when The Open returns to St Andrews. Don’t get me wrong, I also love Troon, Turnberry, Carnoustie, Muirfield and all the other courses that are on the Open rota these days. However, there is nothing that can compete with the feeling you get when you are walking off the first tee or coming up the 18th on the Old Course at St Andrews. The atmosphere, the feeling . . . it is just out of this world.
Just think of Seve Ballesteros when he holed the putt to win there in 1984. Just think of Doug Sanders missing a short putt at the last in 1970 or Constantino Rocca holing out from down in the Valley of Sin in 1995. So many of the great moments in Open history have come at St Andrews and, you know what, I get goosebumps just thinking about them.
T is for Tee Times. On my travels over the years, I have often overheard people saying that it must be difficult to get a game on some of Scotland’s leading courses. I’m always quick to correct them because that’s simply not the case.

One of the great things about golf in Scotland, you see, is that there are hardly any courses at all where a visitor can’t get a game. Sure, you have to try and book well in advance at The Open venues, but you can get the chance to follow in the footsteps of the game’s greatest players and there aren’t many sports which can offer that huge thrill.
L is for Leading Links. The Old Course at St Andrews is definitely my No.1, without question. I also think the Balgownie Course at Royal Aberdeen is awesome. Then you’ve got Western Gailes down on the Ayrshire coast between Troon and Irvine. It’s not long at all but it’s a course that is a perfect example of how a short course can still provide a superb test of golf. And, you know something; the weather is another factor that makes playing these sorts of courses so enjoyable. Sure, it can be a bit blowy at times but that’s what makes the challenge of playing a links course such a thrill. When you are out on a golf course in Scotland, you can sometimes experience all four seasons – and, occasionally, that can even be the case in nine holes. It’s all part of the fun, though.
A is for Accessibility. I love the idea of the Golf Passes that are available to visitors when they come to Scotland. There is an openness about Scotland when it comes to golf and that’s exactly how it should be in my book. By using these passes, people can book week-long trips to Scotland and enjoy great value for money, both on and off the golf course.

In fact, I still can’t believe how cheap it can be to play, say, five rounds of golf on some of the top courses in Britain, if not the world. It’s just fantastic and, what’s more, these passes are available all over the country. The people I talk to who often go on these sort of week-long golfing breaks just have a ball.
N is for Next Generation. The future for Scottish golf is definitely bright, both in terms of new courses and also new talent. Colin Montgomerie’s course at Rowallan Castle in Ayrshire is due to open soon, as is the Castle Course at St Andrews, which just happens to sit right next to the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews.

David McLay Kidd is also designing what should be a cracking course at Machrihanish, while up in the north-east Jack Nicklaus and Paul Lawrie (not to mention Donald Trump!) are involved in separate course ventures.
While Monty, Sandy Lyle and I have done our bit to fly the Scottish flag on the world stage in the past, we can’t go on forever. It’s encouraging, therefore, that, in the likes of Marc Warren, Lloyd Saltman and Richie Ramsay, it looks as though we have stars in the waiting, too.
D is for Dream Day. My dream day in Scotland would actually incorporate the night before as well. I’d come home on a Friday night and meet up with my mates for a few pints. I’d then get up on the Saturday morning for a game of golf, probably down on the Ayrshire coast somewhere, Barassie, Troon or Western Gailes. I’d have a spot of lunch after coming in off the golf course before heading up to Celtic Park in time for an Old Firm game between Celtic and Rangers to kick-off.
After watching that, I head out for a meal and a few drinks, getting home in time just to see the last session of Stephen Hendry, one of Scotland’s favourite sporting sons, winning the Snooker World Championship. Now, that’s what I’d call a dream day. And, if Celtic won 3- 0, then it would be even more perfect.

===============================================================

Sam Torrance’s summing up of Scotland in one sentence:
It’s God’s Country . . . and awfly friendly!

Press Release

Ladybank pair qualify for Grand
Final in Egypt

MORE than 50 amateur golfers will battle it out next week (March 25 and 26) for a place in the Grand Final of one of Europe’s biggest amateur competitions.
A total of 52 players in 26 teams are still in with a chance of qualifying for the Grand Final of the Matchplay Championship being held at the luxurious five-star Marriott Taba Heights Resort in Egypt.
But first, they must overcome the Regional Finals being held at De Vere Carden Park on 25 March for qualifiers in the North and The Vale on 26 March for golfers in the South.
The Regional Finals will be played over an 18-hole combined Stableford competition with 12 teams – including men’s and mixed pairs - progressing to the Grand Final to join four mixed teams who have already qualified from the North.
A total of 32 golfers will then compete in the Grand Final over 54 holes of Taba Heights’ renowned championship course for the title of Matchplay Champions and Mixed Matchplay Champions from 19-26 April 2008.
The Matchplay Championship, which costs just £20 per person to enter, is one of Europe’s biggest amateur competitions with more than 800 teams from the UK & Ireland competing.
Teams will play a series of local matches before progressing to a Regional Final on one of the UK’s top courses to ultimately win a week-long all expenses paid trip to Egypt for the Grand Final.
The Marriot resort, nestled on the Sinai Peninsula on the Red Sea cost, is famed worldwide for its luxurious surroundings, championship golf course and stunning scenery.
John Woosey, managing director of The Golfer’s Club which promotes the Matchplay Championship, said: “The Matchplay Championship not only offers players a tremendously exciting and competitive tournament of golf but the chance to play in one of the most stunning golfing locations on the planet.
“Anyone who has reached the regional finals has done extremely well to get this far because more than 1600 golfers entered the tournament.
“It is amazing to think that, for just £20, they are getting to play at one of the UK’s most prestigious courses in the regional final and stand a chance of winning a luxury trip to Egypt.
“I wish all the competitors the best of luck and I know that the ones who end up joining us in the beautiful surroundings of Taba Heights in April will enjoy a golfing experience never to be forgotten.”
Four teams have already qualified for the Grand Final from the North region.
They are: Ryan Boal and Catherine Corry from Spa Golf Club in County Down; James and Margaret Hair from Ladybank Golf Club in Fife; Gary Cook and Kelly Morley from The Tytherington Golf Club in Cheshire and Lynda and Barry Golightly from Slaley Hall Golf & Country Club in County Durham.
They will be joined by another four mixed teams from the south and eight men’s teams from the North and South.
The Matchplay Championship is sponsored by American Golf, BUPA Travel Services and The Golfer’s Club.
Golfers are now able to enter next year’s event and details are available on www.matchplaychampionship.co.uk

About the Matchplay Championship:
*All rounds up until the regional finals are knockout stages using a better ball matchplay format at the home team’s course over 18 holes. The winning team qualifies for the next round.
*The regional final is played using a combined Stableford format over 18 holes
*The Grand Final is played over three days using an accumulative Stableford format.
*The first Matchplay Championship took place in 2003 and has grown in popularity ever since. *The first four Grand Finals took place in Jamaica and this year is the first time the event has been held in Egypt.

JACK NICKLAUS'S CLUB FITTER ONE OF
ATTRACTIONS AT LONDON GOLF SHOW

Float like a butterfly, swing like a bear…
It may not be what most sportsmen aspire to but visitors to the London Golf Show will be able to take advice from the same man as the Golden Bear himself.
Jack Nicklaus’ personal club-fitter, Rick Gomes, will be at show from April 25-27 in the American Golf test areas, advising golfers on the best product for them.
Gomes has worked for Nicklaus since 2000 and is the chief club fitter in Nicklaus Golf’s research and development division.
Hundreds of visitors to last year’s show benefited from his wisdom and he’s expected to be just as popular this year when he will be showcasing Nicklaus Golf’s new Dual Point driver technology and MTR Polarity iron – voted best iron of 2008 by Golf Illustrated magazine.
Paul Hendry, Nicklaus Golf Equipment’s European representative, said “This is once again a great opportunity for golfers of all abilities to test our products under the guidance of Rick. It’s not every day you get the chance to hit shots under the watchful eye of Jack Nicklaus’s own personal club fitter.”
The London Golf Show – Europe’s largest consumer golf show – returns to ExCeL from April 25-27, 2008, bringing with it the iconic floating green; Europe’s biggest golf retail area courtesy of American Golf; hundreds of exhibitors showcasing the best in equipment, fashion, golf holidays and much more.
There will be chipping and putting competitions and an indoor driving range on which to try out the new equipment before buying, in addition to dozens of interactive activities, many with great prizes up for grabs.
This year there will also be free flights to win in pre-show competitions with the event’s official airline partner Monarch.
Advanced tickets are two for £15 and all visitors get free entry to A Place in the Sun Live, taking place at ExCeL the same weekend. And, what’s more, under-13s go free when with an adult.
■ Call 0871 9454900 for tickets or visit www.londongolfshow.com for more details.
For more information on Nicklaus Golf visit www.nicklausgolf.co.uk.

Press Release

Kevin Hale (left) and Mike Kinloch, new recruits to the St Andrews Links Golf Academy coaching staff.

St Andrews Links Golf Academy

introduces two new coaches

St Andrews Links Golf Academy has strengthened its coaching team with the addition of two
new members of staff who have experience in some of the finest golfing destinations in the
world.

St Andrews-born Mike Kinloch returns to his home town from the Dubai Creek Golf &
Yacht Club, while Kevin Hale makes the journey north from Ryder Cup venue The Belfry.
"I am thrilled to welcome two such experienced and knowledgeable people to St Andrews,"
said director of instruction Steve North.

"I am committed to bringing the best possible coaching to the Home of Golf, and in Mike and Kevin I have two more excellent members of the team who can improve the performance of golfers at all levels of the game."
Mike started his coaching career at The Duke’s Course and joined the PGA of Great Britain
and Ireland in 1999 after being named Scottish Trainee Professional of the Year. He was
appointed golf professional at the Sahara Golf & Country Club in Kuwait, helping to establish
a golf academy and overseeing the creation of the first junior development programme in the
country. His responsibilities included coaching the Kuwait national team.
"It is great to be back in St Andrews,"said Mike. ‘The improvement to the facilities here over
the last decade has been amazing and I am looking forward to assisting in the future
development of the academy."
Kevin spent seven years at The Belfry, which is home to the PGA National Golf Academy.
While still a junior golfer, Kevin won the Staffordshire county championship and he later
turned professional. His coaching expertise has enabled international players to achieve
greater levels of performance, and helped to strengthen the competitiveness of county
squads. Kevin also has experience of running corporate clinics.
"With its combination of leading edge technology and traditional teaching skills, the academy is already one of the finest in Europe," said Kevin. "I am delighted to make a contribution to its continuing success."
St Andrews Links general manager Alan McGregor commented: "St Andrews Links Golf
Academy offers the public technology and teaching skills usually only available to touring
professionals. Mike and Kevin will enhance the service we provide and I wish them both a
long and happy career at the Home of Golf."

Great chance to enjoy a Spanish golfing holiday

SENIOR MEN'S
FESTIVAL AT
HACIENDA DEL
ALAMO IN
OCTOBER-
NOVEMBER

The Scottish Seniors Golfing Society's Senior Amateur Festival of Golf will be held over a week at the five-star Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort in Murcia, Spain in late October-early November (precise dates to be confirmed ASAP).
It's going to be first come first served and members of the SSGS are being given first bite at the cherry.
The programme will have two competitions - a doubles event over 36 holes for the Costa Calida Trophy on the Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by the singles event, the Hacienda del Alamo Seniors Open, over 54 holes on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
All the details are available on the society's website http://www.seniors-golf-in-scotland.org.uk/ from where entry forms can be downloaded.
To reserve your place, please E-mail the SSGS captain, Gordon MacDonald, at gordon@corriemar.demon.co.uk

GETTING THE BEST FROM

YOUR PLAYERS:

Golf Psychology Conference

By Dr Brian J Hemmings
BPS Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist
BASES Accredited Sport Psychologist
(Pictured right)

The English Golf Union, English Women’s Golf Association and the Professional Golfers’ Association are supporting this one day event to be held at Drayton Park Golf Club, Abingdon, Oxford on the 23rd April 2008.
Internationally renowned speakers from the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland include Professor Joan Duda and Professor Aidan Moran, as well as Peter Mattsson, the Director of Coaching at the EGU.
The conference has been approved by the PGA for 25 PDP points.
The conference will focus on:
*The role of psychology in developing young golfers.
*Increasing the quality and quantity of motivation in players.
*Improving concentration skills.
*Promoting positive change in golfers.
The conference is targeted at golf coaches and teaching professionals, county and club training officials and anyone who would like to know more about the psychology of golf.
The cost of the day is £139 and further details are available from enquiries@golfmind.co.uk or free phone 0800 5677063.
The conference is supporting the British Heart Foundation.

NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND GOLFERS FIRST
TO TEST NIKE'S NEW SUMO RANGE

North East golfers were the first in the country to test Nike’s new SUMO golf range on Saturday, February 16 at the Kings Links Golf Centre. One of only two outlets in Scotland in possession of the latest Nike golf range, the Kings Links ran a SUMO Saturday demonstration day which allowed new and existing customers the chance to try out the latest golf range from Nike.

North-east golfers were the first to demo the new drivers, fairway woods and irons from the long-awaited Nike SUMO 2008 range, including the SQ SUMO 5000 and the SQ SUMO² 5900, as used by Tiger Woods.

Talking about the event Paul Girvan, director of golf at Kings Links Golf Centre said: “SUMO Saturday was the perfect opportunity for golfers to take the time to test Nike’s highly anticipated SUMO range. We were delighted to be one of only two outlets in the country to offer the demo day and the turn out and response from customers was fantastic.

“Nike’s innovative ‘square’ line geometric design is now more visually distinctive and the SQ SUMO² features golf’s highest MOI (Moment of Intertia), the term applied to a club head's resistance to twisting when the ball is struck.

“Im sure those who had the chance to try out the new clubs will agree with me in saying that the result is the straightest, most accurate driver Nike has ever produced.”

The Kings Links Golf Centre, situated on Golf Road, Aberdeen (behind Pittodrie) is the largest independent golf retail centre in Scotland and boasts a 56 bay floodlit driving range on two tiers with carpeted bays and the finest quality mats and range balls. The award-winning 3000 sq ft superstore, stocks everything for the beginner to the seasoned golfer. Kings Links is operated by Craig Group Leisure, a division of the Craig Group.

Lundin Golf Club Website
NEWS FROM LUNDIN GOLF CLUB

Lundin Golf Club are pleased to announce they have been named Golf Clubhouse of the year in the March 2008 edition of 'Golf Monthly' magazine.

Clubhouse Of The Year
"Straight off the 18th and into the welcoming warmth of a luxury power shower. Ten minutes later and you're snuggled into a high-back leather chair, with a pint of finest in hand, a plate of freshly caught local lobster on the way and the small matter of views across the Firth of Forth spread out in front of you.
Welcome to Lundin Golf Club, Golf Monthly's Clubhouse of the Year.
"We are absolutely delighted, it's a real tribute to the club as a whole," says Secretary Alistair Macdonald.
"The club has been in existence since 1868 and the clubhouse has stood nearly as long so it was decided in 2004 that it deserved an upgrade!"
So not only is Lundin blessed with that ageless traditional feel of all great 19th holes but it also has facilities to boot.
"The outline of the building hasn't changed for a century or more but we've completely overhauled the members' locker-room, put in brand new ladies' and visitors' facilities and given the lounge and dining areas a bit of a sprucing," Macdonald reports.
It's proved to be a hugely successful move with you the readers, the GM team and the local members all being seduced by the serene mix of old and new at Lundin. The votes flooded in and this Scottish gem was a clear winner with all.
It helps that this Open Qualifying links is of such a high standard, making the post-round ale that much more enjoyable. Not only that but the chance to sit back and watch your fellow golfers hit into and then putt out at the 18th is a real privilege.
The final cherry is revelling in the glory of your sticky toffee pudding as you cast your eye over those hardy souls teeing off at the first.
"My office overlooks it all," laughs the very lucky secretary."

ST ANDREWS
LINKS
CLUBHOUSE
BEING
REFURBISHED

FROM THE ST ANDREWS LINKS NEWSLETTER
St Andrews Links clubhouse, the public facility which services the Old Course and the New and Jubilee courses, is set for a New Year refurbishment.
The clubhouse opened in June 1995 and has become a popular facility, used by many of the golfers playing the three championship courses, as well as by the public.
It houses a number of important facilities and services, including the restaurants, the locker rooms and the shop. There is also a busy reception and information desk and staff offices.
The refurbishment will see the facilities for golfers and visitors improved and a new reception area and shop facility created on the entry level.
Work on the clubhouse started on January 5 and is scheduled to continue for approximately seven weeks.
Whiled work on the clubhouse is being carried out , all the facilities except the golf shop will be available as usual. Entry to the lower floor is via the doorway on that level only.
A full range of officially endorsed St Andrews Links and Old Course merchandise is available from the shop behind the 18th green and from the Old Course Shop.

Press Release

CELTIC MANOR OPENS NEW TWENTY
TEN COURSE, CREATED TO HOST
A RYDER CUP TO REMEMBER

The Celtic Manor Resort has become even more of a must-play destination in world golf following the opening of its Twenty Ten course which will stage the Ryder Cup in 2010.
The spectacular new course – the third championship lay-out at the luxury, five-star golf and spa resort in South Wales – is the first in history to be designed and built specifically for the Ryder Cup.
As well as providing the ultimate match play test for Tiger Woods and the world’s best golfers, the Twenty Ten course will also offer a memorable challenge to all golfers who take the opportunity to play its exciting holes before and after the big event.
“They’ve done a really good job on the new holes,” said Ian Woosnam, the victorious Welsh captain at the 2006 Ryder Cup and an ambassador for Ryder Cup Wales 2010.
“They have been designed especially for The Ryder Cup and should provide plenty of drama which is exactly what you need.
“The closing stretch is fantastic. Just as matches will be heading towards their climax, you’ve got two great match play par-4s at the 14th and the 15th. Then the 18th is a really cracking par-5 to finish. You are going to be standing there, thinking shall I or shan’t I go for it?”
The course has also been constructed with spectators in mind and the huge hillsides lining the closing holes offer the best views ever seen of the decisive action at a Ryder Cup, as well as the chance to keep up with play on several of the earlier holes below.
More than £16 million has been invested in the course and a luxurious new clubhouse since Celtic Manor beat off rival bids from Scotland and England to win The Ryder Cup award in 2001.
The clubhouse features Rafters Restaurant, with its floor-to-ceiling cedar beams and modern European dining; a members lounge with leather chesterfields, high-backed chairs and a warming open hearth; and luxurious, oak-panelled locker rooms from where it will be possible to order a drink from the spike bar as you kick back and relax after your round.
The Twenty Ten Club has just been launched as one of the most prestigious golf clubs in the United Kingdom but overseas and other visiting golfers will still be able to play the world’s latest “trophy” course as a limited number of tee times have been reserved for their use, with special rates for hotel residents.
The course joins the existing Roman Road, home to The Celtic Manor Wales Open on The European Tour for the last three years, and another new championship layout at the Resort – The Montgomerie. Designed by the Ryder Cup legend, Colin Montgomerie, as his first design project in Great Britain, The Montgomerie features deep pot bunkers and other traditional touches which lend the course a links-like feel.
All three courses are very different in character and add up to one of the most complete golfing destinations in Europe. There are also a number of classic links courses in close proximity including Royal Porthcawl, Ashburnham and Pennard.
Set in 1400 acres of beautiful parkland, The Celtic Manor Experience is about so much more than merely golf, however. With two hotels – the five-star, 330-room Resort Hotel and the historic 19th century Manor House with 70 rooms – two exceptional spas, two state-of-the-art health clubs, shooting, fishing, tennis courts, mountain biking, walking trails and five outstanding restaurants, the Resort is the ideal place to unwind on a leisure break.
The nearest town is Caerleon, the old Roman fort of Isca with its impressive remains of amphitheatre, baths and barracks, and the medieval castles of the Welsh Marches are on the doorstep. The bustling cities of Cardiff and Bristol are also just half an hour’s drive away, offering plentiful activities to visitors enjoying extended stays at The Celtic Manor Resort, while London is within two hours by road and rail.

Press Release

North-east golf in spotlight at world's biggest golf show

Golf in Aberdeen City and Shire will be showcased to an international audience this week (17th-19th January inclusive) as representatives from Golf Aberdeen City and Shire head for Orlando, USA, to the 2008 PGA Merchandise Show – the biggest golf trade show in the world.
The group is attending the 55th annual event as part of an initiative led by industry within Aberdeen City and Shire. The event, ‘steeped in tradition and overflowing with innovation’, will see some of the biggest names in golf gathered under one roof, from TaylorMade Golf and Callaway Golf to Nike Golf and Adidas, as well as some 400 companies new to the show.
With over 1,200 leading exhibitors covering some ten square miles of floor space featuring interactive exhibits, demonstrations and special events, the PGA Merchandise show presents an ideal environment in which to promote golf tourism in Scotland and the North East.
Speaking ahead of the event, Dennis McFarlane, Business Relationship and Marketing Manager for VisitScotland Aberdeen and Grampian, said:
“Together with colleagues from Scottish Enterprise Grampian and Murcar Links Golf Course, I’ll be representing Golf Aberdeen City and Shire, an industry-led partnership involving VisitScotland and Scottish Enterprise Grampian. Our priority will be making contact with golf tour operators and developing relationships which will encourage them to include the North East of Scotland in their network of golfing destinations. It will be a key platform from which to gain insights into the latest golf tourism trends, and we’ll also be using the opportunity to promote the range of fantastic golf courses in this area.“
Lorna Duguid, competitive business manager at Scottish Enterprise Grampian, said: "We are working to diversify the economy in Aberdeen City and Shire to help make sure our region continues to prosper well into the future. Golf tourism is worth around £15million to the north-east economy every year and for every £1 spent on green fees, a further £5 is spent elsewhere on other goods and services. We believe the sector has huge potential to expand in future, helped by new routes planned for Aberdeen Airport and an increase in luxury accommodation on offer to visitors.''

PINEHURST COUNTRY CLUB'S OUTSTANDING
CLAIM TO BE "THE MOSTEST"

Message from Bob Campbell, Pinehurst & Tulliallan.

While I am sure that Palm-Aire Country Club, Florida (scroll down to see article on this website at the weekend), has much to offer, I am more than confident that the approximately 4,000 members of Pinehurst Country Club will ready to state that they belong to the golf/country club with "the mostest."
With temperatures this week in the 70s ( admittedly somewhat higher than normal for this time of the year ) they have available :
*EIGHT outstanding golf courses , of which at least five, led, of course, by the famed No. 2, are of championship standard.
*FOUR full service clubhouses, each with a fully stocked pro-shop.
*FOUR driving ranges.
*ONE nationally-ranked golf academy.
*TWENTY-FOUR tennis courts.
*THREE lawn croquet/lawn bowl courts.
*ONE 200 acre lake with marina.

I rest my case but would mention that an opinion on all this could be obtained from Callum Macaulay, the 2007 Scottish Golfer of the Year, who visited twice before graduating from the University of Mississippi.

Note from Editor Colin Farquharson.
Bob, I take my hat off to Pinehurst. That's a formidable array of facilities, I have to admit.

NEW RENAISSANCE COURSE AT ARCHERFIELD

TO HOST TARTAN TOUR EVENT THIS YEAR

FROM SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
The Renaissance course, designed by Tom Doak, the American architect, and built in East Lothian at a cost in excess of £20 million, will host a professional event on the Tartan Tour for the first time in October.
Due to open officially in April, the seaside venue at Archerfield will offer a prestigious setting for the finale of a new linksland series of competitions for young professionals backed by a leading figure from the world of golf who prefers to remain anonymous.
The other courses involved in the series are Kingsbarns, Dunbar and Prestwick.
Although it's expected the Renaissance will emerge as a potential European Tour venue once the course matures over the next three to five years – chief executive George O' Grady was among interested visitors last summer – the club is also keen to play a part in developing the sport in Scotland.
Stewart Smith, the director of golf at the club which lies adjacent to Muirfield on the Archerfield estate, said: "We want to be part of the community and involved at the grassroots in Scotland. This is a way for us to showcase the course and give young professionals an opportunity to play on a top quality venue and perhaps help them to develop their careers.
"In the longer run, we would hope to see ourselves as the kind of place which would attract one of the top tournaments. Exactly which professional Tour that would be on remains to be seen, but the course will have to mature first."
Already enjoying the kind of favourable reviews which helped establish Kingsbarns, near St Andrews, as one of the best new courses in Scotland, the Renaissance, which borders the Forth and stands on a parcel of attractive land between the Honourable Company and Archerfield – you can spy the fifth green at Muirfield from the tenth tee at the Renaissance – is the brainchild of American businessman Jerry Sarvadi.
A native of Ponte Vedra in Florida and a past club champion at Sawgrass, home of the Players Championship, Jerry and his brother Paul enlisted American golf architect Tom Doak to design a links style lay-out which would draw members from around the world.
Although prospective members must pay a bond of £50,000 to join, so far the majority of golfers signing up are Scots.
Having once spent nearly a year in Scotland playing the great links and devoting particular attention to the intricacies of the Old Course, where he worked as a caddie, Doak has earned a reputation in the world of golf course design as a radical traditionalist.
Certainly, the back nine at the Renaissance more closely echoes the nuances of its subtle neighbours in East Lothian than might have been expected from a project financed and conceived on the other side of the Atlantic.
A huge admirer of both Muirfield and North Berwick, Doak's enthusiasm for the latter is acknowledged by the stone walls which cross a couple of holes at the Renaissance. Although located 200 yards or so from the actual linksland – the front nine is tree lined – Doak sees the course as possessing many of the same virtues and characteristics as a links.
As land of historic interest, the 300 acres of the Renaissance club will add another piece of the golfing jigsaw in East Lothian to the treasure trove which starts with Luffness and Gullane, moves onto Muirfield, crosses over to Archerfield and ends up in North Berwick.
Gordon Dewar, secretary of the Scottish region of the PGA, was understandably delighted yesterday to welcome the Renaissance onto the Tartan Tour schedule and believes the opportunity for young pros to test their skills on some of the country's finest links is a significant step forward.

*SCROLL DOWN TO READ ANOTHER FEATURE ABOUT THE RENAISSANCE AT ARCHERFIELD COURSE.

Palm-Aire Country Club: Can any other venue match what it has to offer?

Palm-Aire Country Club
3701 Oaks Clubhouse Drive
Pompano Beach
Nr Fort Lauderdale
South Florida

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Is this the address of the golf/country club with "the mostest," not only in the United States but the whole wide world of golf?
St Andrews Links Trust officials could claim they soon will have SEVEN courses on stream and St Andrews does have a lot to offer in many ways.
But the Kingdom of Fife just does not compare with Florida for all-round weather (give or take a hurricane or two!)
They've been playing in shorts and short-sleeved shirts at the Dixie men's and women's amateur championships which end at Palm-Aire Country Club this weekend.

Here's the "blurb" from the tournament website:

The magnificent Palm-Aire Country Club is the No 1 golf destination in South Florida. It has:
*FIVE outstanding golf courses.
*TWO full-service clubhouses.
*TWO driving ranges.
*TWO great golf schools.
*TWO fully-stocked pro shops.
*325 daily tee times.
*THIRTY+ tennis courts.
*TWO terrific restaurants.
*TWO lounges, and banquet/meeting facilities.

Palm-Aire has everything that you could want or need… all at one convenient location! says the Dixie Amateur website.

If any Scottishgolfview.com reader has actually visited Palm-Aire Country Club, they might like to e-mail me at colin@scottishgolfview.com to tell us if it really is a golfing paradise.
Maybe there is a downside we should hear about.
Perhaps Wallace Booth will be able to tell us when he returns to Scotland. He is playing in the Dixie men's amateur championship. See his scores by switching over to http://www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk/

DONALD STIRLING PUTS ROYAL ABERDEEN
AMONG HIS THREE FAVOURITE COURSES

Writing in the current issue of the PGA E-mail Bulletin, Austrian-based professional Donald Stirling (Wien-Sussenbrunn GC) picks Royal Aberdeen as one of his three favourite courses. The others are both in England - Moortown, Leeds and Royal Birkdale, Lancashire.
Donald writes:

1 – Moortown, Leeds. I was an assistant there. It was par 69 but standard scratch 72 – that’s how good it was. NickFaldo won there with four 68s (four under par). Even with the changes today it’s one of the top courses in the North of England.
2 – Royal Birkdale. I saw Lee Trevino win the Open there in 1971 and it was the original links with sandy dunes and, in those days, very hard fairways.
3 – Royal Aberdeen. They’ve made a couple of changes but it’s got the outward nine fighting against the wind and downwind for the second nine. A great test.

** Catch an eagle-eyed view of the UK’s best courses withGoogle Earth and find your pro on http://www.pga.info/

What about telling http://www.scottishgolfview.com/ your three favourite Scottish courses with a couple of sentences to each, summing up why you rate it so highly? E-mail your view to colin@scottishgolfview.com

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO

HERE WE COME,

FOR LAWRIE, MARR

AND McLEAN

... but it's for a

week's "work!"

Open champion of 1999 Paul Lawrie, his coach Neil Marr, pictured right, from Meldrum House Golf Club and Scotland youth international Philip McLean (Peterhead Golf Club) are heading for the warmer weather of southern Spain next week.
But if Paul and young Philip are thinking of a relaxing time in the winter sunshine on Murcia's Costa Calida, the coach has other things mind for them.
"We are going out to do a week's WORK at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort on their two games in some decent weather hopefully!" said Neil who has been making slight changes to Paul Lawrie's swing over the past few months.
Hacienda del Alamo's five-star golf resort is situated close to the town of Fuenta Alamo and not all that far away from Murcia Airport.
Apart from a testing 18-hole championship course - 7,300yd off the back tees and long enough to stage a European Tour event - designed by Dave Thomas, it has practice facilities second to none in Spain:

*A 36-bay, two-tier driving range.

*A huge practice putting green.

*A big pitching and chipping practice green.

*A dedicated bunker practice facility.

*A six-hole Academy course of par-3s and par-4s.

A palatial clubhouse of modern design was opened only a week or two ago at the resort which is only a handful of years old. It is represented on the European Tour by Ryder Cup player Miguel Angel Jimenez who is also likely to be paying a visit to the resort next week.
Hacienda del Alamo's director of golf Billy Sim hails from the North-east. He is looking forward to welcoming Paul, Neil and Philip and making them feel at home.
Sim and retired Press & Journal Sports Editor Colin Farquharson are combining their talents to organise the inaugural Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Golf Festival at the five-star resort from February 10 to 23.
"It's open to lady professionals, women and girls and combines the opportunity to practise hard and also indulge in some low-key competition - all within the resort - to put an edge on their games for the 2008 season.

"There will be six competitions over the two weeks and the programme should prove attractive to female golfers, particularly in the northern countries of Europe, such as Scotland, where the February weather is sometimes too bad to play golf of any description," said Billy.
+LOG ON TO OUR SISTER WEBSITE, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk, for the latest news about the Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Golf Festival.

Ballyliffin to host the 2008 Irish Seniors Open

The Irish Seniors Open will be played over one of Ireland’s finest links courses with the announcement that the 2008 edition is to be hosted by Ballyliffin Golf Club in the North West of Ireland, from June 20-22.
It will be the first time the Irish Seniors Open has been played over a links course in its 12 year history.
The Irish Seniors Open will continue to receive support from Failte Ireland as part of their continued commitment to the European Tour Group and AIB as Associate Sponsors.
Ballyliffin Golf Club, perched on the stunning Inishowen Peninsula, is one of the world’s finest links resorts with two outstanding courses.
The Old Links, which has recently been refined by Faldo Design, the design company of The 2008 Ryder Cup Captain Nick Faldo who joined the senior ranks in July 2007, undulates in the glory of its natural terrain.
The new Glashedy Links is fashioned around the incredible dunes, and is notorious for its peat riveted bunkers and its three challenging opening par-4s. These magnificent links offer expansive panoramic views of countryside, coastline and ocean.

Why not have a mid-February golfing holiday?

ALL SILVER DIVISION PLAYERS CAN
NOW ENTER HACIENDA DEL ALAMO
WINTER FESTIVAL IN SPAIN

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Tournament Controller

Good news for all those Silver Division players who want to enter the Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Golf Festival at the five-star resort in Murcia from February 10 to 23.
We have decided to raise the maximum handicap figure from nine to 20 so that more ladies can go to southern Spain and enjoy the Festival atmosphere.
Hopefully, this will encourage groups within clubs or counties to get together and make it a mid-winter golf holiday.
The villa accommodation at Hacienda del Alamo becomes much cheaper if more than three or four persons are sharing the cost.
Remember also, budget flights to Murcia in mid-February are fast filling up - and the prices are rising.
Click on HDA WOMEN'S FESTIVAL in the left hand column of your screen to get the full details.
Entries should be E-mailed to the Tournament Controller, Colin Farquharson, at colin@scottishgolfview.com without delay.
Tell your friends: There is now a Silver Lining to the Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Golf Festival.
+++Competitors can take along their husbands, partners or boyfriends to act as caddies or just to laze around in the sun while they play in the six tournaments over the two weeks.

Askernish on South Uist: A long-lost gem
fashioned by Old Tom Morris

By ROBERT PHILIP
FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
Come with me, if you will, to paradise: to South Uist in the Outer Hebrides, with its 20 miles of white shell beach washed by the sometimes aquamarine, sometimes inky black waters of the Atlantic to the west and the ruggedly stunning peaks of Beinn Mhor and Hecla to the east.
Site of the only prehistoric mummies ever found in Britain and birthplace of Bonnie Prince Charlie's rescuer, Flora MacDonald, the island is also home to golden eagles and hen harriers, redshank and dunlin, lapwing and ringed plover, greylag geese and corncrakes, otters and seals, porpoises and basking sharks, plus over 200 species of flowering plant.
Binoculars, therefore, are a must, as are your golf clubs because Askernish GC – one of the lost wonders of the sporting world – has not only been found but is gradually being restored to its former glory.
A word of caution, however: should you be of the belief that golf courses come naturally equipped with manicured Augusta fairways and flawless Pebble Beach greens, then perhaps you should make alternative arrangements.
Askernish, by stark contrast, represents golf in the raw, as originally laid out by Old Tom Morris in 1891 when he described the terrain as being ''second to none in the various elements that go together to make a very good golf course".
According to Thames Valley resident and club life member Malcolm Peake, "The experience of playing Askernish is the nearest thing you will ever experience to what our golfing forefathers played in the early days when Old Tom Morris came up with the innovation of reducing St Andrews from 22 to 18 holes.
"It will be enjoyed by the golfer who appreciates the original form of golf, played as much along the ground as in the air, and by those who enjoy a challenge and accept that golf was never meant to be fair."
One such golfer is Kenny Dalglish who, in accepting the position of Honorary Life President, offered the prediction that "Askernish Golf Club will become a jewel in world golf."
Due to reopen officially next August, Askernish had been a hidden gem for seven decades, ever since the course was taken over by the RAF as an airfield, the sixth fairway being converted into the runway.
When the boys in blue subsequently moved to Benbecula, the abandoned Askernish became an unloved, neglected and largely forgotten nine-hole grazing pasture for sheep and cattle until golf course consultant Gordon Irvine heard tales of a buried treasure off the north-west coast of Scotland.
"It was," he says, "like finding the Holy Grail. I simply didn't believe it could be an Old Tom Morris course."
Little has changed since Old Tom, whose many masterpieces include Muirfield and Royal Dornoch, arrived on South Uist 116 years ago at the invitation of Lady Cathcart, having travelled from the mainland by donkey cart, train and steamer.
The golfing peeress did not require a clubhouse and so today's visitors must make the short stroll to the Borrodale Hotel. For the trifling sum of £10 (paid into an honesty box), 21st century golfers will be able to return to a 19th century world, a golf course fashioned by Old Tom, designed by God and lovingly transformed by enthusiastic volunteers.
Take the seventh hole, where the view from the tee is a panorama of unspoilt desert island sands and the ocean in its many moods beyond. Or the 191yd, par-311th, looking across the Sound of Barra to the most western outpost in the land.
"It plays much longer as it is generally into the teeth of a strong and gusty wind. The carry requires a tee shot of 180 yards across a deep gully to what looks like a tiny sliver of green. Club selection is the main problem here because it looks as though you are playing directly into the sea, whereas there is a sizeable landing area on the other side of the gully.
"I can just imagine Old Tom chuckling as generations of golfers reach for a seven-iron, say, only to put it back in the bag when the wind gets up and go for a five-iron instead."
There is more, so much more, like the par-5 12th, a 582yd monster offering double fairways. Take the high-risk left route and the green is reachable in two, but even low handicappers are far more likely to walk away having escaped with a double-bogey 7 than a birdie 4.
Old Tom's Pulpit is the name of the 16th and, as Peake, points out: "It does not take an almighty leap of the imagination to see Old Tom preaching to a congregation of avid golfers from his spectacular pulpit green.
''The sense of history when you play Askernish is overwhelming. To me it's the golfing equivalent of drinking the elixir of life. For, as you wander the magnificent dunes, Old Tom is undoubtedly at your shoulder. You can feel him there, watching every shot, sighing, smiling and shaking his head in amusement as you fight your way around this awakening giant."
www.telegraph.co.uk/philip

Your weekly dose of GolfBUZZ ... Issue 33
Brought to you by Golfhub Ireland

Has the European Tour sold its
soul to the Race to Dubai?

Asks JO MAES
It's the end of the world as we know it.
Has the European Tour sold its soul by this week's announcement of 'the Race to Dubai'? I believe this marks the start of the decline of the European Tour as we know it.
There's nothing European about Dubai, there's nothing European about giving 2,000,000 DOLLARS (where's the Euro gone) to the winner, there's nothing European about this event. You have to be a member of the European Tour to be taken on 'the Road to Dubai' which means paying the fee (pittance compared to the money to be made) and competing in the obligatory 11 events.
Tiger could play if he took up membership. The 11 events consist of the 4 majors (Tiger will play in them), the 3 World Championships (Tiger will play in those) which leaves him another 4 to compete in.
The Dubai Desert Classic (he's played in that), he could play in Germany (tick), maybe Loch Lomond (would be a first) and you never know, if Failte Ireland pulls out all the stops he might even show up at Adare Manor.
This year we saw Justin Rose win the season-ending Volvo Masters and snatch the Order of Merit from Harrington and Co. Justin Rose is a full member of the US tour and only plays a couple of tournaments in Europe.
I doubt that 'the Road to Dubai' will change these guys' minds given the fact that you can only play a handful of events and still win.
My fear is that the 'minors' on the European Schedule like the French Open, Dutch Open, Scottish Open etc. will all lose the big names as they will still continue to compete on the US tour. This will eventually result in the loss of sponsorships and ... the loss of tournaments.
Also, Volvo has sponsored the Volvo Masters and other events for many years, which probably generated a lot of PR and marketing for them, but after having sponsored 10 years of season ending finale, they won't be interested to be reduced to a regular tour stop.
Will they continue to support the tour? They might take up the European Open and bring it to Sweden!
There are still a lot of familiar names and tournaments on the 2008 schedule. Will this still be the case in five years?
Reactions to yours truly at jmaes@golfhub.ie
GolfBUZZ Issue 33 has arrived ... Enjoy.

Mr. Buzzy beats his friend ...
Mr. Buzzy was on the phone to his friend when he burst out in tears."I can't believe it," he sobbed. "The missus left me for my regualr golfing partner."
"Get a hold of yourself, man," said Mr. Buzzy's friend. "Don't worry, there are plenty of other women out there."
"Never mind her." said Mr. Buzzy. "It's far worse than that. He was the only guy that I could ever beat!"

TRUTH of the week by Tom Watson:
"There is no surer or more painful way to learn a rule than to be penalised once for breaking it!"

Yours sincerely,
Jo Maes
Golfhub Ireland
jmaes@golfhub.ie
Tel. +353.40.23.00.00

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PRESS RELEASE

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO'S SPECTACULAR NEW CLUBHOUSE NOW OPEN

The spectacular new clubhouse is now open at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort, hailed as “Spain´s New Number One”.
This unique construction overlooks the golf course and also has stunning views all the way to the Mar Menor and to the mountains of Murcia. It is one of the most important buildings in the development of the resort and has already won a great deal of praise for its beautiful looks and remarkable setting.
Several years in the planning and two years in the building, its 2,000 square metres state of the art design features dramatic use of light and space.
As well as being an operational golf clubhouse, restaurant, bar and shop, it is also an breathtakingly daring architectural marvel.
There is a large entrance reception area which is permanently manned. The office of the Director of Golf Billy Sim is behind this. The main entrance leads to the large Golf Shop where there is a golf check-in desk as well as the sales point for golf equipment and clothing.
Close to here there is also a TV lounge with Internet connection, a cards and games room and the billiards room. The Spikes Bar and the restaurant are the main focus of this floor and they can be separated by a dividing wall or connected together to seat 250 people.
The two spacious terraces have spectacular views over the course. One floor above, a second “top” terrace allows views as far as the Mar Menor.
The restaurant will have what is described as “Show Cooking” so diners can watch the preparation of their food. It is also planned to have a running buffet during the daytime with normal snacks/ tapas available from the Spikes Bar.
The kitchen area in this respect also has all the latest modern equipment you would expect for us to provide a first class food and beverage service to all.
The top level VIP lounge is restricted to Property Owners with Golf Shares and their guests and can also be used for private functions if requested. This area is also decorated to a high standard with original working fire place, large screen TV and library.
Back down on the entrance level, the locker rooms, toilets and shower areas are finished to a high standard with a sauna room in both male and female areas. There’s also a treatment area for massage and physiotherapy.
The lower floor is where all the golf operation offices are situated including golf supervisors office, accounts, caddie masters / course marshals, club storage, buggy parking for owners, rental buggies and trollies.
“This is a really beautiful design that really blends with the local environment and it is easy to see why the club house has won praise for its architecture even before it was finished” commented Director of Golf Billy Sim.
“Now we invite you all to come and see for yourself just how special it is.”
Situated in the beautiful Murcia countryside and close to stunning beaches, Hacienda del Alamo already boasts one championship golf course, a golf academy including a driving range and six-hole practice course, and others are planned.
The resort of 3,500 homes is built around the 7,400 yard championship golf course, designed by the renowned course designer Dave Thomas, whose portfolio includes the Brabazon at the De Vere Belfry and also La Manga.
There are those, like the Voice of Golf Peter Alliss himself and PGA Tour Pro Miguel Angel Jiménez who believe the golf course is one of the best in Europe. It is built on 92 hectares which is almost twice as large as the average golf course.
Chris Mann
Director of Communications
chris@hdagolf.com

Press Release

NEW EXHIBITS AT WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME
TO MARK 2007 CLASS OF INDUCTEES

The World Golf Hall of Fame will unveil six new exhibits on Tuesday, November 13, recognising its 2007 Class of Inductees: Joe Carr, Hubert Green, Charles Blair Macdonald, Kel Nagle, Se Ri Pak and Curtis Strange.
The exhibits will open to the public the day after the individuals are inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame at its annual Induction Ceremony at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida.
Each exhibit will feature pieces of personal memorabilia that represent the inductees’ historical influence on the sport, significant moments in their lives on the course as well as their personal interests.
From the first copy of Macdonald’s “Scotland’s Gift: Golf” off the press in 1928 to major championship trophies and medals representing professional and amateur victories around the world, the exhibits will offer hundreds of items on the 2007 Class.
“The impact of this year’s class spans decades and miles across the world,” said Jack Peter, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Hall of Fame. “The Hall of Fame is delighted to begin sharing the stories of Carr, Green, Macdonald, Nagle, Pak and Strange with fans of this great game. We are grateful for the time the Inductees, their families and friends spent gathering the materials for their exhibitions and we believe the guests will be fascinated by what they see.”
The family of Carr and friends from Sutton Golf Club in Dublin have provided several of Carr’s Irish amateur trophies, his Walter Hagen award and his favorite putter. Also included will be several items representing Carr’s R&A Captaincy in 1991-1992, including the gold sovereign the Carr family bought back from the caddie after his official “Drive In.”
Other items in the exhibition will be his Walker Cup blazer and such personal effects as his trademark white hat with green bobble and photographs of him with Irish and international dignitaries.
Green’s exhibit will include his 1977 U.S. Open trophy and the irons and putter he used to win the 1985 PGA Championship. A wide variety of other tournament trophies, medals and clubs will be on display representing his additional 17 US PGA TOUR and four Champions Tour victories, as well as several items of clothing and equipment from his three Ryder Cup appearances.
Showcasing the distinctions Green has received over the years, including two Champions Tour Comeback Player of the Year awards, the exhibit also displays such personal items as his first pair of baby shoes and the first trophy he won for golf at the age of eight.
All six of Nagle’s Australian PGA Championship trophies will be on display in his exhibit, as will his 1964 Canadian Open trophy and several medals he won on his way to 61 worldwide victories.
Five army medals will be featured, representing his service to Australia, and the Order of Australia medal he received in 1982. Nagle’s exhibit also will feature an extensive array of personal photos retrieved from his scrapbook, including those depicting his lifelong passion for horse racing.
On loan from the National Golf Links of America will be the medal Macdonald won in 1895 at the inaugural U.S. Amateur Championship, as well as a third- and two fourth-place medals he won at the same tournament in subsequent years.
Also on display will be the first copy of Macdonald’s book, “Scotland’s Gift: Golf,” an edition he personally owned and autographed. And finally, early documentation noting the formation of the United States Golf Association is included, dated Dec. 22, 1894.
Pak’s exhibit will include items representing her home country, South Korea, including a trophy she won while playing a KLPGA tournament in 1995. Representing her enormously successful run on the LPGA Tour since turning pro in 1998 will be two of her five major championship trophies: the 2006 McDonald’s LPGA Championship and 2001 Weetabix Women’s British Open.
The 2004 Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill trophy also will be on display, which marks the tournament that earned her enough points to qualify for Hall of Fame Induction.
The head of a Bullseye Putter Strange used through most of his amateur career will be put on view, representing an item the nostalgic Strange couldn’t part with after years of wear and tear. Numerous items from his impressive amateur career will be on display, including his 1976 North and South Championship trophy and the Low Amateur Masters Tournament gold medallion he won the same year.
The irons and ball Strange used to win the 1988 U.S. Open will be featured, as will many trophies, medals and awards he won throughout his US PGA Tour career that included five Ryder Cup appearances and one turn as U.S. Captain.
Awards presented in the exhibit will include his three Arnold Palmer US PGA Tour Leading Money Winner awards. In addition to the exhibits representing the 2007 Class of Inductees on display in Shell Hall, items will be placed in the new class’ lockers in the Hall of Fame’s Member Locker Room Exhibit.
For more information about the World Golf Hall of Fame, call 904-940-4123 or visit www.wgv.com.

OLD COURSE HOTEL, ST ANDREWS NAMED
SCOTLAND'S GOLF RESORT OF 2007

The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa at St Andrews has received yet another accolade for excellence and named Golf Resort of the Year 2007 by Golf Tourism Scotland.
The latest honour comes only a month after the World Travel Awards, regarded as the “Oscars” of the travel industry, voted the St Andrews complex Scotland’s Leading Golf Resort as well as Scotland’s Leading Spa Resort for the second year running.
More than 110,000 travel agencies from 200 countries voted the Old Course Hotel. Golf Resort and Spa their unanimous choice for the World Travel Awards against formidable opposition from other established Scottish resorts.
And now this massive popularity has been underlined by the Golf Tourism Scotland award by a panel of experts that included 70 tour operators as well as representatives from other resorts, hotels and golf course operations.
Such honours confirm the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa as one of the world’s leading destinations and add to a growing list of tributes. that already
Special mention in the Golf Tourism Scotland Awards was made of the transformation and improvements to The Duke’s course that is the designated venue for the Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship in May 2008.
The guiding principle has been to highlight the unique nature of The Duke’s as the only heathland course in St Andrews and to emphasise that fact, more work is being carried out on five greens in preparation for the 2008 championship.
The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, St Andrews, Kingdom of Fife, Scotland
To book telephone 01334 474371 or visit www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk

Steve Price, captain of Murcar Links Golf Club, receives the award from Gary Wilkinson, chairman of Golf Tourism Scotland.

MURCAR LINKS NAMED GOLF COURSE OF THE YEAR BY GOLF TOURISM SCOTLAND

Murcar Links has been voted Golf Course of the Year in Golf Tourism Scotland’s annual awards. Now in their third year, the awards seek to highlight the best performers in Scottish golf tourism and are recognised as the key event in Scotland’s golf calendar.
This year’s event was held in the illustrious setting of the Fairmont St Andrews, and awards were presented to the best hotels, golf courses, golf secretariats, caddie masters, transport providers and Young Industry Persons. 250 people from golf related businesses across Scotland attended.
Murcar Links topped what is recognised as the premier accolade of the awards, beating off stiff competition from last year’s winner, Kingsbarns, as well as the three Open Championship venues of Carnoustie, Muirfield and the Andrews Old Course.
Steve Price, Club Captain at Murcar Links, collected the award from Gary Wilkinson, Chairman of GTS. Steve said later:
“This is absolutely fantastic news - not only for Murcar Links but for golf in the North-east of Scotland. The team here at Murcar Links pride themselves on maintaining the highest of standards for visitors and the course and facilities available have created the ultimate experience that I hope courses across Scotland can look to achieve.”
Dennis McFarlane, Business Relationship & Marketing Manager for VisitScotland Aberdeen & Grampian said, “I am delighted that Steve, Derek and the team at Murcar Links have been recognised in this way. They have been fundamental in driving change in golf across Aberdeen & Grampian at a time when the nation’s eyes wait to see if Donald Trump’s dream is realised. Murcar Links is setting the standard for golf in Scotland."

R&A PRESS RELEASE

ADVANCE TICKETS GO ON SALE FOR 2008
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP AT ROYAL BIRKDALE

The R&A has announced ticket prices for next year’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, where Padraig Harrington will be the defending champion. Tickets will go on sale online at www.opengolf.com from today.
“We are offering a large saving on season tickets purchased before the end of January 2008. The cost at £180, represents a 40% discount when compared to daily admission charges for the four practice days and the four days of competition,” said David Hill, Director of Championships at The R&A.
A daily ticket, on the four Championship days (17-20 July 2008), costs £55. Under-16s will continue to be admitted free of charge and concessions are available.
Ticket enquiries should be directed through www.opengolf.com or +44 (0) 1334 460010.

BEST WAY FOR SCOTS TO GET TO
HACIENDA DEL ALAMO, EASY JET
FROM GLASGOW OPTION

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Scottish lady golfers - not to mention their husbands, partners or boyfriends - who want to attend the inaugural Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Golf Festival (six competitions between February 10 and 23) - need not necessarily travel from Prestwick and the Ryanair schedule.
Remember, we discovered there is no Ryanair flight from Prestwick to Murcia on Saturday, February 9, which is the day you want to arrive if you want to take full advance of a free practice round over the Hacienda del Alamo course on Sunday, February 10.
I suggested that the option was to fly Ryanair from Prestwick to Murcia on Friday, February 8.
Now "Willie from Aberdeen" has come up with another option, namely fly Easy Jet from Glasgow to Alicante on a Saturday. Here is his helpful note:

"I went on travelsupermarket.com last night, entered the dates I wanted to travel. Easy Jet fly every Saturday from Glasgow to Alicante for £49.99 (including all taxes & charges) each way which I think is a great deal.
"Include £30 per head for golf clubs and £12 per head for baggage up to 20 Kilos and you are looking at £471.92 for a party of four.
"I know this is to Alicante and we have another one hour drive from there to the the Hacienda del Alamo resort but that’s not bad! Not only that you are leaving Glasgow at 4 pm and the return is slightly later at 10.50pm arrival in Glasgow the following Saturday but you’ve got the Sunday to recover.
"If you don't want to come home until either Monday, February 11 or 18, there is a Easy Jet flight from Alicante to Glasgow."

+If you have any brighter ideas about travel arrangements to get to and from the Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Golf Festival at Murcia, Spain, please E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

YES, HUSBANDS AND

BOYFRIENDS CAN

GO AS WELL TO
HACIENDA DEL

ALAMO WOMEN'S

FESTIVAL FROM

FEBRUARY 10 to 23!

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
(Tournament Controller)
I am starting to get feedback from those interested in participating in the inaugural Hacienda del Alamo Women’s Winter Golf Festival at the five-star Murcia golf resort from February 10 to 23, 2008.
Some of the questions I have been fielding, include:
1 Can a lady professional enter with a group of lady amateurs? Answer: Certainly, as long as the lady amateurs have single-figure handicaps. Getting together as a group to travel and enter cuts down the cost per head of renting a villa at Hacienda del Alamo.
2 Does a competitor have to stay at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort to be able to play in the events? Answer: Not necessarily but those not staying a Hacenda del Alamo would have to rent a car or spend money on daily taxi trips.
3 Is there a minimum or maximum age limit? Answer: Definitely not. We have had an inquiry on behalf of a 12-year-old girl (handicap 2) who would travel with her father. No problem there. The only requirement is a single-figure handicap. Lady senior golfers most welcome.
4 Does a competitor have to play in every event? Answer: No. If anyone wants to practise most of the time - or bask in the Murcia sunshine - and perhaps only play in one event a week, that's OK with us.
5 Can competitors come for only one week? Answer: Yes. First or second week only attendance is OK. But the charge for free use of the practice facilities is 55 Euros whether you stay for one week or two.
6 Can a competitor make the trip with her husband/partner/boyfriend? Answer: Yes. The male could caddie if he wanted to. If he wanted to use the golf facilities, he would have to pay the going rate.
7 Which airlines have flights to Murcia Airport (15min away as opposed to Alicante Airport, 60min)? Answer: Flybe, Easyjet, Monarch, Jet2.com and Ryanair. Airports of departure include: SCOTLAND: Edinburgh, Prestwick. NORTHERN IRELAND: Belfast. ENGLAND: Birmingham, Blackpool, Bristol, East Midlands, Gatwick, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton. IRELAND: Dublin, Shannon.
8 What’s the approximate all-in cost for one person’s flights, accommodation, practice facilities, tournament entry fees, food and taxis to and from Murcia Airport?
Answer: Very, very difficult to answer that one but an amateur golfer flying from Prestwick could do the fortnight for approximately £482 + food. For a professional from Prestwick, I estimate that £544 + food would cover the fortnight. You could do it for less because these bottom-line figures are based on staying at a Hacienda del Alamo villa for 16 nights.

JUST REMEMBER ONE THING. BUDGET AIRLINE FARES ARE NOT STATIC. THEY TEND TO INCREASE THE NEARER YOU GET TO THE DATES YOU WANT TO FLY. SO DON'T DELAY. BOOK NOW FOR THE CHEAPEST PRICES.
There is no outward Ryanair flight from Prestwick on Saturday, February 9 which means the player would have to fly on Friday, February 8 if she wanted to utilise Sunday, February 10 as a practice day for the 36-hole event on the Monday-Tuesday.
That would mean booking villa accommodation for 16 nights. Alternatively, the player would fly out on Sunday, February 10 and skip the practice day. This would reduce the villa accommodation to 14 nights if coming home on Sunday, February 24. That would also reduce the overall costs.
Here are the relevant Ryanair flights from Prestwick:

PRESTWICK-MURCIA
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8
Dep Prestwick 16.55, Arr Murcia 20.55. Cost: £49.99

SUNDAY, FEBRURY 9
No Prestwick-Murcia flights.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10
Dep Prestwick 16.55, Arr Murcia 20.55. Cost £19.99

MURCIA-PRESTWICK
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Dep Murcia 21.20, Arr Prestwick 23.20. Cost £19.99.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2
Dep Murcia 21.20. Arr Prestwick 23.20. Cost £19.99

ACCOMMODATION AT HACIENDA DEL ALAMO GOLF RESORT
(See http://www.clubmurcia.com/)
1 Bed, 1 Bath Villa: from 35 Euros per day (two adults sharing: 18 Euros each per day).
2 Bed, 2 Bath Villa: from 50 Euros per day (four adults sharing: 13 Euros each per day).
3 Bed, 3 Bath Villa: from 65 Euros per day (six adults sharing: 11 Euros each per day).
4 Bed, 4 Bath Villa: from 100 Euros per day (eight adults sharing: 13 Euros each per day).

If flying to Murcia on Friday, February 8 and returning Sunday, February 24: 16 nights at 50 Euros per night for 2 Bed, 2 Bath villa. Cost 800 Euros (four adults sharing: 200 Euros each).

SUMMARY OF PRECEDING INFO

FLIGHTS: £69.98 or 95 Euros.
ACCOMMODATION: 200 Euros.
RANGE, PRACTICE FEE: 55 Euros.
AMATEUR ENTRY FEES: 305 (for six events).
PROFESSIONAL ENTRY FEES: 390 Euros (for six events).
FOOD: ???

POSSIBLE ALL-IN COST FOR 16 NIGHT STAY (excluding food)

AMATEUR PLAYER: 655 Euros (£482 approx).

PROFESSIONAL: 740 Euros (£544 approx).

If you have any queries you feel would be best answered by the Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort staff, there is a toll free telephone number from UK and Ireland: 08000 820000.

A brief recap on the Hacienda del Alamo Women’s Winter Festival programme (open to lady professionals and lady amateurs with single-figure handicaps)

SUNDAY, FEB 10. Free practice round over Hacienda del Alamo championship course.
MONDAY, FEB 11. First round of 36-hole stroke-play tournament. Entry fee: professionals – 70 Euros; amateurs – 55 Euros.
TUESDAY, FEB 12. Second round of 36-hole tournament.
WEDNESDAY, FEB 13. Free day. Possibility of 18-hole competition at another course.
THURSDAY, FEB 14. One-round competition. Entry fee: professionals 55 Euros; amateurs: 42 Euros.
FRIDAY, FEB 15. Free day.
SATURDAY, FEB 16. One-round team event (field to include some invited guests).

Entry fee: professionals 70 Euros; amateurs – 55 Euros.
SUNDAY, FEB 17. Free practice round over Hacienda del Alamo championship course.
FEB 18 to 23: Same as first week’s programme.

ADDITIONAL CHARGE
A payment of 55 Euros per head will entitle each competitor to two free practice rounds over the championship course, free balls on the driving range and use of the short-game practice facilities for the 14 days. This one-off charge will be payable at the Tournament Desk when checking in on Sunday, February 10 or Sunday, February 17.

PRIZES.
There will be two prize lists – one for the professionals (cash) and one for the amateurs (vouchers). If enough senior players enter, there will be senior prizes.

ACCOMMODATION
It will be a lot cheaper for an individual if she gets together with fellow-players to make a booking for four, five or six sharing a villa at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort.
Log on to http://www.clubmurcia.com/ and scroll down the home page. In the left-hand column you will see HOTELS & RENTALS. Click on “Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort” and you will see the rental accommodation choices.
Alternatively, http://www.hmrental.com/ and http://www.stvmanagement.com/ are primary Hacienda del Alamo accommodation contacts.
http://www.hdagolf.com/ is the general Hacienda del Alamo website
.http://www.clubdegolfhda.com/ is the Hacienda del Alamo golf site.
Hacienda del Alamo’s Golf Desk for E-mails is golfers@hdagolf.com.
The REFERENCE to be quoted when making bookings at competitors’ rates is: MWLT.hda.

NOTIFY ENTRIES BY E-MAIL TO COLIN FARQUHARSON

Notification of entry to tournaments, certainly the 36-hole competitions, should be E-mailed in advance to Tournament Controller, Colin Farquharson at Colin@scottishgolfview.com, giving names of competitors, whether amateur or professional, handicaps where appropriate and contact telephone number.

PRESS RELEASE

NEXT YEAR'S SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
QUALIFYING VENUES IN AYRSHIRE NAMED
Three of Ayrshire’s finest courses – Dundonald Links, Glasgow Gailes and Western Gailes – have been selected to host pre-qualifying for the 2008 Senior Open Championship, Presented by MasterCard, which takes place at Royal Troon from July 24-27 next year.
Speaking on behalf of the Championship Committee, David Hill, the R&A’s Director of Championships, said: “We are delighted that three courses of such high quality and renown as Dundonald Links, Glasgow Gailes and Western Gailes will host our 2008 qualifying rounds.
“They are three fantastic courses that will certainly help ensure all those qualifying will be excellent golfers worthy of playing at Royal Troon, which is the sixth regular Open Championship course where The Senior Open Championship will occur.”
The decision to award Dundonald Links pre-qualifying is further recognition of the course’s growing stature within world golf venues, for it also recently became the first course in Scotland to be awarded European Tour Qualifying School status. From next year, it will host Stage One of the process.
Owned by Lyle Anderson, who also owns Loch Lomond Golf Club, home of the Barclays Scottish Open, Dundonald Links opened in July 2003.
The testing 7,300 yard, par 72 championship circuit was designed by the great American course architect Kyle Phillips, whose portfolio of other prestigious courses includes Kingsbarns in north-east Fife, Scotland, and The Grove, near Watford in Hertfordshire, England.
Dundonald Links sits alongside Western Gailes GC, overlooking the Firth of Clyde towards the island of Arran.
Western Gailes is a 6,639 par 71 that has hosted the Curtis Cup and is a regular Open Championship qualifying venue when both Royal Troon and Turnberry are the rostered venues.
Glasgow Gailes, a 6,903 par 71, is another Open qualifying course and it will also host the 2010 Scottish Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship and the 2012 Home Internationals.
The qualifying route into The Senior Open Championship is a path that can lead to the ultimate success – as American Pete Oakley proved in 2004 when he made history by becoming the first qualifier to win The Senior Open title when he claimed a one shot victory at Royal Portrush Golf Club.
The previously little known American, from Delaware, shocked the golfing world with his play and courage to hold off experienced challengers, American Tom Kite, Argentina’s Eduardo Romero and England’s Mark James in Northern Ireland.
Oakley started the final round with a one stroke lead and held his nerve to fire a two under par 70 – getting up and down from a greenside bunker on the 18th hole to finish the tournament on four under par 284, one ahead of Kite and Romero, with James a further shot back.
The 2008 Senior Open Championship is presented by MasterCard, a global payment solutions leader, who were previously the Presenting Sponsor of the Championship from 2000-2004.
Since 2004, MasterCard has been associated with the event as a Championship Patron and is now graduating back to the level of Presenting Sponsor at a time when some of the biggest stars of European golf are about to reach their 50th birthdays.
Among the new names who will be eligible to play in the Championship at Royal Troon are three Major-winning Ryder Cup Captains – Bernhard Langer of Germany, Hal Sutton of the United States and Ian Woosnam of Wales, in addition to 1985 Open Champion and 1988 Masters Tournament winner Sandy Lyle of Scotland.
It will be the fourth consecutive year the Championship has been staged in Scotland and the first at Royal Troon.
Paul Bush, Chief Operating Officer at EventScotland, commented: “EventScotland is delighted that these terrific courses have been selected to host the pre-qualifying matches for the 2008 Senior Open Championship.
“This is great news for Ayrshire and for Scotland, which will once again be able to demonstrate why it is the Home of Golf as we build towards hosting the Ryder Cup in 2014.”
The Scottish sequence began at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in 2005, followed by The Westin Turnberry Resort in 2006 and at Muirfield, where record crowds flocked in July to see England’s Nick Faldo’s European Seniors Tour debut and also enjoy Tom Watson’s thrilling victory.
Watson, a MasterCard Ambassador, will defend The Senior Open Championship at Royal Troon after the American captured his third Senior Open title at Muirfield, defeating compatriot Mark O’Meara and Australia’s Stewart Ginn by a stroke.
For further information and advance ticket news regarding The 2008 Senior Open Championship, presented by MasterCard, at Royal Troon Golf Club, please visit the following link: http://www.europeantourtickets.com/the-senior-open-championship-2008-10-c.asp

PRESS RELEASE

UAE DESERT SITE IF A COURSE DESIGNER'S
DREAM, SAYS PETER THOMSON

Peter Thomson, five-time Open Champion and principal of Thomson Perrett and Lobb Golf Course Architects, has described the desert site at Ain Al Emarat – location of his first signature golf course in the Middle East – as one of the best he’s seen in his 40-year golf course design career.
Thomson visited the site, with partners Ross Perrett and Tim Lobb, while in the UAE to attend the launch of the residential project and golf course by developer Al Qudra Real Estate, at Cityscape Dubai, the world’s largest business-to-business real estate and property exhibition.
Thomson said: “The land at Ain Al Emarat is magical, pure links land with no vegetation. We could instantly see marvellous golf holes in these undulating dunes, and there was great excitement, as this site has the potential to become a truly great golf course.”
The Australian design team drove through rolling sand dunes to inspect the course lay-out and reconfirm the location of green complexes, which Thomson says will benefit from bold natural contours and stunning landforms.
“The land is so natural and you can see potential for holes from all the classic British links courses. It truly is a golf course designer’s dream, and hopefully we won’t need to move very much earth, and will leave it all up to nature to design the course,” added Thomson.
The course is situated in sight of mountains and close to the oasis city of Al Ain, the second city of the Abu Dhabi emirate, and known as ‘The Garden City of the Gulf.’
The design team fine-tuned their original lay-out and confirmed routing plans ready for construction to begin early in 2008.
The golf course is the centrepiece of a massive residential and leisure development for 120,000 people, designed by global architecture practice HOK, creators of the Wembley and Emirates stadia in London.
Ain Al Emarat has already received a prestigious award for ‘Best Masterplan,’ at the 2007 Building Exchange Awards in Spain.

GOLF ON STEROIDS IN WEST OF IRELAND

By JO MAES
A week's golf on rugged and exposed links courses in the West of Ireland seems a daunting task on paper but 30 members of the European Golf & Travel Media Association were fearless as they embarked on their second test of Irish links golf.
After a successful event in 2006, John McLaughlin of North & West Coast Links, the marketing organization for 11 of the best links courses in Ireland, immediately extended the invitation to a sequel event. This trip would bring us a bit further south and as far west as one could possibly go in Ireland.
Journalists, all dressed in Glenmuir, from 11 European countries descended on Dublin Airport only to be transferred to Sligo. First we tackled the exposed links of Co Sligo Golf Club or Rosses Point as more commonly known. One should play this course for the views alone.
The course itself offers a variety in links golf that is rarely found. An uphill opening hole reminiscent of the first hole at Royal Portrush immediately sets the tone for the day.
Co. Donegal Golf Club or Murvagh welcomes all golfers as the Pat Ruddy-redesigned links offers a stiff but fair challenge. Immaculately maintained and with views over the surrounding bays and the Atlantic, this course is as good as any course you will play.
The Enniscrone golf links has really moved into the Premier League with the incorporation of five new holes designed by Donald Steel. What is on offer here is a roller-coaster ride from elevated tee boxes through towering dunes onto undulating greens. This course will not disappoint you.
The Carne Golf Links is the result of the vision and hard work of a tight-knit community in a remote part of Ireland. Carne was the last design by the late Eddie Hacket and he obviously knew what he was doing after his designs at Donegal, Enniscrone and Connemara drew praise from golfers all over the world.
The Carne links epitomizes links golf in all its ruggedness and harshness. (Un)lucky bounces are very much part of this course as it grows on you with every hole.
Playing golf on the moon is something only astronaut Alan Shepard was privy to but the championship links at Connemara is probably the nearest thing to it on earth. A lunar landscape surrounded by sandy beaches with waves crashing in the distance provides the extraordinary backdrop for this fabulous course.
The new nine-holes, together with the existing back-nine, will make this an even better course than it is now.
Along the way we were treated to typical Irish hospitality and good honest food. The Radisson SAS and Clarion hotels in Sligo proved to be a good benchmark for what was still to come. The family-owned Downhill House and Downhill Inn in Ballina are ideally located to sample a number of courses in the region and both the Abbey Glen as well as Foyles Hotel in Clifden made sure the peat fire was burning and the band was on duty.
The EGTMA North West Coast Links Challenge was played over five courses with four rounds counting for the final result. There was room for one discard and most of us were thankful for this lifeline. A mention should go to Norwegian Louis Roren from Golfposten Magazine when he scored his first ever hole-in-one on Donegal's third hole. A little knockdown seven-wood covered the 165 yards and hopped his brand new Wilson ball straight into the hole.
After five days of fierce competition it was Tristan Jones, the official photographer of the Ladies European Tour and an 11-handicapper with golf clubs in his hands, who held his game together for a four-round total of 146 Stableford points.
He kept the tall Dutchman Erwin Mulder, a two-handicap player for Golfers Magazine, a solid 6pt behind.
The ladies' challenge was won by Sue Farmer from England but based on the Algarve in Portugal.
The Irish tourism authorities with Tourism Ireland, Failte Ireland North West and Failte Ireland West supported the EGTMA North & West Coast Links Challenge.
The seemingly endless (and indeed very welcome on courses like this) supply of golf balls came through Wilson with their all-new Dx2 Soft ball.
Glenmuir made sure we had clothes to wear with a long sleeved polo top embroidered with the EGTMA Logo and MacGregor Europe supplied us with an impressive prize table. Both winners received Galway Crystal as a trophy, courtesy of North & West Coast Links.
The EGTMA North & West Coast Links Challenge was supported by the following golf courses:
Co Sligo Golf Club
Co Donegal Golf Club
Enniscrone Golf Club
Carne Golf Links
Connemara Championship Links

We stayed in the following hotels:
Radison SAS Sligo and Clarion Sligo
Downhill House and Downhill Inn, Ballina
Abbey Glen Hotel and Foyles Hotel, Clifden
Clayton Hotel, Galway

For further information and more pictures,contact Jo Maes or Denise Gallagher of the European Golf & Travel Media Association
Tel +353.40.23.00.00
e-mail: info@egtma.com

Press Release

CELTIC MANOR NAMES RYDER CUP COURSE
AND LAUNCHES NEW MEMBERSHIP

The new course built for staging the Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort in 2010 has been named after the date that shaped its existence.
The Twenty Ten Course has been given a title which reflects the fact that the spectacular new lay-out will forever be associated with hosting he Ryder Cup, one of the world’s most captivating sporting events.
Playing the prestigious course – the first ever to be designed and built specifically for the Ryder Cup – is not the only benefit of accepting an invitation to become a member of the new Twenty Ten Club, one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the United Kingdom.
First and foremost, membership is the best way of guaranteeing your place at The Ryder Cup in 2010. Demand will heavily outstrip supply when ticket applications are decided by a ballot process, but every member of The Twenty Ten Club will be given a season ticket plus the opportunity to purchase another one.
Come the autumn of 2010, every member and a guest will also have access to a private members' pavilion on every day of golf’s greatest team tournament between Europe and America.
The Twenty Ten Club will be strictly limited to 450 members who will be able to relax in a luxurious new clubhouse before or after a round on the world’s latest “trophy” course. It is expected that such a luxurious new golfing facility will attract members from all over the UK and abroad, as well as the club’s immediate surroundings in South Wales.
Dylan Matthews, Chief Executive of the Celtic Manor Resort, said: “This is a very exciting opportunity for golfers who pride themselves in the calibre of the club they belong to. The Twenty Ten Club will be one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the country as befits a Ryder Cup venue and a course which is already winning a reputation as one of the world’s must-play championship lay-outs.
“As well as becoming part of an elite club that exudes luxury and quality, Twenty Ten membership also brings the opportunity to be a part of history when the Ryder Cup comes to Wales for the first time in 2010.
“This is the best way to guarantee your place at the heart of the action – a ticket that money may not be able to buy at the time – as well as being able to call the venue your own home course.”
Welsh rugby legend Gareth Edwards has accepted an invitation to become the first honorary captain of the Twenty Ten Club, a position he will hold until at least the Ryder Cup matches arrive at Celtic Manor in three years.
“I feel truly honoured to have been asked to take up this post,” said Edwards, a driving force in the all-conquering Welsh rugby team of the 1970s and now a keen golfer.
“It is a very special course, which provides the sort of challenge that members are never going to tire of, and the new clubhouse looks absolutely magnificent. I’m sure we’re all going to be very proud of playing here in the run-up to 2010 and beyond.”
In the meantime, members will have the best seats in the brand new clubhouse where a private members' lounge and adjoining balcony overlook the 18th hole, which provides such a dramatic conclusion to any round on the Twenty Ten Course.
The members' lounge will feature exposed wooden beams, high-backed leather chairs and an open fire. The laid-back elegance of the traditional gentlemen’s club will be further evoked by luxury locker rooms from where it will be possible to order a drink from the spike bar.
The magnificent clubhouse – part of a £16m investment in building the new course – will also house a high-ceiling restaurant and separate function room, both enjoying views out over the picturesque course and the beautiful Usk Valley beyond.
In addition, members will receive two season tickets to the Celtic Manor Wales Open as well as access to play on two more exceptional championship courses at the Resort – the new Montgomerie, designed by the Ryder Cup legend, Colin Montgomerie, and the Roman Road, which has hosted the last three Wales Opens and the celebrity All*Star Cup.
For more information, contact the Membership Team on 01633 410300 or visit celtic-manor.com

KING OF CLUBS IS THE ACE IN THE PACK

Dean Davis will perform daily freestyle golf shows at the inaugural The Golf Show, NEC Birmingham 2007, in November.
Known as the ‘King of Clubs’, Davis is a member of the Freestyle Golf Roadshow, a 12-strong group of professionals who specialise in outrageous golf shots, with equally outrageous equipment.
Davis has performed his ‘show’ and wowed spectators and fellow pros at European Tour tournaments, numerous charity and corporate events and two World Trickshot Championships. And now he’s bringing it to the biggest venue yet: the National Exhibition Centre.
He said: “Obviously it’s going to be a little different for me indoors; it will be more intimate, although the crowd will be quite large I would imagine. Also the spectators will get more of a close-up view of what is happening.
“Being that close to the crowd is great for me as I enjoy the interaction with people. I’m really looking forward to the golf show – if it’s as good as its sister event in London it will be well worth attending.”
Davis will be performing one show a day for the duration of the three-day event which runs from November 16-18.
■ For further information or to book tickets visit www.golfshownec.com

SENIORS OPEN AT SUNNINGDALE NEXT YEAR
AND CARNOUSTIE IN 2009

Two of the finest courses in the United Kingdom, the Old Course at Sunningdale Golf Club in England and the Championship Course at Carnoustie Golf Links, Scotland, have been announced as the venues for The Senior Open Championship, presented by MasterCard, for 2009 and 2010 respectively.

The Old Course at Royal Troon will host The 2008 Senior Open Championship, presented by MasterCard, from July 24-27, before the Championship moves to Sunningdale, one of the premier clubs in England. It is the first time a heathland course has been selected to host Europe’s senior Major following 22 editions on links courses and will also be the first time the Championship has been played in England since Royal Lytham & St Annes hosted it in 1994.

Sunningdale, established in 1900, has previously hosted events such as the Walker Cup, The Seve Trophy, the European Open and International Final Qualifying for The Open Championship, and will be the venue for the 2008 Ricoh Women’s British Open. From July 23-26, 2009, the cream of international senior golfing talent will be welcomed to Sunningdale to contest the Senior Open Championship for the 23rd time in 2009.

Richard Royds, Captain of Sunningdale Golf Club, said: “We are delighted and honoured to be hosting the Senior Open Championship at Sunningdale in 2009. I am sure that the competitors will relish taking on the Old Course, which some 100 years after being built by Willie Park Junior, remains a terrific challenge for golf at the highest level.”

Carnoustie Golf Links, venue of this year’s Open Championship where Ireland’s Padraig Harrington emerged as Champion after a play-off with Spain’s Sergio Garcia, will also host The Senior Open Championship, presented by MasterCard, for the first time from July 22-25, 2010 when the Championship returns to Scotland.

Carnoustie will become the ninth different venue and the sixth Open Championship venue, after The Westin Turnberry Resort, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal Portrush, Muirfield and Royal Troon, to host The Senior Open Championship. The championship has also been played at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club and Royal County Down Golf Club.

Gordon Murray, Carnoustie Golf Links Chairman, said: “Carnoustie is delighted to welcome the Senior Open Championship and MasterCard in 2010. We will be aiming to produce the Championship course in the same outstanding condition as it was for this year’s Open Championship, and everyone at Carnoustie is looking forward to an event that has so many great champions taking part.”

MasterCard Worldwide will be the Presenting Sponsor of the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Senior Open Championships. EventScotland will support the Championship on the occasions it is played in Scotland.
David Hill, Director of Championships for The R&A, said: “For many years we have enjoyed a very strong relationship with Sunningdale, our venue for IFQ Europe, and Carnoustie, this year’s Open Championship venue. We are thrilled that we will be taking the Senior Open Championship to these excellent venues in 2009 and 2010.”

Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Seniors Tour, said: “We are delighted to announce that Sunningdale and Carnoustie, two truly great championship courses, will host the Senior Open Championship, presented by MasterCard, for the first time, and we thank the Members and Officials at both venues for their support. Both courses have a proven track record in hosting Major Championships and we look forward to some sensational golf in 2009 and 2010.”

Tom Watson, a MasterCard Worldwide spokesman, will be the defending champion at Royal Troon in 2008, where he won the Open Championship in 1982. He won his third Senior Open Championship title when he triumphed at Muirfield in July, defeating compatriot Mark O’Meara and Stewart Ginn by a stroke.

Alan Heuer, Chief Operating Officer of MasterCard Worldwide, said: “We are delighted to be Presenting Sponsor of The Senior Open Championship. This event provides the perfect platform upon which to promote MasterCard’s products and payment brands such as Pay Pass, Maestro, MasterCard debit and credit cards.”

For further information and advance ticket news regarding The 2008 Senior Open Championship, presented by MasterCard, at Royal Troon Golf Club, please visit the following link: http://www.europeantourtickets.com/the-senior-open-championship-2008-10-c.asp

LONDON GOLF SHOW DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
APRIL 25 to 27 AT ExCEL CENTRE

The London Golf Show 2008 is open for business and there are great benefits for early bookers.
Europe’s largest consumer golf show is preparing for its fourth outing and has announced it is now taking bookings for the golfing extravaganza which takes place from April 25-27.
The Golf Show Co’s managing director, Andy Barwell, said: “The London Golf Show has proven massively popular in the last three years and the 2008 event will only build upon that.
“Obviously there has been a lot of excitement throughout the industry about our new show at the NEC, but London will always be our flagship event. To that end we want to ensure we maintain the high standard of exhibitors we’ve previously enjoyed and are accepting bookings earlier than planned and we look forward to seeing everyone at ExCeL.”
And the Golf Show Co attributes much of its success to being based at the award-winning ExCeL Centre in London’s Docklands.
Barwell added: “The facilities available at a venue like ExCeL have enabled us to put on a fantastic show for the past three years and will continue to do so in the future.
“The infrastructure here is superb, offering everything organisers and exhibitors could want as well as being able to cope with tens of thousands of visitors on a daily basis.
“Other shows have gone down a different route and are holding events on golf courses but we’re more than happy where we are. There’s ample space, car parking, transport links, electricity, wireless networks, to name just a few benefits – and it can’t rain!
“The London Boat Show is not held in the English Channel; the Motor Show is not held at Brands Hatch; the London Motorcycle Show is not hosted on the M25 – they are all at ExCeL, because ExCeL is the ideal venue for consumer shows like this.
“If the need wasn’t there, they would not have been economically viable. We’re not in the habit of reinventing the wheel. And our exhibitor satisfaction ratings and the number of people visiting the shows support the argument that ExCeL is the venue for a show of this stature.”
In the last three years, the London Golf Show has seen more than 800 exhibitors showcase their products to in excess of 90,000 people. Booking trends indicate there will again be more than 200 exhibitors at April’s event – the fourth London Golf Show.
It is the largest consumer golf show in Europe.
It is this stamp of quality assurance that persuades the big-name brands to associate themselves with the London Golf Show.

Press Release

LLOYD SALTMAN JOINS THE FIELD FOR
ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS
CHAMPIONSHIP NEXT WEEK

Lloyd Saltman is the newest Scottish professional to challenge for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews next week, after joining the paid ranks on his 22nd birthday, just 17 days ago.
Saltman, from Craigielaw, East Lothian, who won the Silver Medal as highest placed amateur when he finished 15th in the Open Championship at St Andrews in 2005, now returns to the Old Course as he bids to make a career for himself in golf.
The enthusiastic Scottish galleries still recall how Saltman, needing a birdie at the final hole in 2005 to win the Silver Medal outright, obliged by rolling a long putt through the Valley of Sin to within two feet of the flag.
Saltman said: “St Andrews in 2005 was a great memory and a pivotal moment for me. I am delighted that I can go back there now as a professional. As a Scot there is nothing more exciting than playing the Old Course in front of your fellow countrymen cheering you on and I look forward to competing around St Andrews again.”
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship has been fertile ground for Scottish players since its inception in 2001. Paul Lawrie won the inaugural event, and was followed by Stephen Gallacher in 2004 and Colin Montgomerie in 2005.
All three former winners will be in the field once again, along with Andrew Coltart, Scott Drummond, Alastair Forsyth, Steven O’Hara, Gary Orr, Richie Ramsay and Sam Torrance, who won the team championship with his son Daniel Torrance in 2003.
Also competing will be 26-year-old Marc Warren, from Rutherglen, who had his second win on the European Tour earlier this month when he captured the 2007 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles after a play-off with England’s Simon Wakefield.
It followed his superb victory last year in the Scandinavian Masters in his debut season, a performance which helped him win the 2006 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award.
In the line-up too will be multi-national Alan McLean. Born in Scotland, he grew up in South Africa and now lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario. After good finishes in the Moscow Open and Scandinavian Masters, he is in a strong position in the European Tour Order of Merit to win his playing card for next year.
The Scots will be joining a strong line-up of the world’s top 25 players which includes South Africa’s popular World No 4 Ernie Els, Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Niclas Fasth, Trevor Immelman, Justin Rose plus Open champion Padraig Harrington, who will be bidding to win an unprecedented third Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Also in the field are 2003 champion Lee Westwood, winner of last week's British Masters at The Belfry, and crowd-pleasers Ian Poulter, Michael Campbell, the 2005 US Open champion, Steve Elkington, winner of the 1995 US PGA championship, and six-time major championship winner, and current Ryder Cup captain, Nick Faldo.
The championship, which takes place from October 4-7, was conceived as a celebration of links golf and will be played over three of the world’s best known and respected links courses – the Old Course at St Andrews, the Championship Course at Carnoustie, host course for this year’s Open Championship, and the highly regarded Kingsbarns Links.
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship has a unique format. With a prize fund of US$5 million, it incorporates two separate competitions - an individual professional tournament for the world's leading golfers and a team event in which they are paired with some of the most celebrated amateur golfers.
Personalities from the world of entertainment, including Dennis Hopper, Samuel L Jackson, Ronan Keating, Huey Lewis, Kyle MacLachlan, Bill Murray and Tico Torres, will share centre stage with the golfers.
Three of Britain’s sporting knights – Sir Ian Botham, Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Steve Redgrave - lead a strong locker room of sports stars including football legends Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit and Matthew Le Tissier, Wimbledon tennis hero Boris Becker, Australia’s greatest ever cricket captain Steve Waugh, South African rugby giant Morné du Plessis, American Football’s renowned running back Marcus Allen and Austria’s Olympic gold medal skier Franz Klammer.
Entrance for spectators to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will be FREE at all three courses on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. A ticket price of £15 (concessionary £10) will be charged for the final day’s play over the Old Course on Sunday, October 7.
Entry for under 16s and students is free. Tickets are available through the ticket hotline on 0870 010 9021 or at the entrance gates. There is free parking for spectators and a free shuttle bus service will be in operation between the courses on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

St Andrews Links Trust Press Release

RAPID PROGRESS BEING MADE

AT THE CASTLE COURSE

The Castle Course, the seventh course at the Home of Golf, is rapidly taking shape ahead of its opening next summer.
The scenic clifftop course is expected to become a popular addition to the St Andrews Links courses which include the world renowned Old Course.
The entire course has now been seeded, the greens and tees are complete and the areas of rough and natural habitats between fairways are growing in well. Preparation work on the fairways, including adding sand to create a links-like feel to the turf, is underway and will continue throughout the winter months.
The superstructure of the new clubhouse (pictured above) has been erected and a gleaming copper roof has been installed on the circular building which offers spectacular views of Kinkell Point, where the Castle Course’s double ninth and 18th green sits, and out over St Andrews Bay.
The clubhouse will house a restaurant, shop and full changing facilities as well as a caddie service, reception area and offices. The unique design by Leven-based architect Fraser Smart will feature a huge glass window overlooking the point and the bay. It has been designed and situated in such a way as to prevent it being visible above the horizon from the town.
Alan McGregor, general manager of the Links Trust, said he was very pleased with the progress being made. “Substantial progress has been made at The Castle Course over the summer and it looks very impressive. A great deal of work is going in to the preparation of the course and our head greenkeeper Allan Paterson and his team are doing an excellent job.
“The clubhouse is also taking shape and should prove to be a striking building. It has been designed to make the most of the wonderful view of St Andrews and out to sea. I am sure it will prove to be a wonderful facility for both local and visiting golfers.”
The Castle Course has been designed by David McLay Kidd, a Scot who has gained worldwide renown for his work on courses such as Bandon Dunes in Oregon, Nanea in Hawaii and Queenwood in Surrey.
The public course, which covers 220 acres, will officially open for play on June 28 next year. Bookings are now being taken and a limited number of times are available online at http://www.standrews.org.uk/.
Each hole will feature five tees to cater for all levels of ability. The par-71 lay-out will range in length from 5,600 to 7,200 yards.

PRESS RELEASE

BOAT OF GARTEN IS THE BEST HIDDEN GEM
IN SCOTLAND - SAY BUNKERED READERS

Readers of Scotland’s No.1 golf magazine BUNKERED have chosen Boat of Garten as the best ‘hidden gem’ in the ‘Home of Golf’.

The Highlands club came out on top in the magazine’s ‘Secret 18’ competition which was launched earlier this year in conjunction with VisitScotland, the national tourist board.

The purpose of the competition was to bring some much deserved attention to some of the lesser known – but no less magnificent – Scottish golf courses. It followed a previous competition run by bunkered in 2004 to reveal readers’ ‘Top 20’ Scottish golf courses.

On that occasion, the list comprised the country’s ‘big guns’ such as St Andrews, Loch Lomond and Muirfield, with ‘hidden gems’ notable by their absence.
Hence, the decision was taken to redress the balance and give these unheralded courses their share of the limelight.

Readers were asked to pick their 18 favourite ‘hidden gems’ with the winner being the course receiving most votes.

Over 5,000 people submitted their nominations resulting in The Boat of Garten taking the top spot, narrowly pipping Open Championship qualifying course Ladybank. The Fife course was second ahead of another Open qualifying venue, Downfield.

Other courses to make the list included the likes of Lundin Links, Gleneagles Queen’s Course and two from St Andrews, the New and Dukes Courses.

The editor of bunkered, Martin Dempster, hailed the competition as a massive success, not only for The Boat of Garten, but also for golf in Scotland.

“This competition was intended to give some of Scotland’s lesser known courses their place in the spotlight,” said Dempster, “and it most certainly delivered. The Boat of Garten is a worthy winner and our warmest congratulations go out to the club and all of its members.

“However, it is not the only winner in this competition – Scottish golf is, too. The strength of this list clearly demonstrates the strength and variety of the courses we have here in the ‘Home of Golf’ and that is something that every Scot should be proud of.

“And, once again, bunkered readers have come to the fore, answered our call and proved that they are the most knowledgeable and informed followers of sport in this proud sporting nation.”

Sam Torrance Former Ryder Cup captain and Golf Ambassador for VisitScotland said, “Golfing in Scotland is simply wonderful. There are so many great hidden gems with one of my own favourites being Longniddry. Sam was at a golf event at The Carrick at Cameron House, one of the courses to make the Secret 18. He commented: “The Carrick is absolutely beautiful. A great layout, in the finest setting on the planet.”

Mark McCardie, Golf Product Manager for VisitScotland added: “We all know that Scotland has got strength in depth when it comes to great courses, but these results really highlight the exceptional quality and quantity of golf courses Scotland has to offer. What gives it added credibility is that the courses were chosen by the Scottish golfers themselves – the people who know best!”

All of the courses that made up the overall ‘Secret 18’ will receive commemorative plaques from BUNKERED to acknowledge their place in the list.

Meanwhile, lucky reader Lee Strachan can look forward to a fourball at all 18 of the courses as a prize for his list most closely matching the final, overall list.

Scotland’s ‘Secret 18’ in full:

1 Boat of Garten.
2 Ladybank.
3 Downfield.
4 Gleneagles Queen’s Course.
5 Dunbar.
6 The Roxburghe.
7 Lundin Links.
8 Crail Balcomie Links.
9 Duke's Course.
10 Glasgow Gailes.
11 Moray Old Course.
12 Murcar Links.
13 Scotscraig.
14 St Andrews New Course.
15 Letham Grange Old Course.
16 Turnberry Kintyre Course.
17 The Carrick at Cameron House.
18 Royal Aberdeen.

Full details of bunkered’s ‘Secret 18’ competition can be found in the latest issue – on sale now!

PRESS RELEASE

WORLD HICKORY OPEN ATTRACTS ROOKIE PRO
LLOYD SALTMAN OVER HOME COURSE

After playing in his second Walker Cup and a new sponsorship from the assurance giant Aegon, Lloyd Saltman will be aiming to wrestle the coveted World Hickory Open quaich from his 19-year-old brother Zack who put together an impressive 67 to win this prestigious tournament last year.
The event will be played over the Saltmans' home course, East Lothian’s Craigielaw links at the end of the month (September 27th and 28th).
However, with a much increased list of professionals from last year likely to tee off in the World Hickory Open with a £17,500 prize fund, the challenge should be a tough one. The St Andrews Open 2005 silver medallist, Lloyd will be playing against brothers Elliot and Zack.
Elliot turned professional earlier this year, also with support from Aegon. Last week he scored his first win as a rookie pro - the 54-hole Ethos Group Classic on the PGA EuroPro Tour.
Other Scottish professionals in the field will include Dean Robertson (past winner of the Italian Open) as well as Mark King, Alan Lockhart, Jackie Montgomery and David Patrick.
The tournament should be even tougher to win than last year when former Ryder Cup captain, Bernard Gallacher gave the Hickory Open a considerable promotional fillip when he participated.

Tournament organiser, Lionel Freedman, states that the Pro-Am on Thursday 27th September is almost fully subscribed with just under 40 teams and is proving to be extremely popular. With over forty pros signed up some weeks in advance of the tournament, he anticipates a field of over 70 for the World Hickory Open on Friday 28th September. What is doubly exciting he says, is that we have teams from America, Sweden, France as well as the home nations taking part

There is one change this year to the format – instead of five pre-1935 hickory clubs, six are now permitted. However it would still be a considerable achievement to better Zack Saltman’s extraordinary score of 67 in last year’s tournament.

The event is sponsored by East Lothian Council with subsidiary sponsorships and teams from the following:-

B.N. Paribas, Dunedin Independent, Whigam’s Wine Bars, Leith Links, Lyon & Turnbull, Malmaison, Hamilton & Inches, Oriental Minerals, Royal Burgess Golfing Society, Georgian Antiques, Bell Security, Your Golf Holidays, Concept, Ducks at Kilspindie House Hotel, Alex Kirkwood & Son, Winton House and Craigielaw Golf Club.

Further information from Lionel Freedman on 0131 665 4861 or the Tournament Office on 0131 319 1477 or www.worldhickoryopen.com

FOR WOMEN'S GOLF NEWS - AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL - SWITCH OVER TO OUR SISTER WEBSITE, www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

PRESS RELEASE

DONALD TRUMP HIRES DR MARTIN HAWTREE
TO DESIGN BALMEDIE LINKS COURSE

New York, NY: 6th September, 2007.
Donald J. Trump, pictured right, is teaming up with famed British golf course architect Dr Martin Hawtree on plans to create what Mr Trump hopes to be the finest golf course anywhere in the world. With its majestic sand dunes stretching four miles along the sea in Aberdeenshire, Mr. Trump decided that Martin Hawtree was perfect to transform the Great Dunes of Scotland into a world class championship golf course, with construction scheduled to being in January, 2008.
The course will be a Martin Hawtree Signature Design. Hawtree Limited, of Woodstock, England belongs to the longest continuous golf course architectural practice in the world. Hawtree, consulted by the R&A on some of the Open Championship links, is regarded as the leading authority of links golf and because of this coupled with Mr Trump’s passion for building a true world class British links course in North-east Scotland, Hawtree has been appointed as the lead architect on this development. He is world-renowned for his work at Royal Birkdale, Portmarnock, Lahinch and Carnoustie to name but a few.
“Martin Hawtree brings a distinct vision and flair to every course he touches,” Mr. Trump said. “His work is impeccable. He and I share such a passion for links golf and the tradition of the game is evident in the golf courses he designs. This is ideal for Trump International Golf Links, Scotland. This piece of land is so special and my relationship with Scotland is so special, that I wanted to work with the world’s best links course architect to deliver Trump International Golf Links, Scotland”
BALANCE IN COMPOSITION
Hawtree said, “I am intrigued by balance in the composition of a golf hole, trying to ensure that the wider landscape surrounding a hole, in the case of this project towering dunes, is fully balanced by great playing interest within the fairway and green; that the one does not dwarf the other and that the interest is in some way generated by and in complete harmony with the surroundings.”

A third-generation golf course architect, Hawtree has continued a family legacy that began in 1912. The Hawtree list of courses built, reconstructed and/or consulted on totals more than 750, with partnerships and collaborations with historic golfing greats J.H. Taylor and James Braid. The Hawtree history – begun by Frederick George Hawtree, who was joined by his son, Frederick William Hawtree in 1938 -- is revered within the industry for its experience and knowledge that are the heart of a multi-disciplinary practice known throughout the world.
Donald J Trump’s passion for Scotland stems from his pride in his Scottish roots. His mother, Mary MacLeod, grew up on the Isle of Lewis in Stornoway where her first language was Gaelic, before moving to New York City at age 20. His decision to build the Trump International Golf Links, Scotland is the fulfilment of a long-held dream.

Press Release

RECORD SURGE FOR OLD COURSE BOOKINGS

More than 1000 tee time applications for play on the Old Course in 2008 were received in 15 minutes on Wednesday morning this week, a record for the world renowned links.
After the advanced reservations process opened at 10am BST, 1100 applications flooded in to the Reservations department of St Andrews Links Trust, the organisation which manages and maintains the Old Course.
The vast majority of the applications were received by email as golfers from around the world sought to secure coveted tee times at the Home of Golf.
In order to give everyone an equal chance, golfers were invited to apply at that specific time. The Reservations department will spend the next few weeks processing the applications on a first come first served basis before sending out confirmations to those who have been successful and informing those who have not.
Alan McGregor, general manager of the Links Trust, said, “Since we changed the advanced reservations process a few years ago to invite everyone to apply at the same time we have become accustomed to surges of applications but to receive more than 1000 applications in the space of 15 minutes is quite remarkable.
“It is testament to the regard in which golfers round the world hold the Old Course that there is such interest in securing a time to play next year. Although there is a high level of demand most of the applications will be successful.”
Yesterday also saw the official opening of the advanced reservations process for the new Castle Course which is due to open next summer. Golfers were given the opportunity to book tee times on the seventh St Andrews Links Trust course from June 28 to October 31 2008.
The widely anticipated opening of the course, which was designed on a spectacular clifftop location to the south east of St Andrews by internationally acclaimed architect David McLay Kidd, led to a steady flow of applications on the day. The Castle Course will form part of the two-course booking policy for advanced reservations on the Old Course along with the New, Jubilee, Eden and Strathtyrum courses.
For more information contact the Reservations department at reservations@standrews.org.uk or on 0044 1334 466666 from overseas or 01334 466666 from the United Kingdom.

BIDDING BEGINS FOR AMATEUR PLACE IN ALFRED DUNHILL

LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP

Bidding has opened in an international online auction for a place in this year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Amateur golfers from all over the world are being offered the chance of a lifetime to play in the same tournament as top professionals and amateurs from the world of sport and entertainment in this year’s web auction.

This year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship takes place from October 4-7 over the Old Course at St Andrews, the Championship Course at Carnoustie and the highly regarded Kingsbarns Golf Links.

The online auction offers amateur golfers throughout the world a rare opportunity to play in this prestigious tournament. The winning bidder will be treated to the very best of Alfred Dunhill’s world famous hospitality.

The package includes:

*ONE amateur place in the 2007 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

*FIVE nights' accommodation for two at an official tournament hotel (breakfast included), airport transfers from Edinburgh and invitations to the championship's exclusive social events as honoured guests.

The auction runs from September 3 until 12:00 GMT September 21.

Online auctioneers QXL.com are hosting the proceedings.

Bids can be made by visiting www.qxl.co.uk/golf.

Stuart Hawthorne, QXL.com UK Site Marketing Manager, commented:
“www.QXL.com is a trading platform, which enables individuals and sMall businesses to buy and sell all types of products and services online in an easy, efficient and safe environment. It is also a place where members have a good time, place bids and get involved with the site through our forums.”
The auction, which raised £19,550 last year, is in aid of the St Andrews-based Pilgrim Foundation, an organisation committed the restoration of historic monuments and buildings in the Home of Golf.

The Foundation’s patrons include Sir Sean Connery, Colin Montgomerie, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Arnold Palmer, Sam Torrance, Tony Jacklin and TV commentator Peter Alliss.

Last year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship was won by Ireland’s Padraig Harrington who is to return to the scene of his triumph when he defends his title this autumn.

Amateurs will once again be sharing centre stage with the professionals. Some of the better known amateurs who have played in the past include Boris Becker, Sir Bobby Charlton, Kenny Dalglish, Michael Douglas, Bill Murray, Nigel Mansell, Dennis Quaid, Sir Steve Redgrave and Tico Torres.

NO CHARGE FIRST THREE DAYS

Entrance to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will once again be FREE on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

A ticket price of £15 (concessionary £10) will be charged for the final day’s play over the Old Course on Sunday, October 7.

Under 16s and students are FREE.

Tickets are available through the ticket hotline on 0870 010 9021 or at the entrance gate. There is free parking for spectators, and a free shuttle bus service will be in operation between courses.

TEE TIMES FOR FINAL ROUND AT NAIRN

Tee times for Friday's third and final round in the British senior open amateur championship over the Nairn course.
There is no charge for admission or car parking. Spectators welcome.

8.45 R Paton, marker.
8.54 R Gill, S Smale.
9.03 R Wallace, B Edger.
9.12 C Hurst, S Ellis.
9.21 F Lukasik, G Potton.
9.30 N P Machado, J Hubbard.]
9.39 B Griffiths, B Kain.
9.45 C Salaber, A Fiddes.
9.57 J Putt, J Whitcutt.
10.06 K Benson, R Smethurst.
10.20 B Reddan, M Wigley.
10.29 W Jackson, R Thoms.
10.38 J Jermine, P Saggers.
10.47 D Perrie, R Humble.
10.56 G Brown, D Lane.
11.05 K Richardson, V Singh.
11.14 S Hakes, G Rees,
11.23 G Paterson, A Patterson.
11.32 D Crawford, B Mills.
11.41 J Blumenfeld, G Verble.
11.55 J W Johnston, I C Hutcheon.
12.04 M Brummer, B Leonard.
12.13 T McGraw, V Mandelli.
12.22 J Myers, I Taylor.
12.31 P Tomisson, D Arnold.
12.40 R Woulfe, J Baldwin.
12.49 J Fraser, P Simson.
12.58 M Kelly, J Hirsch.
1.07 E Myrmo, C Reynolds.
1.16 R Berg, M Preysler.
1.25 G Cooke, A Pierse.

PRESS RELEASE

PETER THOMSON TO DESIGN FIRST SIGNATURE
COURSE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Peter Thomson, five-time Open Champion and principal of Thomson Perrett and Lobb Golf Course Architects, has signed an agreement in St Andrews with UAE based Al Qudra Real Estate, to design the company’s first signature golf course in the Middle East.
Thomson Perrett & Lobb will design a traditional, classic style championship golf course at Ain Al Emarat, an award-winning residential and leisure development being built near Al Ain, the second city of the Abu Dhabi Emirate and known as ‘The Garden City of the Gulf.’
Peter Thomson, said: “The growth of golf in the Middle East has been phenomenal and TPL is honoured to contribute to the growth of the sport in the region by creating a unique, traditional style course in a groundbreaking city, that will set international benchmarks for sustainability, healthy living and sporting opportunity.”
In a ceremony held at The Old Course Hotel in St Andrews overlooking the world famous ‘Road Hole,’ Peter Thomson signed an agreement with Mr Victor E.J. Orth Jr, CEO and General Manager of Al Qudra Real Estate – a subsidiary of Al Qudra Holding – for the design of the golf course, which is set to be a major attraction for residents and visitors at Ain Al Emarat.
Victor E.J. Orth Jr, said: “TPL has a commitment to excellence in golf course design that mirrors our corporate ethos and we look forward to creating a golf course that will thrill the residents of the UAE and its international golfing visitors.”
TPL has joined forces with global architectural practice HOK, creators of the new Wembley and Emirates stadia in London, to design the golf course as part of this ground-breaking city. Plans for the residential and sporting development have already won a prestigious award.
The TPL golf course will act as a centrepiece for the development alongside a landmark 40,000-seat indoor sports and entertainment arena, which will be built to the same standard as HOK’s acclaimed Emirates Stadium, home of Arsenal Football Club.
The championship golf course will harness natural topography, including rolling sand hills and views to the nearby mountains, as well as benefiting from TPL’s expertise in sustainable golf course design.
The use of recycled effluent will reduce water requirements and will be offset by minimal use of excess turf to keep the golf course in harmony with its natural desert environment.
Image to come:
Photo Caption: (From left) Peter Thomson, principal Thomson Perrett & Lobb Golf Course Architects, Victor E.J. Orth Jr, CEO and general manager Al Qudra Real Estate.

R&A PRESS RELEASE

WALKER CUP TICKETS GO ON PUBLIC SALE

Tickets for the Walker Cup ,to be played at Royal County Down on September 8-9, have been released for sale to the public by The R&A.
An adult ticket will cost £25 per day while juveniles under the age of 16 will be admitted for £10.
David Hill, the Director of Championships for The R&A said: “We have limited the daily attendance to ensure that it remains comfortable for spectators to follow the match of their choice round the course.”
“Royal County Down is a true links course set in a spectacular setting with the mountains of Mourne as a backdrop and we are anticipating a large and enthusiastic local support as Great Britain and Ireland attempt to regain the Walker Cup.”
“I would therefore advise intending spectators to apply for tickets as soon as possible to avoid the disappointment of being unable to watch the match.”
Ticket applications should be directed to: Ticket Office, The R&A, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9JD, Scotland, through on-line purchasing at www.randa.org or by telephone on ++44 1334 460010.

TEE TIMES FOR FINAL ROUND AT

GLENEAGLES ON SUNDAY



Car parking is free and there are no admission charges for spectators at Gleneagles tomorrow for the final round of the Gleneagles Scottish PGA championship.

Here are the tee times:



9.0 J Cliff & marker.

9.08 G Lornie & A MacKenzie.

9.16 S Brown & G Cook.

9.24 G Collinson & R Gray.

9.32 J Sharp & G Harvey.

9.40 G Duncan & S Taylor.
9.48 M King & K Campbell.
9.56 J Stevenson & S Duncan.
10.04 P Wytrazek & A Fleming.
10.12 A Mackrell & S Morrison.
10.20 I Taylor & G Law.
10.28 C Kelly & G McInnes.
10.36 S Catlin & C Nicoll.
10.44 L Harper & L Barn.
10.52 E Cameron & A Lockhart.

11.00 G Fox & F Mann.

11.08 J McKinnon & E Thomson.

11.16 D Robertson & I Campbell.

11.24 C Gillies & A J Webster.

11.32 P Wardell & P McKechnie.

11.40 M Urquhart & S Gray.

11.48 C Ronald & G McFarlane.

11.56 G Hutcheon & C Doak.

12.04 R Arnott & D Park.

12.12 J McCreadie & S Cairns.

12.20 C Lee & D Patrick.

12.28 D Orr & M Loftus.