Connoisseur Golf Travel Blog

Property in St Andrews

2011-05-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

Unlike so many areas of the United Kingdom and Ireland, the property market in St Andrews has made it through the past couple of years relatively unscathed. A large proportion of students and travelling golfers means there is always a generous rental return throughout the year. So although a beautiful place to live, the price tag of homes is usually skewed by the very attractive ROI.

Making a St Andrews property your primary address also affords you the distinct privilege of becoming a season ticket holder at The Links Trust. This magical piece of plastic grants you access to The Old, New, Jubilee, Eden, Castle, Strathtyrum and Balgove courses at a very attractive annual fee.

So what's available just now in The Auld Grey Toon? Well, the former University dorm at Hamilton Hall is currently being transformed into 26 ultra-luxurious homes. I was placed here in my freshman year at St Andrews, and I am fairly sure that my fail in entry level statistics was directly proportional to the square root of the distance between my bed and the first tee of The Old Course. This 5th floor room was approximately 10' x 6', and struggled to accommodate a single bed and small writing desk (the former was utilized much more than the latter). How times have changed. Today, it is being transformed and incorporated into an apartment that is being marketed at £5,100,000. Hamilton Grand as it has been re-named, is being developed by Herb Kohler - bathroom plumbing tycoon, and owner of the adjacent 5* Old Course Hotel.

A little further down the fairway, Savills are marketing a beautiful 6 bedroom Georgian townhouse. Built in 1822 by the Playfair family, this home pre-dates the Royal & Ancient clubhouse, and it boasts tremendous views across The Old Course and The West Sands. The cost? A cool £1,250,000. But can anything be classed as expensive that makes the 18th your back garden?

If St Andrews were a Monopoly board then Hope Street and Abbotsford Crescent would probably be the colour green. Not quite Mayfair, but still an area of extreme distinction. Most commonly, these stone townhouses are divided into 3 or 4 separate apartments. A few are currently on the market and these range from the mid 200's to the high 300's depending on the number of bedrooms.

With great golf, schools, restaurants, nightlife, scenery and shopping, St Andrews has it all. The only problem for 99% of the population is the price. A very true summary of work, money and golf...

- When you're young you've got the spare time to play and your health but no money.

- Throughout your career you've got your health and the money but no time to play.

- In retirement, you've got money and the time to play but perhaps not your health.

It's a strange old world...

2011 Spring Invitational Results

2011-05-10T02:40:00.000-07:00

A week of glorious weather greeted the entrants of the inaugural St Andrews Spring Invitational by Connoisseur Golf. Light winds, clear skies and not a single drop of rain made for a great week of golf and superb scoring. Our flagship event attracted 20 players from 4 different nationalities. The Invitational's base - The 5* Old Course Hotel & Spa - again proved why it is considered one of the most luxurious accommodations in the UK.

Round 1 was played on The Championship Course at Carnoustie Golf Links. Bob Fagan from Royal Dublin Golf Club took the opening days spoils with a very impressive score of 36 stableford points.

Round 2 took the players to Kingsbarns, and those who were there for the first time walked around the course in awe. One player, who has been fortunate enough to enjoy invites to many of the world's most exclusive and top-rated clubs, called it the best course he had ever played. The best score at Kingsbarns was 36 points by Congressional's Greg Kubasik.

Round 3 saw the players take on the formidable challenge of The Castle Course. This is the newest of the 7 courses in St Andrews and undoubtedly the toughest. It was not a surprise to see many of the players in contention struggle on 'moving day', but Northern Ireland's Boyd Hunter posted a great score of 36 points to land the individual day prize.

The final round was played over the most famous stretch of golfing terrain on the planet - The Old Course at St Andrews. Many of the players were virgins to this experience and quite a few nerves were visible on the first tee. With perfect conditions it was inevitable that final day scoring was going to be low. Raymond McGerr (a close friend of Darren Clarke) succeeded where his old pal had formerly came up short, and captured success at St Andrews with a blistering score of 43 points. Raymond (pictured second from left), who plays off 11, traversed the Old Course in 76 shots to win the individual day prize and overall event by a comfortable margin. A mention must also be made for former world number 4 snooker player, Alan McManus, who posted an impressive scratch round of 73.

Our thanks must go to the four wonderful venues of Carnoustie, Kingsbarns, The Castle and The Old Course. The 5* Old Course Hotel were the perfect host throughout. Thanks also to our dining venues at The Old Course Grill, Sands and The Seafood Restaurant.

To register you interest for next year, e-mail info@connoisseurgolf.com.

The season begins

2011-04-28T02:21:00.000-07:00

The 2011 season kicked off in style with the arrival of the Norcross Group from central California.

April and May are fast becoming the most popular months to travel as the weather in recent years has been exceptional. The Norcross group played Turnberry and Western Gailes before checking in at The Old Course Hotel for a week of sunshine golf at St Andrews. Steve Norcross (pictured above holing out on 17) managed a career best by shooting 85 on The Old Course, but his improvement over the week makes us think he will be back next year to post in the 70's. His brother Everett can also look back on two very near misses for a hole-in-one and be thankful that his bank balance is still intact, as the caddies at The Home of Golf are known to have an above average appetite for the occasional cold beer.

The town had an even greater buzz about it than normal this past week, with students and locals alike both preparing for the Royal Wedding celebrations on Friday 28th April. Jack and Sheena were on typically great form at The Dunvegan, and Kenny at Drouthy Neebors was again proving that his bar on South Street is becoming the place to be in St Andrews. Antoinette - host at The Jigger - never fails to impress with her customary warm welcome.

All courses are in tremendous shape, and if you would like to discuss requirements for your upcoming trip, e-mail Jim Stewart at jim@connoisseurgolf.com. We are delighted to host groups of any size at both The Old Course Hotel and The Fairmont, and there is still availability left for packages including guaranteed Old Course tee-times.

Golf Shops in St Andrews

2011-01-12T13:44:00.000-08:00

Twenty years ago, if you wished to purchase a club shirt or hat to remember your round at a specific course, you would walk past the line of rusting pull-carts, bravely enter the small cupboard of a shop beside the 1st tee and ask the guy smoking a pipe what he had in your size. Nowadays the visiting golfer has a plethora of choices.

St Andrews is now such a mecca for golfers from around the world, that it unsurprisingly has a vast selection of official and independently owned pro-shops and golf merchandise stores. I like to consider it a golfing theme park, but in a classy, refined manner - if that makes sense...

The Links Trust (who manage all seven of the links at St Andrews) have numerous golf shops. Their flagship outlet is now situated directly to the right of the 18th green. It's an enormous store that sells countless varieties of golf shirts, hats, umbrellas, bag tags, outerwear and even tea cups - all crested with that all important Links Trust logo.With top of the line brands ranging from Burberry to Ralph Lauren, this is the place to pick up your high-end designer clobber. It doesn't come cheap though. Expect to pay around £70 ($110 US) for a premium golf shirt or £20 ($30 US) for a cap.

Perhaps the most famous golf shop in town is Auchterlonies, which sits proudly on the corner opposite the Dunvegan pub, around a hundred yards from the final green. They have been making hand-crafted wooden clubs since the firm's inception in 1895. Of course now they also offer the latest in equipment in addition to a wide range of clothing and accessories. What I like most about Auchterlonies is their honest approach and pricing. With their prime location and rich heritage, they could almost be forgiven for charging the earth - but they don't. The clubs are priced at recommended retail price, or even less in some cases, and their high quality golf shirts range from around £25 - £60. They also ensure they are at the fore-front of innovation, having the latest putters and drivers the very week they are released.

There used to be two excellent, independently owned pro-shops further into town, but since Jim Farmer left the trade to assume his position as Honorary Professional at the R&A, I have only tended to use 'The Pro Shop' on Ellice Place. This is a great little shop, owned by local scratch golfer Andrew Donaldson. Here, you can trade in your old equipment, or even pick up a quick sleeve of Pro V1's on your way to the course.

Last year witnessed the first branch of a major chain to arrive in St Andrews when Nevada Bob's opened it's doors on Market Street. Yes, they may sell 2-piece golf balls at a heavily discounted price by the barrel-load, but shopping here is a little like going to the Big Apple and buying a I♥NY tee-shirt that was made in Taiwan.

For the real experience, support the local businesses and you will be sure to leave St Andrews with your own little piece of history.

St Andrew's Day

2010-11-30T06:25:00.000-08:00

St Andrew's Day is celebrated on 30th November.

Andrew was said to have been a disciple of Jesus, and brother to Peter. He was a fisherman from the town of Galilee. On one of his missionary duties, he was reportedly crucified by the Romans at Patras in 69 AD. Apparently he did not feel worthy to have been put to death on the same cross as Jesus, and so asked to be bound to a different shape. This x-shaped frame is the one we see on the logo of The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, and also the white cross of The Saltire Flag.

In the fourth century, some of his remains were said to have been removed from a tomb in Constantinople to a Pictish settlement on the east coast of Scotland by Saint Rule. He was told in a dream to take the bones to the end of the earth for safe keeping, and this settlement went on to become known an St Andrews.

The colours of the Scottish Flag, or The Saltire, are known to have stemmed from a ninth century battle in East Lothian. The Scots were entrenched in a showdown with Northumbrians. The night before battle, St Andrews was said to have appeared in a vision to The High King of Alba. During the fighting the following day, a large cross-shaped cloud appeared in the sky, which encouraged the Scots - who eventually triumphed despite the fact they were outnumbered.

Today, St Andrew's Day is an opportunity to celebrate Scotland, it's culture and it's heritage. The 30th November is a day for bagpipes, thistles and haggis. It is also an opportunity to have a look around the clubhouse of The Royal & Ancient Golf Club which stands proud behind the 1st tee of The Old Course. Non-members are allowed in for a short visit of the club rooms and trophy room.

So although St Andrew himself had nothing to do with golf, his bones have named a town that has become almost as spiritual to golfers as the relics themselves were to the medieval religious pilgrims. Slainte Mhath!

The Torrance Course

2010-11-08T10:26:00.000-08:00

If courses in Scotland were to be judged by scenery, course layout and quality of greens, then The Torrance Course at The 5* Fairmont Resort would be challenging for one of the top spots.

It may not share the history associated with one of it's close neighbours in the St Andrews area, but this is a serious contender among it's more contemporary peers. This was highlighted by it's selection to be one of the qualifying venues for The 2010 Open Championship at The Old Course. At 7230 yards, it's no pushover, and the scores at the Final Qualifying reflected this. Only a fifth of the players broke par over the 36 hole event, and Competition Standard Scratch was calculated at 75 (3 over par).

The Torrance also holds down a regular place on our screens each August when it hosts The Scottish Seniors Open sponsored by Cleveland Golf / Srixon. This year a four round total of -4 proved good enough for Barry Lane to capture the title.

The greens at The Torrance are magnificent. They run fast and true all 12 months of the year, but particularly in the summer season when they are undoubtedly amongst the best putting surfaces in Scotland. The course was re-routed a couple of years ago, and a multitude of Scottish revetted bunkers were added. It's a challenging but fair course from the tee. The par 5's are a classic blend of risk and reward, and the par 4's are an exciting mix of birdie opportunites and tight demanding holes.

It's definitely a course that should be added to any week long itinerary in Scotland. For corporate events, there is probably no better venue in Scotland. When you add a luxurious purpose built clubhouse to the adjacent 18 holes on The Kittocks Course (which is also a championship standard Fairmont course), you have all the ingredients for the perfect days golf.

Connoisseur Golf offer The Torrance Course and The Fairmont's 5* accommodation at preferred rates, and are also available to host corporate events of any size. For further details, visit our main website at http://www.connoisseurgolf.com/.

Drouthy Neebors, St Andrews

2010-11-04T04:08:00.000-07:00

Many of our clients ask me where is the best bar and best place to eat is in St Andrews. The answer could well be under the same roof. Drouthy Neebors in St Andrews is owned by popular local golfer Kenneth Phillip, and is taking over as the place to be for a cold beer after your round on The Old Course.

He has created an atmosphere that attracts all three main components of the town - visiting golfers, locals and students. As with most of the main bars and restaurants in St Andrews it's standing room only during the major tournaments, but throughout the season Drouthy Neebors is one of the few bars that maintains a steady crowd. It's rare that you would walk in and not find yourself having a chat to the neighbouring table about how their golf went on that particular day.

Head chef Martin Reid has grabbed the town's attention with a reasonably priced menu boasting a selection of local dishes and themed specials, all created with locally sourced produce. Very popular among the golfing fraternity is his steakhouse offering. Here you can decide on the cut and weight of your steak, which is then chargrilled to your particular preference. Martin has previously worked as head chef at one of the prestigious golf clubs in St Andrews, and knows exactly what is needed by players, pre and post round.

Located under the ancient landmark of the Westport on South Street, Drouthy Neebors is only a few minutes walk from the course. After you sample one night here, I am sure it will soon become your local for the rest of your trip to The Auld Grey Toon.

White Tees at St Andrews

2010-11-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

This was the first season that visiting golfers were permitted by The Links Trust to choose which tees they wished to play from. Any visitor could play from the white tees on The Jubilee, The New, The Eden and The Castle; while any single-figure handicapper could play from the whites on The Old Course.

Rangers had the authority to move golfers to the yellow tees should they lose their position on the course, but overall the new protocol seemed to work fine. One advantage of this new system was that wear was spread more evenly across the tee boxes, but most importantly it allowed golfers to experience more of The Old Course.

Playing it in excess of 7000 yards affords players more of the experience that a pro would encounter - i.e. having to avoid more bunkers from the tee, longer approach shots, and generally playing a tighter course. Some of the pin positions look a lot more tricky when you're standing with a four-iron in your hand!

For 2011 packages including guaranteed Old Course tee-times, contact us at info@connoisseurgolf.com.

5th at Royal Portrush

2010-08-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

Aptly named 'White Rocks' after the stunning seaside cliffs, the 5th on the Dunluce Course at Royal Portrush is in my opinion one of the best holes in Ireland.

At 411 yards from the championship tees, the length of the hole is not overwhelming. But it's still one of those holes where you will be very happy to walk away with a par. The new tee box requires a carry on the ideal line of around 260 yards. There is a small strip of fairway running down the outside lane of this right-hand dogleg, but for those who possess the required length, it is definitely a hole you should consider shortening with an attacking drive. Both the contours and the downhill nature of this hole can make for some very long tee-shots.

From a good drive, the approach can be anything from 50 - 150 yards depending on your line off the tee. Most of the time the ball will kick across to the left edge of the fairway leaving you around 120 yards to the middle of the green. However, the green is divided into two distinct levels with a steep ridge dissecting top and bottom. It is imperative that you find the correct plateau, but one place you do not want to finish is short and right. A collection of humps and hills will send your ball into the adjacent area of thick rough, leaving a flop shot where not only are you short-sided but you must also hope for a playable lie. Even worse than short and right is overclubbing and going long. A couple of yards over the back fringe is out of bounds where your ball will most likely make it's way towards the sandy beach 100 yards below. A lot of seasoned links players prefer to 'feel' their yardage through experience, but this is one shot where you definitely need to know the pin position and your exact number.

Upon completing the hole, your are rewarded with one of the most beautiful views in the whole of Ireland - the White Rocks Beach, Dunluce Castle and the rugged North Antrim Coastline.

Ogston's on North St

2010-07-29T04:56:00.000-07:00

At Connoisseur Golf we don't normally dip below 5* accommodation. Our clients demand the finest hotels combined with excellent service. Occasionally though, these pre-requisites can be achieved elsewhere and I am delighted to add Ogston's on North Street to our preferred list of hotels in St Andrews.

The rooms give a fresh, clean take on modern Scottish design and the character of the building has not been sacrificed during the recent make-over. The public areas, bars and restaurant have been sympathetically refurbished to a high specification but the general atmosphere remains homely with all the comforts you would expect from a high-end hotel.

Owner and local entrpreneur, Fraser Ogston, must be delighted to have added North St as his flagship venue. Where it impresses as a hotel, it excels when it comes to location. Situated a mere 300 yards from the 18th green of the Old Course, it doesn't get much more central when it comes to finding a great base in St Andrews.

Manager, Ali Knight, is one of the bright young lights of the hospitality sector in Scotland. Having played cricket and rugby at international level and also being a keen golfer, he knows exactly how to cater for the golfing fraternity. Ali is always on hand to ensure you get the most from your stay at Ogston's, and is especially happy to go that extra mile for Connoisseur Golf clients.

If you require any further information on Ogston's on North Street, don't hesitate to e-mail or give me a call.

1916 Rebellion Tour

2010-07-15T00:28:00.000-07:00

I am delighted to introduce a guest blog from one of our clients currently on tour - Nancy Carpenter:

One of the best tours Connoisseur Golf suggested for a day off from golf was The 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour in Dublin. We met Lorcan Collins, our guide, at The International Bar on Wicklow Street where he greeted us at the door, handed out a brochure about the tour and then invited us downstairs for a pre-tour briefing. The dark, mysterious basement pub set the scene for the tour. Lorcan related tales that made you feel the urgency of the secret meetings and coded messages between various rebel groups who came together to fight for Irish Independence. For two hours we walked through the streets of Dublin as Lorcan, an exceptional storyteller, pointed out historical landmarks while introducing us to the men and women who led the struggle for independence -- and adding his own brand of humor to their stories. When he ended the tour at the Post Office where much of the action had taken place, the columns with bullet holes almost a century old spoke solemnly of the failed rebellion and the execution of the leaders which ultimately lead to Irish independence. The website for this "Simply Must Do" walking tour is www.1916rising.com. July 14, 2010 --- Nancy Carpenter

Seafood in Kilkee

2010-07-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

The next time you're at Doonbeg, don't be afraid to venture outside the resort. Only 10 minutes away, the seaside town of Kilkee offers an outstanding selection of gastropubs and restaurants. Naughton's, in particular, is a little gem of a pub. I say pub, but the food is outstanding. If the seafood was any fresher you would be eating it underwater. Alhough it's usually packed, there's a very laid back, relaxing feel about the place. Because they do such a great trade during the summer months, no bookings are taken. So simply arrive at your leisure and browse the menu with a nice pint of Guinness (one of the best I've had in the south west of Ireland incidentally). The jumbo tiger prawns certainly live up to their name. Each one of the beasts needed cutting into three...

Kilkee, you may remember, was the starting point for Tom Coyne's mammoth walk around Ireland in which he played every decent course the Emerland Isle has to offer... on foot. "A Course Called Ireland" is well worth a read, and although I may not agree with his ranking of Irish bars (my specialist subject), the book provides a very humourous commentary of his golfing heroics.

Just around the corner from Naughton's is The Strand - a fantastic hotel/bar/restaurant. Importantly, this place ticks my no.1 box - being allowed to eat from the restaurant menu while sitting at the bar and not feel out of place. There was even a widescreen plasma showing live PGA tour golf, so everything was all set for my perfect evening of post-round entertainment. The food didn't disappoint either. A strong fish menu was dotted with a couple of alternate choices, but why would anyone not order seafood when you can see the boats coming in 100 yards away from the window? The Strand is first-class and I will be certain to return next time I arrive in Doonbeg.

The Turnberry Suite

2010-06-22T06:23:00.000-07:00

Connoisseur Golf were delighted to accept an invitation on Friday evening to celebrate the launch of Turnberry's new flagship reception space - The Turnberry Suite.

With far reaching sea views, The Turnberry Suite is a unique gathering space where floor-to-ceiling windows open up to an extensive terrace - perfect for summer barbecues or evening drinks. With a capacity of 200 banquet-style, this fresh, spacious room is ideally suited for wedding receptions, corporate dinners and social events. The adjacent kitchen allows for full catering while staging and dance floor alike can be easily accommodated. With its location by The Spa at Turnberry, guests can have exclusive use of the 14 Spa bedrooms, perhaps for the wedding party or conference speakers.

The reception night itself was everything we have come to expect from Turnberry - lavish, professional, fun and delivered with an incredible attention to detail. Expertly prepared gin cocktails were on offer from the Hendricks bar, with the 'Ailsa Breeze' in particular going down a treat. The casual barbeque and finger buffet format worked perfectly for this particular occasion. The wide range of summery offerings included scallop ceviche, lemon sole, lamb cutlets, caesar salad and foie gras. Amongst the desserts, the tiramisu was a fine finish to a great evening of gourmet food.

It was a showcase of what can be achieved by hosting your event at Turnberry, and the reception only served to cement their place at the top of the very best five star establishments in Scotland. An exceptional evening!

Rathmore in full swing as McDowell wins US Open

2010-06-22T03:58:00.000-07:00

As Graeme McDowell kept his composure coming down the stretch at Pebble Beach... Jim Blee, the barman at Rathmore Golf Club in Portrush, was busy chilling the champagne. That was of course in between all the Guinness, Bushmills, Gin, Vodka and Rum he was being asked to serve at an alarming rate by the club members...

This would be the mother of all parties. Graeme is idolized at Rathmore Golf Club, and rightly so. From the year he almost made a clean sweep of Irish amateur events, to representing GB&I in The Walker Cup, to winning his first professional tourney, to playing in The Ryder Cup... but a Major Championship? Was he destined to go down in history as the first European golfer to win the US Open in 40 years?

When Havret missed from eight feet at the last, Graeme knew he needed a five to win. Under normal circumstances he would've had a pop at the green in two, but this situation could not be remotely described as 'normal'. After laying up, an approach shot from 99 yards found the middle of the green and left him with the old chestnut of two putts to win. It was cool, controlled golf and decision-making from start to finish.

Back in Rathmore, the drink was going down quicker than it could be bought and poor old Jim was having to translate orders that were being delivered in a very broken, slurred form of the English language. Not that it mattered though because the sense of taste usually disappears around the same time as speech, balance and sight. The roar from this tiny golf club in Portrush may have been heard on the Monterey Peninsula itself.

Graeme was US Open champion, and it was great that his dad Kenny was there to share in the moment with him. 'You're something kid' was the line to his son, and who could disagree. I'm sure Rathmore will enjoy looking after that little silver trinket for the next twelve months, my only worry is that it may be returned to the USGA smelling a little of alcohol (cleaning products of course).

Oh and at Rathmore, the party is still going. It will most likely hit fifth gear when Graeme arrives with his new shiny toy. Does anyone know the number for the Guinness man?

CONGRATULATIONS GRAEME McDOWELL!

Fairmont right on cue

2010-06-22T02:45:00.000-07:00

Some of snooker's top stars took part in the 2010 Scottish Snooker Golf Day held on 6th June in association with Connoisseur Golf and The Fairmont St Andrews. The Torrance Course, which will be used by The R&A as a final qualifying venue for The Open Championship, proved a huge hit with all the players. Marcus Campbell's team won the overall scramble event with Alan McManus' team coming in second. Three time world champion - John Higgins - showed a glimpse of his golfing prowess on the eighth hole by hitting his tee-shot to within inches of the cup and claiming the nearest-the-pin prize. Almost £2000 was raised for the development of junior snooker in Scotland, and a fantastic day was had by all who supported the event!

Scottish Snooker Golf Day

2010-04-13T05:03:00.000-07:00

Sunday 6th June is your opportunity to play alongside some of the world's top snooker stars at The 2010 Scottish Snooker Golf Day. The event is being organised by Connoisseur Golf in association with Scottish Snooker and The 5* Fairmont St Andrews. Three times World Champion - John Higgins, Alan McManus, Graeme Dott and Marcus Campbell are among the confirmed entrants.

The format is a 4 man team Texas Scramble over the fabulous Torrance Course in St Andrews. This is one of the toughest and most beautiful links tests in Scotland, backed up by the fact that it plays host to Final Qualifying for The 2010 Open Championship.

The event also includes a two course lunch and the opportunity to bid in a silent auction consisting of snooker memorabilia and golfing merchandise. All proceeds from the day will be invested in junior snooker across Scotland.

To find out further information and details on how to enter, visit http://www.scottishsnookergolfday.com/

Inverlochy Castle

2010-03-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

It takes something special to be a recipient of Travel and Leisure's 'Best European Hotel', but Inverlochy Castle is not your typical 5* accommodation.

Situated in the foothills of Ben Nevis, Inverlochy Castle is set against some of Scotland's most beautiful highland scenery. It was built in 1863, and ten years later hosted Queen Victoria, where she penned in her diary "I never saw a lovely or more romantic spot". The hotel boasts 17 wonderful individually styled rooms, and a Michelin Star restaurant.

The hotel's Rolls Royce parked adjacent to the main entrance immediately gives you a sense of the sophistication that is associated with Inverlochy. The warm personal welcome that follows is greatly appreciated, and your eyes begin to roam around the magnificent reception hall. The service is impeccable. On Sunday I dined with a couple of Connoisseur Golf clients in The Red Room, and it was without question one of the finest lunches I have experienced in Scotland. Looking out across the estate, the views were spectacular.

Although it may not be the most accessible address in Scotland, Inverlochy is worth every mile of the journey. It is the most serene and idyllic venue imaginable. This particular stretch of Scotland is not particularly blessed with world-renowned golf courses, but who cares.

Watson to play at St Andrews

2010-02-17T06:55:00.000-08:00

Tom Watson has this week confirmed that he will be in St Andrews in July for the 150th staging of The Open Championship. Last year at Turnberry he came so close to becoming the oldest ever winner of The Claret Jug, but eventually lost in a play-off to fellow American Stewart Cink.

Watson is known as one of the all-time great wind and links players. He has won a staggering five Opens (four in Scotland), and almost made it 6 down on the Ayrshire coast last year. He has never won at St Andrews, and believes that his chances are a little slimer now that many of the holes on The Old Course have been lengthened. The 4th worries him in particular, because if it plays into the wind, he may not be able to reach the wide part of the fairway off the back tee. But if his game clicks into gear, he is still a wonderful ball-striker, and it would be great to see him involved come the back nine on Sunday.

One thing is for sure, there would be no more popular a champion at St Andrews than Tom Watson.

Caddies

2010-02-10T07:07:00.000-08:00

The caddie fee in Scotland or Ireland is possibly a little higher than you would pay at your local country club (£60 GBP including tip is generally expected), but in return you will receive the advice which could define the overall enjoyment of your golf trip. Most of the top courses now have caddy programmes in place where only the best local caddies are bestowed on the visiting golfer. Some even impose exams and entrance criteria before admittance to the caddyshack is granted. It has become such a sought after profession by members of the local communities that the lazy and those without a keen golfing brain need not apply. The window of the caddyshack at St Andrews displays a large number which signifies the number of caddies sent out on that particular day. Demand is such that during the summer months, this number often reaches the 100 mark by lunchtime.

In the nearby bars, you will always hear the conversations of 'who is the best caddie in town'. In my experience, the true contenders never seem to enter these fiercely contested debates. Their slightly more reticent retort usually goes along the lines of, "...I've been walking this course for 40 years, but I'm still learning new things every day...". However, as a general rule across the links courses, you are more likely to receive one of the better caddies through a morning tee-time. An earlier start (and more importantly, an earlier finish) seems to be the reward for climbing the caddiemaster's ranking list.

There are some courses where I would say taking a caddie is almost compulsory. Not because the club force it upon you, but because of the difficulty of the course. Take Royal County Down for example. Even a scratch handicapper would have no chance of breaking 80 round here on his debut without the help of a caddie. Blind tee-shots, hidden bunkers, and severely sloping greens are something that a newcomer cannot overcome without the aid of some local knowledge. Another great example is the 12th hole on the Old Course at St Andrews. From the tee it looks like a wide open fairway. But the contours cleverly disguise half a dozen nasty bunkers that can easily turn a 4 into a 7.

But a caddie is so much more than a directional aid. Aside from reading greens, his most important job is course management. This is where a caddie can really set about lowering his employer's score. A great example of this is on the 14th of The Old Course. Many golfers go straight for the green with their second shot on this par 5 hole, without realising they are attempting a 200+ yard carry over the unseen Hell Bunker. Unless the caddie feels this shot is well within the golfer's capabilities, he will often suggest a lay-up down the 5th fairway. This leaves a longer approach, but it takes Hell Bunker out of the equation and provides the best angle into the green.

Although the stereotypical image of the drunk and dishevelled caddie is slowly changing, you only have to look to a request made by Old Tom Morris in 1864 asking for caddies to "...appear clean and moderately sober..." to realise that some things will never completely change.

The Balaka

2009-11-17T06:03:00.000-08:00

St Andrews is famous for three things - golf, students, and The Balaka.

Over it's 28 year history this Bangladeshi restaurant has won countless awards, but it's owner - Mohammed Abdur Rouf - takes greater pleasure in personally welcoming all of his guests and ensuring they have a wonderful meal. He is extremely proud of his restaurant, and rightly so.

Over the last ten years in St Andrews, I've gotten to know a wide selection of people who call the 'Auld Grey Toon' home. But I could probably count on one hand those that wouldn't opt for The Balaka as their favourite restaurant. It really is that good. And it's not only the locals that savour this place, it is also a strong favourite with golfing pilgrims worldwide.

The mixture of it's clientele makes for a great ambience. Here you meet students, golfers, locals, tourists and even celebrities. The walls are adorned with pictures of famous diners including Sir Sean Connery, Chris O'Donnell, Colin Montgomerie and many of the world's top golfers.

The quality of the food can be accredited to three main factors. Firstly, many of the staff have been with the restaurant since in opened in 1981. The head chef, Pius, is one of the longest serving members of staff, and it makes a refreshing change in the restaurant business to see a top chef enjoying working in one kitchen for such an extended period of time. Secondly, The Balaka are proud to grow many of their own herbs in the adjacent garden - which in the warmer months also accommodates some outdoor tables. The freshness of such an important ingredient to Bengali cooking can make all the difference. But what stands out for me is the quality and preparation of the meats. Both the lamb and chicken dishes contain only the most tender, marinated cuts. And should you not be sure about exactly what to order, your knowledgeable waiter will be delighted to explain the different dishes or even offer something that's not on the menu.

The list of starters is wide and varied, so I often go with the mixed plate which includes a little of everything. Combining this with a few poppadoms and dips is the perfect way to start the evening.

My personal favourite - Chilli Chicken - is actually found on the last page of the menu, and introduces a touch of Thai cooking along with the Bengali techniques. However, I am also partial to Green Herb Chicken or a Lamb Madras. The nan bread is exceptional here, and the pilau rice is always fresh and authentic.

For refreshment, don't forget to go with a chilled Cobra beer. This was the first restaurant I ever tried Cobra, and wherever I've had it since reminds me of The Balaka.

For those of you that have visited the Balaka before, I'm sure it won't be long until you next return. But for those that have not, don't be afraid to give it a go. Many of the visiting golfers I see (especially from North America, where the quality of Indian style food is perhaps not as good) often turn their nose up at a curry evening. Believe me, this will be your favourite meal of the week.

The One-Armed Bandits

2009-10-23T04:51:00.000-07:00

The Old Course at Ballybunion is perhaps the most famous of the championship links in the south west of Ireland, and it is without doubt one of the country's best layouts.

Unlike so many of the toughest coastal courses, The Old Course is relatively straight forward off the tee, but there is a very high premium on approach shots. Small, irregularly shaped greens that often hide devilish pin positions will decide the success of your round. Undulating fairways and a mixture of contour changes make club selection to these small greens even more difficult. It certainly tightened Stewart Cink's game up in the week preceding the Open Championship at Turnberry. He went over to the Ayrshire coast and played beautifully throughout the four days, finally overcoming Tom Watson in a playoff to lift the Claret Jug.

The second stands out as a particularly tough hole. Its 394 yards play more like 450 when you factor in the climb up to the green. The fairway is reasonably generous but finding the left half makes for a more favourable approach. The green slopes from back to front and must be found in regulation if you are to have any hope of making par. Penal bunkering and unforgiving run-off areas make it an almost impossible job to rescue a four after a stray approach. My good friend Tom Whelan recently invited me down to play during his visit over from Washington for the member guest. To say I was confident of victory in a one-off bout over 18 holes would be an understatement. But after he rolled in a 12 foot putt for the most textbook of birdies on this unmerciful hole, I knew I was in for a tough day. It proved to be very tough, and I was eating my words on the 16th green.

However this was a match within a match, because Tom and I were also playing betterball against the renowned 'One-Armed Bandits'. For those of you that have not yet lost money to this duo of sandbaggers, the pairing consists of Joe Guerin (past captain of Ballybunion) and Graeme Dawson (golf and leisure sales manager at the Fairmont St Andrews). Both play without the aid of a left arm, and use a combination of prosthetic and home-manufactured gadgets to devastating effect.

After an unlikely series of dove-tailing, Tom and I managed to find ourselves still in the game and only 1-down on the 14th tee. After a wayward 9-iron and a skulled chip I found myself in a not-so-pleasant spot in the first cut of rough to the left of the green. Somehow the ball found the bottom of the cup with my third shot, and Joe missed an eight foot birdie putt after a beautiful approach. This was to prove a turning point, and the One-Armed Bandits knew they still had a game on their hands.

After a few out-of-character holes where I almost resembled a 5 handicap golfer, we stood all square on the final hole. The 18th at Ballybunion is one of those holes that looks relatively straightforward, a medium length par four that doglegs uphill and to the left, but again the difficulty is in the approach. As I waded about in tangly rough for the next 360 yards, Tom and Graeme both played two fine shots to find themselves 30 feet from the hole. My partner shook off the yips to make par, leaving Graeme a birdie putt for the win. Bearing in mind this is a guy that in his prime held the amateur course record at Shinnecock Hills and reached the latter stages of matchplay at the Scottish Amateur, we would have been very content at this point to walk away with a halved match. However when the first putt came up a good four feet short, our eyebrows almost touched our fastly receeding hairlines. Joe gave a rye smile, knowing that his rock solid partner was merely toying with us wannabe hustlers. But with the clubhouse looking on, and the fear of spoiling their unblemished career record, the ball didn't even threaten the hole.

By all accounts, we finished celebrating this most unlikely of victories 12-18 hours later. Tom and I may not be scratch golfers, but we are major championship contenders when it comes to drinking Guinness. Ballybunion is full of fantastic bars, but be sure to have a bite to eat in McMunns and then walk around the corner for a few jars in Mikey Joes. You should also seek out a game with the One Armed Bandits, because they are smarting from their first ever defeat and are perhaps not the impregnable force of days gone by.

Killarney Park Hotel

2009-10-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Killarney is an excellent central base for playing the renowned golf courses of South West Ireland. Furthermore, the town itself is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the country outside Dublin. From May until September this place is thriving with an eclectic mix of travellers from all over the world. It would take you an entire week to fully enjoy the plethora of traditional Irish pubs, many boasting live music, but all experts in pouring that perfect pint of Guinness.

There are countless accommodation providers in the town and it's surroundings, but The 5* Killarney Park Hotel stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of facilities, service, and an overall aura of luxury.

Greeted by the wonderful aroma of a log fire, you will immediately feel comfortable and relaxed as the concierge welcomes you to the hotel. The deluxe rooms are spacious, with views of either the hotel gardens and the mountains beyond or the town itself with the Cathedral and church steeples in the background. Fresh linen and soft Irish blankets finish off a country house decor that also includes the required modern amenities such as air conditioning, plasma tvs, complimentary internet access and large marble bathrooms. Only one upgrade further are The Killarney Park suites, which take the comfort mentioned above to the next level. You may choose between classical splendour or comtemporary style. Opting for the latter, my only problem was prying myself away from the widescreen plasma - which rose majestically at the touch of a button from the end of the sumptious kingsize bed.

Breakfast is far from ordinary. Yes, there is a continental buffet and full cooked Irish breakfast, but the option of beef fillet with saute potatoes gives an indication of the luxurious treatment on offer here. Later in the day, The Park Restaurant arguably provides the best fine-dining in town, all complimented with an extensive winelist and knowledgable, attentive service.

Many hotels at the lower end of the 5* spectrum include a small pool or massage room to tick off another box on the discerning traveller's requirements, but The Spa at The Killarney Park is an attraction within itself. The perfect way to ease jetlag on the first day of arrival, or to refresh after a long afternoon on the fairways.

Connoisseur Golf regard The Killarney Park Hotel as the premier 5* accommodation in the area, and would be delighted should you wish to take advantage of our exclusive rates and add a stay here on to your Irish itinerary.

Road Hole Extended

2009-10-21T03:01:00.000-07:00

Probably the most famous hole in golf, the 17th on The Old Course at St Andrews, is to be lengthened by 35 yards in preparation for the 2010 Open Championship.

The 150th staging of golf's oldest major will take place next July, and the course is a very different beast to that faced by professional golfers throughout the 20th century. Although many new tees had been added before the 2005 Open, this is surely the most controversial, and perhaps the most unnecessary. Currently the 17th plays 455 yards. With out of bounds on the right, thick rough on the left, an extremely narrow green complex, and the road hole bunker itself to contend with - you would've thought this hole was intimidating enough. But the powers that be are concerned many of the longer hitters can still tame this hole by hitting a long iron off the tee. They are adamant that it should be a driving hole, and that is most definitely what it will now be.

My argument is that golfers should have the right to select their own path of course management. Even in 2005, only the very longest hitters were choosing a hybrid or long iron from the tee. This choice made the second half of the hole even tougher, because they were now faced with another long iron to a treacherous green. Those brave enough to hit driver, and land it on the short stuff, were rewarded with a 150 yard approach to the same treacherous green. By adding this new tee, you alienate guys like Tom Watson who will now struggle to reach in two. Into the wind, shorter hitters may even have to face the humility of playing around the old railway shed, lay up to the tightest part of the fairway with a long iron, and hit a third shot from around 90 yards. This isn't great tv, and certainly not the way the hole was designed to be played.

The new tee in question is being built in the adjacent driving range which used to be part of the old Eden Course. This is the first time the hole will have been altered in more than a century. The R&A's reasoning is that by widening the fairway, the players will have a larger and fairer target to aim at with driver, with the hole playing as originally intended. If Tiger Woods had been sitting in on that meeting, he may have found it tough to hold back a smile.

Morrissey's in Doonbeg

2009-09-29T04:55:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite things about playing golf in Ireland is the multitude of terrific restaurants in the "hidden gem" category. They are quite often found in the immediate vicinity of large resorts or major hotels, but unfortunately many travelling golfers prefer to relax and eat at their chosen base for the evening instead of venturing out for dinner. Sometimes it really is worth the five or ten minute transfer to dine at a local restaurant.

Morrisey's Seafood Bar and Grill is located in the village of Doonbeg, less than three miles from the fabulous resort of Doonbeg itself on the West Clare coastline. The decor beautifully blends the establishment's cultural heritage with fresh modern Irish design, and the locals mix with the visiting golfers to provide the perfect ambience.

Prices are very reasonable considering the quality of food being served here, with much of the menu consisting of local produce sourced only a few miles from the restaurant. One thing that stood out for me immediately was the homemade basket of bread placed on the table when I arrived. The selection of dark soda, white and tomato breads was divine, and left me wondering whether or not I actually required a starter!

The appetisers are light and fresh, and options are also included for the non-fish lover such as bruschetta or chicken caesar salad. However, this place is known for it's superb seafood, and I went with the entree of "Smoked and Barbequed Salmon". Thick chunks of chargrilled salmon came enveloped in a casing of the smoked variety, placed beside a side salad and garnished with red onion and capers. I'm somewhat of a salmon lover, and have experienced many great and not-so-great dishes along the way, but this was one of finest I have yet encountered. I gave the dessert a miss, and sat back with a couple of pints because Morrissey's is one of those rare places where you feel comfortable eating or drinking alone at any table in the restaurant.

The food and hospitality at the Doonbeg resort is up there with the best in Ireland, but for something that little bit different, don't be afraid to make the visit down to Morrissey's on at least one of the evenings. I was very impressed, and can't wait to return.

Killimer - Tarbert Ferry

2009-09-29T04:29:00.000-07:00

In order to play the very best links courses in the south west of Ireland, there is a significant amount of travel time involved. In order to keep this to a minimum you must build a sensible itinerary and choose the best routing. One service that allows golfers to connect easily from Clare to Shannon and vice-versa is the Killimer - Tarbert ferry.

It can save over 85 miles on a journey from Lahinch to Ballybunion, and it provides a welcome respite from a long, arduous drive. The two ferries - "Shannon Breeze" and "Shannon Dolphin" can each carry over 50 cars and 350 passengers. They can also host a wide variety of larger vehicles including coaches, caravans and commercial vehicles. With sailings every 30 minutes and no booking required, it is an exceptionally user-friendly service.

The crossing itself only takes 20 minutes, and you have a great chance of seeing dolphins in the Shannon Estuary. Not only a great way to save time on your journey, but an attraction within itself.

Sailing a 78' Maxi

2009-08-25T12:43:00.000-07:00

Most Connoisseur Golf clients sensibly insert a 'day-off' into their itinerary. A run of consecutive days on the golf course puts a lot of walking miles on the clock, but it's also nice to take time out and enjoy what else Scotland has to offer besides it legendary links.

The question then becomes, " What to do on our day off? "

Some go sightseeing in Edinburgh, others like to explore the multitude of whisky distilleries, and quite a few groups like nothing more than spending the day in the pub - telling everyone how close they were to making par on The Road Hole at St Andrews...

In 2010, for something a little different, Connoisseur Golf will be offering chartered sailing on Scotland's most famous racing yacht - The Arnold Clark Drum.

Originally commissioned by Simon Le Bon (lead singer of Duran Duran) in 1985, this 78 foot Maxi was designed by Ron Holland and built by Vision Yachts of Cowes for top racer Skip Novak. Drum went on to finish 3rd overall in the following year's Whitbread Round The World Yacht Race.

It is based at Rhu Marina, 45 minutes from Glasgow or a mere 15 minutes from Cameron House on the shores of Loch Lomond. You can choose to actively participate in the sailing of the yacht under the watchful eye of the skipper and his crew, or simply sit back and enjoy the beautiful Scottish scenery.

I can personally vouch - golfing aside, there is no more enjoyable a way to spend a day in Scotland. You begin the journey by sailing out from the shores of The Gareloch, and entering the Firth of Clyde before heading down through the stretch of water between Dunoon and Gourock. A couple of hours further down the coast brings you to a nice sheltered spot at The Holy Loch where the anchor is lowered for a spot of lunch. A wonderful three course meal is then served, with wines, beer and soft drinks complimentary throughout the day. Eating haggis, neeps & tatties and watching the sun reflect across the sea towards the Ayrshire coastline is about as Scottish as it gets.

The crew know how to adapt the level of involvement to each individual's experience and skills, but even our group of novice yachtsmen managed to master the art of tacking and we all got to enjoy a few minutes alone on the wheel. Sailing equipment isn't necessary because oilskin trousers and jackets are supplied before setting off. The only requirements to note in advance are trainers (rubber soled tennis shoes) and a warm hat.

If you have any further questions about sailing on the 78' Drum, or the possibility of adding it to your itinerary then contact me through the main website at http://www.connoisseurgolf.com/.

Lundin Links

2009-08-18T02:59:00.000-07:00

Basing your Scottish golf vacation in St Andrews opens up the possibilities to play a host of Fife's great links courses. With history dating back to 1868, Lundin Golf Club is one of the finest.

This James Braid designed golf course is situated within a half hour drive of The Home of Golf. Although it only measures 6400 yards, the R&A's Championship committee have selected it as a Final Qualifying venue for the Open on several occasions. It's an intelligent player's course, and one which rewards course management over length from the tee. Just like the links at Elie down the road, it contains a wealth of ingenious short par 4's. These holes are usually defined with strategically-placed bunkers, and even a burn that meanders through the course. Take the 10th for example - a mere 272 yards. But in order to drive the burn a carry of 250 yards is required from the tee. A small green with punishing bunkers awaits an errant approach.

However, patience around this layout is often rewarded with birdies. There are probably half a dozen holes where it's possible to pick up shots, but the par 4 11th most definitely does not fall in this category. 464 yards through a narrow fairway to a small green. Thick rough on the left and gorse to the right.

Lundin has many famous admirers, but perhaps none more vocal than Brad Faxon, who treats the seaside course as one of his favourites. He once shot 63 here in Open qualifying, and stated "Lundin Links will always have a special place in my heart".

Sitting in the quaint little clubhouse with a wholesome meal and nip of whisky gives you a strong feeling of Fife's golfing tradition. It's a nice break from the crowded fairways at St Andrews, and a quiet relaxing day on a fun golf course. If you're not one of golf's new breed who demand to play from the back tee's at every course, and you simply enjoy a leisurely walk around a beautiful old style links then Lundin is not to be overlooked.

2010 St Andrews Golf Packages

2009-08-14T04:41:00.000-07:00

Connoisseur Golf are now taking bookings for 2010 St Andrews Golf Packages. Luxury five night itineraries with guaranteed Old Course tee-times start from £1995 + VAT, and include a full-time chauffeured Mercedes Viano exclusive to your group.

All itineraries are bespoke to our clients' needs, but most tend to include the wonderful links courses at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. There are also a wealth of championship courses in the area such as The New Course, The Jubilee Course, The Castle Course, Crail, and The Dukes. Our preferred 5* hotel - The Fairmont St Andrews also boasts two magnificent courses in The Kittocks and The Torrance, the latter of which is hosting final qualifying for next year's Open Championship on The Old Course.

Of course it is possible to personalize your trip with further Open Championship venues in East Lothian and The West Coast. Turnberry was presented in perfect condition back in July, and played host to one of the most memorable tournaments in living history with Tom Watson rolling back the years to play some remarkable golf. A round on The Ailsa Course here, and accommodation at the famed Turnberry Hotel is a great addition to any trip.

Gleneagles is proud to be staging the 2014 Ryder Cup, and you can test the PGA Centenary course out for yourself before watching the USA doing battle with Europe on their home soil. Gleneagles is one of the finest 5* hotels in the British Isles with Michelin Star dining, three 18 hole golf courses, and activities including shooting, fishing and an equestrian centre.

Or, if you would like to spectate at The 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews and then play the Old Course straight after the pros, we are offering top of the line packages on both a personal and corporate basis. Connoisseur Golf have some terrific private accommodation options still available in St Andrews for the Open, including 3, 4 and 5 bedroom luxury homes within a few miles of the course. The jewel in the crown is a 5 bedroom Country Mansion with private chef and mature grounds a mere 10 minutes from the Old Course - the perfect retreat away from the buzz and excitement of the tournament.

You can customize any trip to Scotland or Ireland with a range of luxurious transportation options including chauffeured Mercedes coach or MPV transfers, cruises, and chartered helicopters or jets.

As always, I am available for your enquiries at jim@connoisseurgolf.com or you can speak with me on +44 (0)141 33 22 389.

Luggage Forward

2009-08-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

Connoisseur Golf are proud to announce our partnership with Luggage Forward - the industry leader in providing fast and secure shipping to over 200 countries.

Instead of being lumbered with your large suitcases and golf travel covers, you can now send them in advance and meet them at your destination only a few days later. The process is simple:

1. Tell us where and when you want your luggage picked up

2. Provide us with a few further details to ensure a speedy transfer through Customs

3. Let us know where you want it delivered

4. We send you the relevant bag tags to affix to your luggage

5. Travel hassle free and be safe in the knowledge your luggage will be waiting at your destination

This is the perfect solution to the age old problem of dragging golf clubs through a busy airport. We offer a 40lb and 50lb weight option, and delivery from the US to Scotland or Ireland can be guaranteed in 2-4 days. The link to our personalized Luggage Forward website where we can track your cases throughout the shipping process will be added shortly to the lower toolbar on the main website at http://www.connoisseurgolf.com/. If you have any further questions on shipping or any other facet of how we make golf travel effortless and enjoyable, contact me at jim@connoisseurgolf.com.

Portrush to host Open?

2009-07-18T03:49:00.000-07:00

Many of the world's top golfers, most vociferously - Darren Clarke, have been calling for the R&A to reconsider staging The Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

The Dunluce course is without doubt one of the top links courses in the world, and if reduced to a par 70 like Turnberry, would prove a very stiff test. The questions raised over Portrush have always been related to infrastructure. But what does this actually mean?

Well, in 2007 the R&A's Championship Secretary, David Hill, researched the possibility of bringing The Open back to Portrush (incidentally his home town). He concluded that while the course would be a fantastic venue, the surrounding area would struggle to cope with the huge crowds. But as Darren Clarke points out, what does Turnberry have that Portrush lacks? In my opinion, the location and road networks surrounding the South Ayrshire course are not conducive to holding a Major Championship. The only obvious exit from Turnberry leads to Glasgow - 90 minutes to the north. When the officials, players and media get housed around the course, there is absolutely no accommodation left within sight. Several of this year's competitors have even found themselves sleeping in trailer parks (or caravans as we call them here). Forward-thinking fans may have got lucky and found nearby beds in the town of Ayr (30mins), but most are forced to endure a two hour train and bus combination journey from Glasgow.

In Northern Ireland, the new extension of dual carriageway means Belfast is only an hour's travel from Portrush. The major towns of Londonderry and Ballymena are situated much closer. Perhaps what is costing Royal Portrush most dearly are the dates on which the Open usually falls. Mid-July is when most of the country's blue-collar workers take their holidays, and many of them choose to spend that time in - you've guessed it - Portrush. Not for golfing reasons, but because of it's famed sandy beaches and amusement park. The proximity of the dates to "The 12th of July", when thousands take to the streets in commemoration of a historic battle, could also be seen to harm the bid's chances. But there is now very little trouble associated with this event, and none whatsoever with the area in question.

With the R&A announcing the destination of future venues several years in advance, perhaps a suitable body such as The Players Committee should ask the governing body what exactly Portrush needs to do in order to satisfy it's doubters. Many of the top players in the world count The Dunluce among their favourite courses, it has two airports within 40 minutes, and it has the desired history (Portrush is the only course to have previously staged The Open in 1951 when it was won by Max Faulkner). It would add a burst of excitement to the build-up of the tournament, and it would be fantastic for Northern Ireland's economy - a small country that has given so much to the world of golf. Hopefully the R&A can reconsider, or at least provide the growing group of lobbyists with some satisfactory reasoning, because bringing the tournament to Turnberry undermines all previous excuses.

Ace at Kingsbarns

2009-07-18T03:23:00.000-07:00

Congratulations are in order for one of our clients - Peter Smith - a guest of Tullett Prebon, who made a Hole-In-One earlier this month at Kingsbarns.

His seven iron at the 165 yard second hole took one bounce, checked and dropped in. Kingsbarns kindly presented Peter with a certificate to remember his special moment, but what will most likely make it even more memorable will be the resulting credit card bill. Satisfying nine other thirsty brokers in the clubhouse doesn't seem like just reward!

The Carrick

2009-06-18T02:07:00.001-07:00

At first, I had thought of writing an article on both Cameron House and The Carrick. But to not single out each individual element would be unfair such is their quality. Opened in 2007, The Carrick is De Vere's flagship golf course, and a reputed £7M was invested to make sure it delivered on all fronts. That it does.

What you can't design or create though is the view. The Carrick is blessed with one of the most inspiring panoramic vistas you are ever likely to encounter. Views of Ben Lomond and The Trossachs gracefully merge with the romantic waters of Loch Lomond.

But building a fun little scenic course wasn't in architect Doug Carrick's thoughts, he wanted to construct a genuine championship golf course. Ideally you would like to see an extra couple of hundred yards added to the 7086 listed on the scorecard. However, when you take into consideration the par of 71 and the changes in elevation - it certainly isn't lacking in the length department.

The course examines your management skills right from the off. The opening hole urges you to hit driver and cut a little off the dogleg, but there is no distinct advantage in doing so. It's these little temptations put in place by the designer that make the battle between you and the course so challenging.

The 3rd and 4th holes are both bordered by water off the tee, and again the test is to resist hitting driver. The 4th in particular is a beautiful hole, and those who have played the Palmer Course at The K Club will immediately recognise the similarities with it's 17th.

The signature hole or stretch of holes is probably the loop at 14 and 15. The 14th plays 199yards, and 6o feet downhill. The views of Ben Lomond are breathtaking, but the challenge this time is club selection. Such a sharp drop in elevation makes it tough to anticipate the playing yardage. The green is also heavily bunkered, and should you miss the target by any further, it has run-off areas short and right. Walk off here with a three and you have either been very precise or very lucky. The 15th is down at the lochside, and the scenery begins to blend into the course. If you can get something turning over right-to-left here you may have a chance at going for the green in two. Hit a decent shot in and you may even impress Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson, who owns a property overlooking the Loch here.

A decent drive at the doglegging 18th leaves a mid-iron into a smallish green protected by water short and left. The clubhouse looks on, as do the inhabitants of the roof top infinity pool, so be sure to please the galleries with a decent approach.

All that's left to do is enjoy a cold pint and a bite to eat from The Claret Jug - The Carrick's trendy but comfortable 19th hole. The surroundings are spacious, and perfect for an upmarket corporate event. Situated less than 30 minutes from Glasgow Airport, it's also extremely convenient.

Without the landscape and views, I would rate The Carrick as a tough, but enjoyable golf course. But set where it is on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, it simply can't be missed.

Cameron House

2009-06-17T03:16:00.000-07:00

Many of our clients treat their accommodation as seriously as their golf. Everyone knows all about Gleneagles, Turnberry and The Old Course Hotel, but perhaps one of the finest 5* hotels in Scotland often goes under the radar - Cameron House on Loch Lomond.

It dates back to the mid 18th century, and was once home to one of Glasgow's affluent ship-building families. It now houses a cosmopolitan collection of travellers, executive businessmen, and not forgetting the world's top golfers each July - when it acts as the official accommodation for The Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.

The interior themes and finishings provide an aura of heritage and sophistication. Dark, tartan-clad hallways are illuminated with antler chandeliers. The rooms are 'baronial mansion meets bachelor pad'. Egyptian cotton linen, fluffy robes and L'Occitane products are balanced with a wall-mounted plasma screen and I-Pod dock. There is no finer opportunity to experience true Scottish culture for those that don't want to let go of their modern luxuries.

I was also seriously impressed with the main bar. Too many hotels forget to apply the necessary inspiration and investment to this department as they do on the rest of the hotel. But Cameron House have got it spot on. 'The Great Scots Bar' is a celebration of the nation's sporting idols. It's Scottish baronial theme accompanies a plethora of tastefully framed photographs depicting individuals such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Stephen Hendry and Gavin Hastings during their finest moments. The panoramic view of Loch Lomond is sensational. In fact, it could well be my favourite bar, and that's saying something because I have sampled quite a few...

One of Scotland's most famous chefs - Martin Wishart, has now opened a fine dining room at Cameron House but remember to book before you arrive as it is proving to be one of the most sought after restaurants in the country. There is also the sumptuous Cameron Grill featuring it's own walk-in wine cellar, and for lighter meals you can enjoy the views from the Boathouse.

However, what turned this really good hotel into a magnificent 5* resort was the addition of The Carrick - a championship golf course, and The Spa. The Carrick, which is only a couple of years old has already hosted a Ladies European Tour Event - The Ladies Scottish Open (see my adjacent article on The Carrick to read more about this fantastic layout). I would fear to guess how much investment was required to create The Spa, but whatever the sum it was worth it. I am of no doubt it will become recognised as a venue in it's own right. The rooftop infinity pool that looks over the 18th hole is a real eye-opener, and provides the ideal finishing touch to a spa that has it all.

With Cameron House, De Vere have made a serious challenge to the big hitters in the Scottish resort market and I am of the opinion it could well be a successful one.

Alan Dunbar wins Links Trophy

2009-06-12T03:46:00.000-07:00

Back in 2000, when Graeme McDowell was winning every amateur tournament in sight, a ten-year-old fellow Rathmore member - Alan Dunbar, was just starting out in the game. Every day after school he would be seen around the clubhouse or out on the Valley links. But through watching Graeme's successes he had instilled the belief that with enough practice and dedication he could perhaps one day make a name for himself also.

He gradually worked his handicap down and made his way through the provincial and national coaching systems. In 2008 he captured the Ulster Youths (under 21) title, and helped Ireland win the Home Internationals at Muirfield.

But it wasn't until his stunning display of links golf at St Andrews last week until he really hit the headlines. The Links Trophy is one of the most prestigious tournaments in amateur golf. It is rated second only behind The Amateur Championship in terms of importance, and consistently attracts some of the top golfers from around the world. This is highlighted by the handicap prerequisite, with the cut off point this year falling at +2.4.

This meant Dunbar was only placed on the reserve list, but because of withdrawals he was called up to the main field a few days before the tournament. It shows just how much faith the Rathmore members have in Dunbar that a local bank manager - Keith Elliott, took time off work to bring him over to the event and caddie.

With nine holes to play, Dunbar was sitting at -1 and four shots back of Welsh golfer Rhys Enoch at -5. However a combination of the wind, the length of the course (played off Open Championship tees) and the pressure of being in contention saw a few of the leaders finish the tournament outside red numbers.

On 16, Dunbar set up on a line right of the Principal's Nose bunkers and hit one of the longest, straightest drives I was ever witnessed on that hole to leave a sand wedge approach. This was no mean feat considering the bulk of the field were hitting 3-wood, 5-iron. A beautifully nipped shot from the fairway left him 10 feet right of the hole, and a putt which looked short just about trickled into the cup for birdie.

Another colossal drive on perhaps the most dangerous driving hole in championship golf left him a short iron into the Road Hole. With maturity beyond his years he took the infamous bunker out of play and aimed 15 yards right of the pin. An excellent long putt rolled up to three feet of the hole, and all of a sudden with the leaderboard perched over the back of the green he saw he had an opportunity to win. However on a devilish green, his putt horseshoed around the cup and he had to settle for a five.

This would have been enough to knock many more seasoned campaigners out of sync, but he stepped up the tee and again struck an enormous drive down the final fairway. Because of the opposing wind, he was left with 109 yards to the hole and so pulled out his 52 degree wedge for the biggest shot of his career to date. He kept his nerve and played a beautiful approach to ten feet. He wasn't to know at this stage, but this putt was for the tournament, and he nervelessly rolled it in centre-cup. With his closest pursuers continuing to struggle, he found out ten minutes later that he was to be the first ever Irish winner of The St Andrews Links Trophy.

With Walker Cup captain Colin Dalgleish in attendance throughout, he may need to clear his diary for the biennial contest against the USA which is this year being held at Merrion in September. And based on the success of his new found bagman, Keith Elliott may also need to clear his...

After the presentation, Alan joined my father and I for a celebratory beer in The New Golf Club which overlooks the 18th fairway. Something he said will stick in my mind for a long time to come. He asked his caddie Keith if they could drive past the R&A Clubhouse to have a look at the course just one more time before they left for home. This is a boy who had just won one the biggest amateur competitions in world golf, and he was still in awe of his surroundings and the turf on which he had just played golf. Humble to the core, and not only a prodigious talent on the fairways - but a gentleman to boot.

Sam Torrance Golf Day

2009-06-10T03:39:00.001-07:00

On Monday, Connoisseur Golf were invited to take part in The Sam Torrance Golf Day at The Fairmont St Andrews. A fun and memorable day seemed to be had by all 72 competitors. This was the first tournament to be staged on the new and improved Torrance Course - which is next year hosting final qualifying for the 2010 Open Championship.

I always felt that the old Torrance was an under-rated golf course. But the new changes, most notably the addition of 59 new bunkers, have transformed this layout into one of the premier venues in the St Andrews area. They have also re-routed the course, and the modifications have been a huge success. We played from the whites, and it felt demanding to say the least. But when the pro's tee it up next July in an attempt to qualify for The Old Course, the back tees will provide an even more severe examination of their skills. Unlike many of the other championship courses in St Andrews, The Torrance puts a premium on hitting fairways. If you're not driving the ball well then you better hope your golf bag is packed full of Titleists. After a few wayward drives, I realised mine was not, and I became very thankful for the sleeve of balls which came in the welcome pack earlier that day.

The course is tough, but exciting at the same time. The par fives are definitely open to birdies, and there are a couple of really good short par fours that give risk-reward options from the tee. These are joined by a series of long demanding par fours and a great set of short holes.

On the seventh, a 168 yard par three, we were greeted on the tee by former Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance. He offered us a cold beer and we had a chat about the changes to his new course. Perhaps this little refreshment was just what the doctor ordered, because in a closest-to-the-hole challenge my seven-iron never left the pin and for a brief heart-stopping moment I thought it was about to drop in the hole. Sam hit a nice high fade with a six-iron to 20 feet, but it wasn't enough and I walked away from the day with a signed ball and a rather tasty bottle of Laurent-Perrier. I'm still convinced I could've been a multiple major winner if the governing bodies allowed alcohol on the course!

The day was capped off with a wonderful buffet and barbecue at the clubhouse. The resort GM, Charles Head, was at our table and it was very refreshing to hear a hotel boss talking with a genuine love for golf. He sees the Fairmont St Andrews as one of the premier golfing destinations in Scotland, and after my round on the new course I had no reason to disagree. Not only is The Fairmont a perfect base for playing the top major championship courses in the east of Scotland, but now it also has a layout on-site that merits a place in this most esteemed of categories.

Head of Golf & Leisure Sales, Graeme Dawson, can be congratulated for organising an extremely impressive day of hospitality (even if it was a little depressing to hear he had come out of golfing retirement to post a one-under par 71...). The Fairmont is the ideal venue to host a large corporate golf outing. Logistically and financially, it is definitely the most impressive product in Scotland, and I for one look forward to promoting it amongst my clients for many years to come.

Kings Course - Gleneagles

2009-06-04T01:27:00.000-07:00

Gleneagles boasts 63 holes on it's 850 acre estate, including three championship courses. It's PGA Centenary Course is hosting The Ryder Cup in 2014, but perhaps the layout with the most character is The Kings - one of Scotland's golfing treasures.

This James Braid design has hosted many professional tournaments down through the years including The Scottish Open, one of the more popular stops on The European Tour. It's a thinking player's golf course and tests shot-making from start to finish.

The opening hole, a 362 yard par four, plays deceptively long due to it's elevated green complex. Nothing is worse than coming up short here, as most poorly struck shots finish in a cavernous bunker some 20 yards short of the green. Not exactly what you want to be facing five minutes into your round. Club selection is at a premium on this hole, and even the pro's find it hard to gauge how much to allow for the steep incline on the approach.

The course meanders through the beautiful estate, and contains a wonderful set of par threes. They are not overly long, but excellent golf holes, and require a certain degree of course management in addition to a sound technique. It is extremely important not to short-side yourself on these short holes, with the 5th being a great example (as shown in the above image). Only 178 yards from the back tee, but miss the green at your peril. A series of bunkers and run-offs will leave you with an immense struggle to make par should you not find the putting surface.

There are certainly holes that you can pick up shots on, including the par fives at 6 and 10, but the secret to nailing down a good score here is to attack the finishing stretch. The 14th is a driveable par four, and if the contours are used correctly you can find yourself putting for eagle. The 16th is a flick with a nine-iron, but you must allow for a little spin on the receptive and heavily sloping green.

The course comes to a finish with the par five 18th. There is somewhat of a risk-reward element to the tee-shot, because if you want to open your shoulders, a 260 yard carry can result in a long forward kick from the last fairway mound, and leave an iron for your second shot. However this is the tightest part of the fairway, and unless you are feeling extremely confident about the way you're hitting driver, a 3-wood may be the best play. A downhill second shot sits against the backdrop of the surrounding peaks and countryside, and if you can ignore the panoramic views, a birdie is definitely on the cards.

The Kings is many people's favourite course on the Gleneagles estate, and it's easy to see why. It's also one of the most testing 6,700 yard tracks I've ever played. It mixes great course design with some of Scotland's most beautiful scenery. If you are stopping by to play the Ryder Cup course, don't leave without experiencing this classic layout.

Open Championship Packages - Turnberry 2009

2009-06-02T04:45:00.000-07:00

Connoisseur Golf are offering luxury packages to The Open Championship at Turnberry in July. In addition to the basic itinerary listed below you may extend the trip to add tee-times at a selection of championship courses across Scotland, reserve seats at the 18th grandstand, access to The Club Marquee, dinner reservations or upgrade your room requirements. All itineraries include a full-time chauffeured Mercedes MPV with complimentary refreshments. For further details and to check availability, contact me direct at jim@connoisseurgolf.com.

On Booking:

Receive your Final Itinerary and Tour Info in Leather Portfolios

Wed July 15:

Arrive into the Scottish Airport of your choice

Meet your private Chauffeur/Concierge

Entry to the Final Practice Day

Check in to your 4* Accommodation

Welcome Gifts and an Informal Tour Briefing

Overnight at your 4* Accommodation

Thu July 16 :

Full Cooked Scottish Breakfast

Entry to Day 1 of The Open Championship

Overnight at your 4* Accommodation

Fri July 17:

Full Cooked Scottish Breakfast

Entry to Day 2 of The Open Championship
Overnight at your 4* Accommodation

Sat July 18:

Full Cooked Scottish Breakfast
Entry to Day 3 of The Open Championship
Overnight at your 4* Accommodation

Sun July 19:

Full Cooked Scottish Breakfast
Entry to Day 4 of The Open Championship
Overnight at your 4* Accommodation

Mon July 20:

Full Cooked Scottish Breakfast
Depart from the Scottish Airport of your choice

PRICE:

From £1095 per person based on a group of 4

The Seafood Restaurant

2009-05-29T04:19:00.000-07:00

I am often asked by clients where to find the best food in St Andrews, and the truth is that there are many excellent restaurants covering a multitude of various styles of cuisine. But, there is one that stands out in particular - The Seafood Restaurant.

Before I can even begin to describe the wonderful gastronomic experience available here I should really mention it's location and setting, which is truely breathtaking. A short walk behind the R&A Clubhouse and nestled on steep cliffs overlooking St Andrews Bay, the building itself is an architectural delight. An uninterupted glass wall wraps around the building to provide panoramic views of the crashing waves and dune-lined beach. I can't ever remember dining in such a glorious settting.

The wine list is comprehensive, with bottles ranging from £16 up to three figures. At £35, a nice of bottle of Michel Laroche 1er Cru Chablis is a sublime and affordable accompaniment to any fish on the menu.

My favourite selection from the menu is a little gem of a starter - 'Smoked Haddock Rarebit'. A beautifully cooked mini-fillet of haddock is placed upon a bed of smoked pancetta and creamed leeks, with a subtle layer of grilled cheese on top. It's to die for.

You will often find the meatier fishes such as monkfish and seabass on the entree menu, but there is always a couple of mouthwatering alternatives for those that don't like to pursue fish right throughout the evening. Gressingham duck and pork belly are two successful dishes worthy of note.

The restaurant provides the perfect ambience to enjoy a few glasses of port after dinner. Watching the sun go down behind the Old Course is the perfect end to a perfect meal. It is often wise to make a reservation here a couple of weeks in advance though, because it is exceptionally popular and covers are limited throughout the evening. You won't be disappointed.

The Road Hole

2009-05-27T01:20:00.000-07:00

The 17th at St Andrews is universally known as the most famous and toughest hole in world golf. I can't think of another hole where the majority of a field of professional golfers will knowingly attempt to miss the green short and right with their approach shot.

The reason is that you can still putt from this position, and it is often the safest way of achieving par. But the problems actually begin a few minutes hence. From the back markers the hole measures 455 yards, so it is a reasonably lengthy par 4. The main trouble from the tee is that instead of looking down the fairway, you are treated to a view of the old green-stained railway shed - now converted into offices for the Old Course Hotel. There is only one route to the fairway, and that is up and over. But the trick here is hitting your drive down the correct line. If you wish to play safe, there is always the option of bailing out left to the patch of rough adjacent to the 2nd hole, but a par from here becomes extremely demanding if not impossible. There is actually more room than you think down the right here, and although it takes a few deep breaths before missing the hotel by a whisker, a 230 yard carry should see even the most attacking tee-shot finish in a safe position.

Leaving yourself on the right half of the fairway, or even in the semi-rough, means you can see most of the green for your approach. This is a huge advantage, because from the centre of the fairway you don't have an awful lot to fire at. A little too much draw and you will find yourself in The Road Hole Bunker and praying for an unrestricted stance. Get greedy by taking too much club, and you will very likely finish on the road itself. Unlike many other courses, The Old Course requires you to play off all paths and roads, so this leaves a particularly difficult chip shot off tarmac or gravel. The ideal shot, as I mentioned earlier, is to try and finish on the front right edge of the green.

I'm afraid a par is still not guaranteed however. With an Open Championship 'Sunday pin position' this putt swings anything up to ten feet from right to left and just giving yourself an uphill putt for four is a success story.

Once played it is never forgotten. It is possibly the most famous scorecard wrecker in professional golf. Nothing is set in stone with two holes to play on The Old Course. Just ask David Duval. Chasing Tiger Woods in 2000, he attempted an audacious escape from the face of the bunker. And another. And another. And then finally managed to get it out. Tommy Nakajima actually putted into the sand here in the 1978 Open and suffered a similar fate. I will admit that the bunker itself it slightly less penal since the changes were made before the '05 installment. The face was lowered 9 inches, but it was also widened and given a larger collection area. So although the bunker shots aren't as tricky as they once were, there are now plenty more Titleists finishing up in its grasp.

It's one of the most fearsome sights in golf, but you must embrace it and enjoy the experience. 9 times out of 10, it will eat you up and spit you out. But on the rare occasion when things do go to plan, the first pint of beer in the Jigger tastes oh so good.

Myers Castle

2009-05-22T08:05:00.000-07:00

A mere thirty minutes drive from The Auld Grey Toon of St Andrews, you will find one of the most luxurious exclusive-use properties in Scotland. For corporate golf travel, or a larger group of golfers, Myers Castle is the ultimate home away from home.

Equipped with nine bedrooms, drawing room, dining room, billiard room, study and library, it is the perfect base for a trip to The Home of Golf. Your very own chef will prepare bespoke meals, and it's 5-Star status means no stone will be left unturned in the quest to meet your every request.

With one of the most significant Major Championships in history just around the corner - the 150th staging of the Open Championship at St Andrews - Connoisseur Golf are proud to offer Myers Castle as it's stand-out accommodation option for the week. This package can include VIP passes to the tournament itself, guaranteed seats at the 18th grandstand, group tee-times at The Old Course and many of the other championship courses in the area including Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, a chauffeured Mercedes executive coach or helicopter transfers, and a team of on-site Connoisseur Golf representatives to assist with all aspects of your trip. If you require further information or an individually tailored proposal please contact Jim Stewart at jim@connoisseurgolf.com.

Heli-Golf

2009-05-20T04:20:00.000-07:00

Helicopters and golf are a match made in heaven. The very best courses in Scotland and Ireland are not always adjacent, which means that you often have to select a certain geographical area to base your trip around. 'Heli-Golf', as it is now commonly known, removes this logistical barrier and allows the freedom to play anywhere across the two countries.

Basically it allows you to stay at your favourite hotel or residence and play where you want - when you want. Another advantage is the ability to fit an itinerary into a much more compact time-frame. Some executive travellers may not have the ability to secure seven or ten days off work, but a series of helicopter charters allow even the most separated itinerary to be completed within a four or five day period. For the corporate trip, it's the perfect solution. It maintains the level of luxury that you wish to convey to your clients and allows golfing schedules to be completed in a matter of days.

Scotland in particular has a very rugged coastline, and driving in a direct line from A-B is not always possible. Below, I have listed a few examples of how the length of transfers can be reduced:

Turnberry - Machrihanish

Road: 4 Hours 40 mins / Helicopter: 15mins

St Andrews - Royal Dornoch

Road: 4 Hours / Helicopter: 1 Hour

St Andrews - North Berwick

Road: 2 Hours / Helicopter: 15mins

But Heli-Golf doesn't only allow you to save time within the same country, it's greatest plus point is the ability to play golf in both Ireland and Scotland on the same day. Let's say you were based at Turnberry and wanted to take a trip over to play Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. By road and sea, this journey would normally take in excess of five hours. But a return journey of ten hours and four hours on a golf course isn't really feasible in the one day - so you would also require an overnight stay in Portrush or Belfast. Aside from being extremely tired, you would have used up two valuable days of your trip. With the aid of a helicopter, you can walk out the front door, jump on board, play Royal Portrush and be back at Turnberry in time for lunch. The possibilities towards building an itinerary become endless.

Turnberry - Royal Portrush

Road+Ferry: 5+ Hours / Helicopter: 45mins

Chartering helicopter transfers is also a fantastic way of seeing the beautiful countryside and coastlines that both Ireland and Scotland have to offer. On the way to Dornoch it is possible to take in The Highlands and Cairngorms, and flying to Portrush gives you an incredible overhead view of The Giants Causeway.

The most favoured model for Heli-Golf is the AS355 Twin Squirrel. It can carry up to five passengers and has specially fitted side-pods which allow four golf bags to be kept separate from the main cabin. It's twin engine allows it to operate long distances over water and low over urban areas.

There is no doubting that Heli-Golf is the ultimate form of luxury golf travel, but many people dismiss it as being too expensive before even enquiring as to the costs. The truth is that chartering a helicopter can actually prove cost-effective to your itinerary, especially if you plan on playing golf in both Scotland and Ireland. If you think such a trip may be of interest to you or your company, visit http://www.connoisseurgolf.com/packages.php for examples of our Heli-Golf trips, or feel free to e-mail me for a personalised itinerary and quotation.

Lowry wins at Baltray

2009-05-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

On Sunday afternoon at Baltray, romanticism returned to golf. On one of Ireland's finest links golf courses we had Irish weather, a partisan Irish crowd, an Irish storyline, and a very Irish winner.

In a field containing McIlroy, Harrington and McDowell, the best golfer over 72 holes was an unsuspecting and affable young amateur from County Offaly - Shane Lowry. He seemed to forget that he was playing in his first European Tour Event as an invitee. But throughout the week, he showed many of the qualities required to make it as a professional golfer. By shooting 62 in the second round, it's obvious that hes not scared of going low. He embraced the occasion and used the vociferous crowd to his advantage - a sign of maturity beyond his years. But perhaps the most important quality he displayed was his mental toughness and the ability to bounce back from adversity. At the final hole of regulation play, he had a four foot putt to win. It slid past the lip, and the crowd moaned in unison. But to pick himself back up, and win the ensuing playoff was a demonstration of immense character. Sunday afternoon will go down in Irish sporting folklore.

But Shane wasn't the only winner last week. In testing weather conditions, the course and greens stood up magnificently. It is undoubtedly one of Ireland's best links courses, and perhaps one that is occasionally forgotten. And it's strange to think why that might be? It may not have 'Royal' attached to it's name, or it may not lie within the land of milk and honey down in Kerry (an area many golfing tourists don't venture beyond), but it is one fantastic golf course. It is perfectly placed in between Portmarnock and Royal County Down, and can be easily added to most itineraries. At 125 euros, it is still fairly priced considering the extreme inflation of many lesser courses' green fees. In fact, there is no reason not to play it. I have a feeling Shane Lowry's famous win on Sunday could be responsible for opening this course up to the world, and there is no more deserving recipient that Baltray.

The Caledonian Hotel

2009-05-15T05:09:00.000-07:00

Back in the late 19th century, trains used to travel through Edinburgh on a slightly different routing, and The Caledonian originally served as the station and hotel for the west end of Princes Street. Over 100 years later, it is still regarded as one of Scotland's finest 5* accommodations.

Many golfers now enjoy adding a little sightseeing to their itineraries. It makes for a more balanced and relaxing schedule to spend at least one day away from the links, and there is no better place to inject some culture than Scotland's capital city - Edinburgh.

Perched on an extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle is the prominent feature on the city's skyline. It's records date back at least 1400 years, and as a World Heritage site, plays host to over a million visitors each year. But Edinburgh is far from a 'one trick pony', and is also home to The Royal Yacht Britannia, The Royal Mile, Holyrood Palace and The National Gallery of Scotland. When based in Edinburgh, you are also within touching distance of some of East Lothian's finest golf courses including Muirfield, Gullane, North Berwick and The Renaissance Club.

But after deciding to make a stop here, the question is not what hotel to stay in, but rather what room type you will choose at the The Caledonian Hotel. My selection would be the newly renovated Deluxe Plus Rooms on the southern wing of the hotel. The living space consists of a spacious bedroom, walk-in closet, and it has to be said - one of Scotland's most impressive hotel bathrooms. But where the room elevates itself still further is the view. It feels as if one quarter of your bedroom is acting as a picture frame for the captivating view of Edinburgh Castle. The subtle hints of tartan and tradition balance excellently with the modern Scottish decor.

The hotel sits on the corner of Princes Street, the city's main shopping thoroughfare, and is less than five minutes walk from many of it's top attractions. It is also comforting to know that you're only 7 miles from an International Airport, and a mere 75 minutes from St Andrews.

We take pride in offering our clients the best accommodation to be found at each stop of their golf tour, and in Edinburgh the No.1 hotel is undoubtedly The Caledonian.

Play Turnberry after The Open

2009-05-07T05:41:00.000-07:00

Turnberry, one of Scotland's most famous golfing resorts, will re-open after a £28 million refurbishment to host The Open Championship in July.

The Ailsa course is sure to throw up some drama before Peter Dawson announces 'The Champion Golfer Of The Year'. Who will forget 'The Duel in The Sun' won by Tom Watson in 1977, or Nick Price's amazing finish in 1994. The course has been bolstered with increased length and bunkering since lasting hosting the Open, and now measures 7,204 yards. The old 410-yard 16th has changed to a 455-yard dogleg right, while the par-five 17th has been stretched from 498 to 559 yards with three new bunkers also added.

Harrington will be aiming for his third Claret Jug in a row, but neither himself nor hot favourite Tiger Woods have played competitive golf here before. I believe the days are long gone, when you can declare before the tournament that the winner will come from maybe a handful of the leading players. Depending on how they set the rough for the four days, I think it could be a course for the shorter hitters. 7200 yards is still nothing for the world's top golfers, especially on links ground in July. Having said that, the 200-yard carry over the sea on #10 could be a little nervy if the players are hitting into a strong headwind.

Tee-times and accommodation can be made available here as part of luxury golf tour packages from the 21st July onwards. These can include guaranteed golf at both St Andrews and The Ailsa Course, in addition to chauffeured Mercedes transfers between your 5* hotels. All our packages are bespoke and can be built exactly to your requirements. For further information, or a personalized quotation, e-mail me at jim@connoisseurgolf.com.

Muirfield 2013

2009-05-06T05:55:00.000-07:00

The R&A have this week announced that the Open Championship will return to Muirfield - home to The Royal Company of Edinburgh Golfers - in July 2013.

Like the best courses on the Open Championship rota, it has a history of producing great champions. Player, Nicklaus, Trevino, Watson and Faldo have all triumphed over the stunning East Lothian links. Perhaps like no other course, the list of Muirfield champions reads like a 'who's who' of golf.

One of my favourite Opens to date was held here in 2002. As a member of The University of St Andrews Men's Golf Club, myself and a merry band of fellow students were awarded with the annual privilege of marshaling the 18th hole of the championship. What I remember most about that week was the weather. It ranged from cloudless blue skies to a near apocalypse of eastern Scotland. On the Saturday morning in particular, the wind and rain collectively were almost unplayable. Tiger Woods slumped to his worst ever professional score - an 81. Colin Montgomerie was nicely placed after two rounds at four under par, but the weather took it's toll on big Monty and he walked off the course eight over par after a score of 84. I did feel a certain sympathy towards both however - it was so cold, I was having problems gripping my lunchtime gin & tonic at the Schweppes tent. Watching the leaderboard at that point, it seemed as if 76 was a very respectable score indeed. But the wind and rain subsided and the afternoon leaders were able to once again challenge the course par of 72.

The final day was full of drama. England's Gary Evans was amassing the round of his life. He was eight under par for the day, and standing in the middle of the fairway at the par 5 17th. Inexplicably he managed to smother one left into the rough, and the ball was never to be seen again. Such a moment would break mere mortals, but Evans took it on the chin, dropped back on the fairway and got down in two for a par from 250 yards. The ensuing celebration showed just how much this particular major means to the home players, and the emotional lengths some golfers will reach in searching for the ultimate fairytale.

Appleby, Els, Levet and Elkington finished in a tie on six under par. A four hole playoff was to prove too much for Appleby and Elkington, and it became France vs South Africa in a sudden death playoff up 18. Both struggled, but Els played an exquisite greenside bunker shot to four feet as his playing partner could only muster a five. Els' ball found the bottom of the cup, and in doing so he became the R&A's "Champion Golfer for the Year".

If the next installment in 2013 is anywhere near as tense over the final few holes, we have a terrific championship to look forward to.

Glenmorangie House

2009-05-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

The North East tip of Scotland contains some of country's most prized links courses. Tain, Brora, Golspie and the famed Royal Dornoch lie in a beautiful stretch of coastline no more than twenty miles long.

Listen to a few of the traditional folk from Sutherland in the rural taverns and pubs and they will tell you that Scotland doesn't really begin until you get past Perth. I might not agree with that particular school of thought but there is certainly a marked difference. Arriving in this remote, unspoilt landscape allows you to feel the complete isolation and freedom that seems a million miles away when staring out the office window. In addition to the golf, the whisky isn't too bad up here either.

The world renowned Glenmorangie malt is produced a mere ten minute drive away from Royal Dornoch. If you happen to like mixing these two intoxicating pastimes, there is no better 'retreat' to spend a few days than The Glenmorangie Highland Home at Cadboll. I refrain from using the term 'hotel' as it tends to upset the owners, who are very keen to make their house into your home. A sociable, relaxed party atmosphere is their goal - where all the guests can feel comfortable in each other's company and have a dram together at any time of the day.

The accommodation itself is extremely comfortable, and delivers a level of luxury expected by the modern five star business traveller. Soft, homely, Scottish furnishings are tastefully presented throughout. Perhaps the real jewel in this particular northern crown though is the quality of it's award-winning food. The finest Highland beef and game are blended together with fresh fruits and vegetables sourced from the adjacent walled garden to create the most mouthwatering menus imaginable.

The House shares a close affinity with the distillery itself, and it's guests are always made welcome to tour the production and maturation stages with some of the institution's most seasoned experts. The tasting sessions are of course the highlight of any distillery tour, and these are often continued back over at the log-fire surroundings in the wonderful highland house described above. It has got to be the ultimate lodging for any golf and whisky enthusiast.

The Irish Open - Baltray

2009-04-28T06:06:00.000-07:00

Baltray, or as it is officially known - 'County Louth Golf Club', will be hosting this year's Irish Open which begins on May 14.

New sponsors, "3", (an innovative mobile phone company) have generously put forward a sponsorship package that will see some of the world's top golfers arrive on the east coast of Ireland to compete for a 3 million Euro prize fund. The favourites for the tournament may well come from the strong home contingent which includes the likes of Harrington, McDowell, McIlroy, McGinley and Clarke. Perhaps John Daly could throw a spanner in the works after recently accepting an invite. Although his patience levels will have to be turned up to an all time high in order to deal with the unpredictable Louth links.

Many of Ireland's best known courses such as Ballybunion, Portmarnock and Adare Manor have all hosted the Irish Open down the years, but this is only Baltray's second staging of the prestigious event. It was previously held here in 2004 when Australian Brett Rumford emerged victorious after providing a masterclass in the art of scrambling, an important skill that is often called upon around this testing links course. Padraig Harrington names it as "one of the most exciting links courses in Ireland".

One of the simple reasons that makes Baltray such a fearsome test of golf is it's layout. Like Muirfield over in Scotland, it's two loops of nine make almost every hole play in a different direction. With the gusting winds from the Irish Sea, you will be faced with a new challenge every time you address the ball.

The present course was designed in 1938 by the renowned Tom Simpson. It speaks highly for his design that he saw need to introduce only fifty bunkers to bolster the course's defences, but the terrain at his disposal was so suited to links golf that a sprawling mass of sand pits was not necessary. In 2003, Donald Steel was brought in to complete a course upgrade under the guidance of Tom MacKenzie. Little alterations were made here and there, but nothing too dramatic. These subtle changes are quite often the best when dealing with a classic links course. The addition of several new tees did stretch the course to over 7000 yards however, a level most tournament organisers deem suitable for modern professional play.

When the tournament hits our screens, keep an eye out for the 14th hole. Depending on the wind direction, you will see most of the players have a go at this 330 yard par 4 off the tee. It's one of many holes where aggression can result in birdie or bogey.

Should you wish to attend in person, Connoisseur Golf can design bespoke packages including tournament tickets, 5* accommodation and your own personal chauffeur in addition to tee-times at some of the top links courses in the country. For late availability on Irish Open packages or to include Baltray on your personal itinerary, e-mail me direct at jim@connoisseurgolf.com.

Castlerock

2009-04-22T02:07:00.000-07:00

The Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland is blessed with a number of golf's finest links courses. Royal Portrush and Portstewart are famous the world over, but on your next trip, be sure not to overlook the wonderful layout at Castlerock.

It is situated within a drive and three-iron of the back nine at Portstewart, but because both are separated by the mount of the River Bann, it requires a 25 minute drive to get there. However no journey is more worthwhile. In fact it may no longer be termed a 'hidden gem' , because word is getting out and visiting golfers can be found there on a daily - if not hourly - basis.

Castlerock plays shorter and more rugged than Portrush, but this only adds to it's character and charm. My favourite element of the course is it's suitability for matchplay golf. There are so many risk-reward shots on the course that you have to keep your wits about you at all times. A few weak tee shots and you can be staring down the barrel of an 80. But there are birdies to be made also. One of Northern Ireland's most recent golfing starlet's - Graeme McDowell - dismantled the field here in the 200 World Universities Championship with a total of 12 under par.

The most picturesque and aesthetically pleasing holes are found down where the River Bann meets the Atlantic Ocean, but perhaps the best hole on the course is the 4th. "Leg O Mutton" is a 200 yard par 3 that is loaded with trouble. On the right (and not far off the line of your shot) you have the railway line. A meandering burn runs down the opposite side and collects anything hit with a trace of right-to-left. The green is heavily bunkered, and is far from a simple two-putt once found. It's not really what you like to be facing just half an hour into your round, but it is most definitely a hole that sorts the men from the boys.

One special mention I should give to Castlerock is the most generous welcome that visitors receive from the members and clubhouse staff. There is an extremely friendly atmosphere about the place.

Its maybe not the toughest links course in Ireland, but is certainly championship standard and one of the most enjoyable. Be sure to add this on to your itinerary next time you visit the North of Ireland.

The R&A Clubhouse

2009-04-21T02:29:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I submitted my Masters dissertation on the History of Golf Clubhouse Architecture in St Andrews - with the Royal & Ancient Clubhouse taking centre stage. I think it's a fascinating building, and there is perhaps no other image so iconic to the game of golf.

It can be seen from as far as three miles away on your drive into town, and it induces the same excitement and expectation on every return visit. Once in sight, you know you've reached golf's original mecca - the Links at St Andrews.

However, it didn't always appear how it does today. In fact it's had many rebirths and additions made throughout it's illustrious history. The story of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews begins on May 14, 1754 , when a group of 22 noblemen and gentlemen of Fife presented a silver club to be played for over the Links. But the clubhouse did not originally stand on its current position of behind the first tee until 1854. This first edition was a one-storey building designed by George Rae that provided washing facilities and space to store boxes of clubs. There was also provision made for smoking, dining, billiards and cards. In fact for those of you that have been to Royal Troon, I am of the opinion that this original clubhouse appeared very similar to their building down on the west coast.

With each expansion however, less and less of George Rae's original building became visible. Jesse Hall and then J.L. Fogo were the next to turn their hand at expanding and improving the form of the building. Each architect added his own theme and ideas to the overall vision, but mainly the changes were of a functional purpose. Over the years, the clubhouse has seen almost a dozen major changes in form by seven different architects. It is a clubhouse that has evolved with the needs of the members, and the changing of the times.

I have read various accounts by art and architecture historians, very much more decorated than myself, who have described the building as 'unpleasing to the eye' or a 'Victorian Monster'. Perhaps you need to be a golfer to understand it's true beauty and connotations. True, it's somewhat of a 'tardis', pieced together by a collection of different designers with various motives and aspirations, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I think it paints a magnificent picture of Classical, Victorian and Neo-Classical architecture down through the years, an evolving masterpiece that is etched into the minds of millions of golfers around the world. Just something to think about next time you're teeing off on The Old Course...

Royal County Down

2009-04-17T05:45:00.001-07:00

The toughest course in Ireland? No contest - Royal County Down.

The most picturesque course in Ireland? No contest - Royal County Down.

Situated on a rugged piece of links land below the Mountains of Mourne lies one of the most spectacular courses on the planet. However, for all it's aesthetic delights, Royal County Down is not for the faint-hearted. Japan's Noburu Sugai won the 2002 Senior British Open here with a 72 hole score of only -3, while the impressive names of Watson, Irwin and Co. were blown away with the wind. Had they played from the tips, it is a certainty that no player in the field would have broken par. Rumour has it that even the great Tiger Woods got through half a dozen balls on his last visit.

The difficulty here lies three-fold. Firstly, Royal County Down is one of the most demanding courses off the tee that you are likely to find. On several occasions you will find yourself hitting driver to a blind fairway. Secondly, many of the greens boast treacherous undulations. If the green keeper happens to be in a particularly bad mood, the pin positions can be brutally difficult. Add some Northern Irish wind and the odd shower of rain into the mix, and you are left with one of the world's most difficult courses. If you manage to play to your handicap on your first visit, you've been sandbagging off a high handicap for far too long.

I think one of the great tests of a course's greatness is how you feel about it after a bad round, or having played it in inclement weather. Believe me, you will walk away from this place astounded even if you end up shooting the dreaded three-figures. If you're blessed enough to catch it on a calm sunny day, there is no finer place to be on earth.

It doesn't earn it's No.1 position on The Top 100 Rankings for no reason... It's everything a golf course should be, and more.

Tour Photography

2009-04-15T03:31:00.000-07:00

Connoisseur Golf are very proud to offer our clients the services of one of the world's leading golf photographers for personal and corporate golf trips.

Bill P. Knight, or 'The Shooter from St . Louis' as he is more famously known, will be available to capture those priceless moments on and off the course that will remain with you for a lifetime. In addition to providing individual albums and mementos for your group, he can also be on hand to present your clients with a lasting memory of their golf tour to Scotland should the occasion be of corporate significance.

Bill was the official PGA Tour Photographer from 1971-1998, and is responsible for many of the iconic golfing images you have seen down through the years. The above photograph perhaps gives you an indication of how close Bill was to the leading players of his generation. At the 1973 Ryder Cup in Muirfield, Scotland, Lee Trevino was playing the best golf of a star-studded American team. His confidence was so high he wagered with his fellow team members that he would win both his final day singles matches or face the humiliation of being subjected to a rather lewd act. Unfortunately for Lee, a brave performance by Peter Oosterhuis saw him held to a half point during the morning's play. After a commanding 19-13 victory, Bill was on hand in the US team room to capture the jovial moment of Trevino being invited to honour his bets! My thanks to Bill for letting me share this story and photo, surely one of the best 'inside the ropes' images ever to be caught on camera.

It just goes to show that it isn't always the obvious shots that let you re-live the best memories. Posing for snaps on the Swilken Bridge, and in front of the R&A clubhouse is all well and good, but giving a photographer license to roam with high-spec equipment can really take your album to the next level. Having a professional like Bill on hand - who knows his way around a golf course like no other - will be an invaluable asset for you and your guests.

If you would like to find out more about retaining Bill's services for your next golf trip or are perhaps interested in viewing his commercial portfolio, simply e-mail me at jim@connoisseurgolf.com and I will be delighted to answer your queries.

Jubilee Course - St Andrews

2009-04-14T02:41:00.000-07:00

St Andrews now has four entries listed in the Top 100 Courses Outside the United States. Not before time, The Jubilee Course has moved into this elite category and is ranked at No. 92.

The course was named in honour of Queen Victoria, whose Diamond Jubilee fell in 1897. Originally a nine hole course, it was extended to the regular quota of eighteen in 1905 at a cost of £150. Through this period, it was widely regarded as a course for juniors and ladies, but in 1988 Donald Steel was brought in to develop the Jubilee into a championship layout. He stretched it to 6742 yards and raised many of the tee boxes, affording golfers panoramic view of the surrounding links and also to bring the wind more into play. Further changes were made at the turn of the century to the opening holes. The 1st used to play 440 yards into the wind, while the 2nd was a relatively weak par 4 that could be reached with a single blow. The difficulty of these two holes was evened out to provide a fairer test.

The course has went on to hold a selection of tournaments including The Scottish Amateur Strokeplay, The British Mid-Amateur and The Boys Home Internationals. It has also played host to the qualifying rounds of The Amateur Championship, and The St Andrews Links Trophy.

I believe it to be the toughest of the courses in St Andrews. When you combine the length with the ever-changing winds, it forces you to adapt your game on a regular basis. Unlike the Old Course, with it's severely undulating greens, the Jubilee's seem to slope in one direction and not short-siding yourself is crucial here.

Red numbers can be made on the way out, especially at the two par 5's, No. 3 and No.6. But some of the shorter par 4's require a degree of course management off the tee, and driver may not always be the correct choice. You certainly need to build the foundation of your score on the front nine because the closing holes pose a much more serious threat.

No. 15 in particular can be particularly lethal to the well-being of your scorecard. It may only play 360 yards, but you must hit the correct segment of a tight fairway to have a view of the green. A small green that tilts from back-to-front is surrounded by gorse to the back and sides. Strike your approach too well and the ball can screw back into a large gulley at the front, but leaving yourself above the hole will see you face a nightmare two putt. It's a fantastic matchplay hole because birdies are sometimes offered up, but doubles and triples just as likely.

When including the Old Course on your itinerary, Connoisseur Golf also require that you play one of the other St Andrews courses. If you want to take on the challenge of St Andrews most difficult links course, I suggest you include the Jubilee. It's a beautiful rugged track and when played you will scratch your head, like me, and wonder why this glorious golf course only just creeps inside the Top 100. The boys at Golf Digest have some answering to do.

Carnoustie

2009-04-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Widely regarded as the toughest of the layouts on The Open Championship rota, Carnoustie is undoubtedly one of Scotland's must-play courses. It is perhaps not as aesthetically pleasing as say Turnberry, or doesn't carry the history associated with St Andrews, but there is no doubt that it provides a wonderful test of golf. During the 2007 Open, Colin Montomerie described it as "One of the toughest and best links courses we have in the world".

The name 'Carnoustie' is probably derived from two Scandinavian nouns, “car” meaning 'rock' and “noust” meaning 'bay'. It sits on an exposed coastal peninsula 12 miles east of the city of Dundee, and is easily accessible from St Andrews - a mere 45 minutes by road.

It has hosted the Open on seven different occasions and produced some of the most dramatic finishes in major championship history. In 1999, Paul Lawrie and Justin Leonard were leading in the clubhouse with a score of 290. Frenchman Jean Van de Velde was faced with the seemingly simple task of requiring a double-bogey six to win The Open. But things went from bad to worse as he plundered his way to a seven, including an exploratory trip to The Barry Burn in his bare feet. Local favourite Lawrie, who had earlier made his charge from ten shots back, played exquisite golf in the playoff, and became a surprise but deserved winner of the Claret Jug.

In 2007, it looked briefly as if Harrington was to suffer a similar fate to that of Van de Velde. He visited the water twice on the 72nd hole, but played one of the best pressure chips in the history of championship golf to secure a six, and found himself in a playoff with young Spaniard Sergio Garcia. The Irishman stepped through the gears in the playoff and picked up his first major at the expense of his Ryder Cup compatriot in what was one of the most exciting finishes to an Open since...well... the last time it was played at Carnoustie.

The 7400 yard course doesn't really offer respite at any point. You need to be straight and long off the tee. On several shots you are also required to shape the ball in order to avoid the sand on what Ernie Els calls "...the best bunkered course in the world." The prevailing wind seems to make the tough holes play exceptionally long, and even if you make it to the 16th tee unscathed, you are left with one the most difficult finishes in championship golf.

No. 16 is a 245 yard par 3 often played into the wind. In winning the 1975 Open after a playoff, Tom Watson failed in five attemts to make par here. In 1968 Jack Nicklaus was the only player to get past the pin during the final round. If you make three at this beast of a short hole, you will undoubtedly have earned it.

The beauty of No.17 is that you will typically have a mid-to-long iron approach regardless of the wind direction. This is due to the snaking Barrie Burn, that usually requires you to hit a lay-up shot off the tee. Ideally you want to work your approach from left to right into this undulating green, and overall it's a hole that doesn't give away too many birdies.

The 18th is brutal. 450 yards into the wind, with bunkers and thick rough to the left, and Harrington's favourite friend - The Barrie Burn - to the right. Any draw spin on the long approach can be accentuated by the wind and you can find yourself out of bounds, cruising to a triple or even worse. Into a strong wind, it's almost best playing for a five. Greed will be punished severely by the Carnoustie golfing gods. If you don't believe me, just ask poor Van de Velde.

Hell Bunker

2009-04-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

The second shot on No.14 at St Andrews is not for the faint-hearted. If you've hit a good one off the tee then you can have a stab at going for the green in two. However, a not-so-perfect drive leaves you the ultimate risk/reward shot in golf - the carry over Hell Bunker.

The pit itself is enormous. Almost the size of your average green. But size isn't the issue here, it's the tall vertical faces. If you're far enough in, then you may only be able to play backwards. But the curvature of it's shape often interferes with the path of your swing, and sometimes the only option is to chip it back to the middle of the bunker.

The local caddies are so worried about their player finding Hell that many of them actually recommend that they play down the adjoining 5th fairway. It lengthens the hole and leaves a shot of around 150 yards for the third, but it does provide the best angle for approach and more importantly takes the cavernous beast out of play completely.

To make matters worse, the 14th fairway sits on a plateau above the second half of the hole which makes the bunker disappear from sight. A golfer playing here for the first time could finish up in Hell without even knowing it was there.

From the back tee, this sandy grave will be on the minds of even the world's top golfers. Jack Nicklaus needed four blows to escape from here during the Open Championship in 1995, and finished up carding a ten. Ben Crenshaw commented, "When you're in perdition like he was, sometimes there's no way out. You can get in there and stay in there, that's why they call it hell".

Kinnettles

2009-04-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

Some of our clients occasionally require a level of privacy that is perhaps not afforded at many of the major resorts and hotels across Scotland. Achieving this exclusivity whilst maintaining a top level of service has been difficult in past, but the facilities on offer at Kinnettles House are second to none. Situated just twenty minutes from Dundee Airport, and within comfortable reach of the courses at St Andrews and Carnoustie, this mansion house provides the ultimate base for a golfing trip to Scotland. The surrounding 66 acre estate provides the perfect countryside retreat within striking range of the country's best championship courses.

Accommodation is offered in nine contemporary-styled bedroom suites, each with super-kingsize beds and a 42' plasma screen. A host of public rooms are made available for your group including a spacious lounge with fully stocked bar, a casino room with roulette and card tables, a snooker room, and a sun lounge. A private chef and his staff will prepare meals to your specification which are served in the most magnificent dining room, and of course your on-site concierge from Connoisseur Golf will be available for any transfers that you may require. Basically this is a luxury home away from home, and we regard it as the finest exclusive occupancy venue in Scotland - perfect for a corporate golf trip.

Augusta & St Andrews

2009-04-07T02:10:00.000-07:00

The Masters is only a few days away, and it is interesting to note the links between two of the world's most famous courses - Augusta National and The Old Course. When you watch the rolling green fairways and the array of beautiful flora on display at Augusta, it is sometimes easy to forget that a lot of the inspiration for this golfing masterpiece actually came from St Andrews.

Augusta National was the brainchild of Bobby Jones, and he dearly wanted to differentiate it from the countless other cloned golf courses that were appearing throughout America. The most notable architect of that time was Donald Ross, but Jones required someone with the vision to design a tough layout that still gave the golfer options from any point on the course - a thinking man's course. Jones had an ideal in his head of spacious fairways with severely undulating greens and cleverly placed hazards that punished poor approach shots. Ross was known for lining fairways with hundreds of bunkers, a design that suited the robotic straight hitter. But he chose Dr. Alister Mackenzie for his love of St Andrews and his ability to take the best aspects of great holes from around the world and fine-tune them to the land available.

At least five holes from The Old Course were used as inspiration in building Augusta National. Perhaps the most obvious is the the par 3 4th, which is very similar in nature to the short 11th on The Old Course. A large sloping kidney-shaped green is protected by two punishing bunkers. One short and right (relating to Strath) and one on the left (Hill bunker), where Jones famously tore up his scorecard and walked off the course in 1921. This version at Augusta plays much longer at 240 yards, but possesses all the characteristics of it's cousin back in Scotland. Every year I enjoy watching Ken Brown's (BBC Commentator) previews of the holes at Augusta. He is always of the belief that an imaginative short game is more important than raw power around this 7400 yard track. Shots such as the 'bump-and-run' with a seven iron are employed just as often here as at The Open Championship. The course plays fast and fiery, and that's exactly what Bobby Jones envisaged when he hired Mackenzie.

The fairways are large, but simply hitting them isn't good enough. Like St Andrews, being in the centre of the fairway is sometimes the worst place to be. The angle of attack is usually much easier from one side or the other, i.e. adding difficulty to your tee shot will benefit the following approach shot. Take the 9th for example - unless you are on the extreme right hand side of the fairway, you can't see the green due to the bunkering on the left apron. Being centre-cut will also leave you with a hanging lie, and a pin-point approach to a green that runs away from you. I think this is very similar to the 4th at St Andrews, probably where the blueprint of the hole originated.

So when you're drooling over the azalea's and cherry blossoms this weekend, take time to look out for ways in which Alister Mackenzie tried to make Augusta play like Bobby Jones' favourite course - St Andrews.

The Postage Stamp

2009-04-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

It is the shortest hole in major championship golf, but what is it about the 8th hole at Royal Troon that makes it so incredibly dangerous? From the Championship tee it measures a mere 110 yards to the front edge of the green, so why does it strike fear into the world's top professional golfers?

For one, the hole has an extremely small putting surface - less than ten yards wide. It also plays into a prevailing wind, so with a middle pin position, you can find yourself gripping down the shaft on anything up to a six-iron. Add in some of the most treacherous bunkers imaginable, and hopefully you can begin to understand how it has earned it's reputation. Miss the green here and you can basically kiss your par goodbye.

The bunkers here make their famous cousin on The Road Hole at St Andrews look like a sand-filled divot. It is not only the depth and severity of slope, but also the difficult stances they often leave you in. From the two raised bunkers on the left, it is often tough to keep your ball on the green without it running off into those on the right. From this pair of bunkers, you require an almost vertical escape to clear the lip and find safety. Miss both green and bunkers, and you will find yourself attempting a Phil Mickleson special - only if you find your ball that is.

Of course you could simply hit the green, knock it in for a two, and wonder what all the fuss was about. But these stories tend to be few and far between.

Probably the most famous exponent of this particular hole was the late, great Gene Sarazen. In 1973, he aced this most famous of par 3's. Amazingly he was 71 at the time and it was exactly fifty years since he first played in the Open here back in 1923.

Whatever number you manage to rack up at the Postage Stamp, it is sure to be one of the defining moments of your golfing pilgrimage to Scotland.

62 on The Old Course

2009-04-03T05:31:00.000-07:00

I witnessed Tiger Woods blow the field away at The Open Championship in 2000. I also thought Ernie Els was a masterful player of The Old Course in the old team version of The Dunhill Cup. But the most impressive performance I have seen in the flesh was Graeme McDowell's demolition of St Andrews during the opening round of The Dunhill Links Championship in 2004.

Every year, Jose Maria Olazabal's crisp iron play always stands out above all others on the range. But Graeme's ball-striking that Thursday morning was right up there. Unlike many players that have developed their game on a links course with a low penetrating trajectory, McDowell is just as equally blessed when it comes to delivering a high ball flight. It might not sound like a deadly weapon when the wind's up, but on a reasonably calm day with front pins, it's a pre-requisite for going low.

He got off to a smart start, taking things easy through the first four holes to be one-under. I always think these opening holes can catch you cold, and if you can perhaps pick one up on the first or third - then that's a bonus. Graeme did just that with a tidy birdie on No.3.

For a top professional like McDowell, six through twelve is like being a kid in a candy store. Birdies and even eagles are there for the taking, but you have to complement this attacking play with an equal measure of mental patience. Hitting one of the many pot bunkers at any of these holes can easily see you making a mess of a clean scorecard. But Graeme managed to avoid the sand, birdieing five, six and seven, and picked up the customary three at the ninth. In 2004, it was only playing 352 yards, so any of these guys hitting their driver relatively straight were pretty much guaranteed a birdie.

Being five-under through nine is an excellent start, but it's been done many times before. Jarmo Sandelin once turned in 27. It's the back nine here that decides your fate. Not only is it a much tougher stretch of holes but the wind tends to be into and off the right, as it was on this occasion. What impressed me most about this particular round was that it would've been simple for Graeme to sit back and coast in with a 67 and put himself in the mix. But he knew he was hitting the ball beautifully and holing out superbly from inside ten feet, so he continued to attack. He shaved the hole at ten to remain at -5, but his mindset was made apparent on the 11th. The pin was cut just four paces over Strath bunker, one of the most dangerous on the course. Behind the tee I watched Graeme line up his shot and couldn't believe to see him set up straight at the pin. It's an easy shot for a professional to hit the middle of the green here and leave a putt of thirty feet or so. It looked like a six-iron, and it set off like a bullet. One of those shots that doesn't deviate an inch. "Go...go...go was the shout from his caddie", but it was never in any doubt. It cleared the bunker and sat down a few feet from the hole. The sixth birdie of the round took him to the top of the leaderboard.

Twelve is another one of those reachable holes on The Old Course that is totally dependent on the quality of the drive. After yet another good swing, Graeme marched to seven under for the round. But this is where things got interesting. Thirteen is a tough par 4, that doesn't tend to yield too many birdies. A towering iron shot left him a relatively simple putt on the flat part of the green and the clenched fist was once again on view as he reached down to pick his ball from hole.

Fourteen, a 581 yard par 5 was a mere formality. Graeme is deceptively long off the tee, and like many of the bigger hitters he can turn these five's into four's. Long putting is of course very important at St Andrews, but look at a sample of the names on The Claret Jug when it's been played here - Nicklaus, Daly, Woods. Having length off the tee here often helps to take out some of the trouble, which many of the shorter players have to plot their way around.

I wouldn't be surprised if thoughts of 59 were running through his head at this point, but pars on 15 and 16 extinguished those dreams if they did indeed exist. However, his approach on 17 was incredible. As usual the pin was located behind the Road Hole bunker. There's a little room for error short and right, but from the fairway the green is a very thin looking target. For the amateur it's often too much to turn down, but Graeme went for this pin knowing he was in complete control of his game. A crisp seven iron, with a beautiful soft draw landed pin high and rolled left towards the hole. The guests in the hospitality tent directly behind the green finally had a reason to look away from the complimentary bar. When the putt dropped in the centre of the cup the gallery were in raptures, and McDowell walked to the 18th tee an incredible ten under par. An uphill putt from around ten feet at the last would've given him the course record outright, but it slid agonisingly past and he had to settle for a 62. "While I was out there it almost felt like blasphemy doing this at St Andrews", he later commented to the media.

After a quick start, it has taken him a couple of years to find his feet on tour, but his win at Loch Lomond and his outstanding play at the Ryder Cup have shown that he has the game to take on anyone and win anywhere. Could we see this Ulsterman picking up The Claret Jug at St Andrews this year? Who knows - he could even roll into The Auld Grey Toon wearing a green jacket...

North West Ireland

2009-04-02T06:38:00.000-07:00

There is so much more to Ireland than the string of celebrated courses in Kerry. One area in particular that I feel always unfairly misses out on the headlines is the North West. In Mayo and Sligo, you can experience what I term 'real links golf'. Forget all these striped fairways and tee-boxes that look like they've been trimmed with a pair of hand scissors. Carne, Enniscrone and Rosses Point showcase links golf at it's best. Rugged, windswept, wholesome courses with beautifully kept greens.

Carne is a 15 year old golf course that looks as if it dates back to the 1800's. It was the final links course to be designed by the late, great Eddie Hackett, and many believe it to be his finest work. Some architects push the aesthetic boundaries too far, sacrificing the quality of the course itself. Hackett has a reputation for getting this balance just right.

He was also responsible for much of Enniscrone, although Donald Steel later reworked six of the holes. Both courses remind me a little of the fabulous front nine at Portstewart. Many of the fairways and greens are directly enclosed by an ampitheatre of sand hills and dunes. The rough is extremely penal, and like all true links links courses, the emphasis is on solid striking and straight hitting.

Perhaps the most well known of the three is County Sligo Golf Club, affectionately known as Rosses Point. It is famous in Irish golfing circles for it's hosting of The West of Ireland Championship, one of the four 'majors' on the amateur circuit. Both Harrington and McIlroy have won this title on their road to the paid ranks. In fact, throughout it's 85 year history it has consistently produced deserving winners - the sign of a great championship golf course. The club itself dates back to 1894, with Harry Colt redesigning the layout in 1927. Golf commentator Peter Alliss once remarked, "A tremendous test for the highest quality player and great fun for the modest competitor, Rosses Point stands at the very top of the list of Irish courses". The signature hole here is the par 4 17th. A testing uphill dogleg to the left that requires a tee shot to right of centre. From here, you must hit a long towering approach to a raised green, or be faced with a tricky up-and-down from their version of 'The Valley of Sin'. Possibly the best 17th hole in Ireland.

I like to offer my clients a range of high-end accommodation options when building an itinerary. For the discerning executive golfer, 'where to stay' is almost as important as 'where to play'. However, when it comes to this segment of Ireland - and Mayo in particular - I don't even bother listing an alternative to the magnificent Mount Falcon Country House Hotel & Spa. When you read through the guestbook and notice the name of a certain Tiger Woods, you know you've made the right choice. The location is ideal. Situated on the west bank of the River Moy, Mount Falcon sits nestled in a beautiful 100 acre estate close to the town of Ballina. It is the perfect base for playing the three aforementioned courses, and is also only 30mins from Knock Airport. The main part of the baronial house was commissioned in 1872 by a young Irish gentleman as a present for his bride. Recently, it has been sympathetically extended, and refurbished from top to toe. Inside, you couldn't wish for a more peaceful, charming environment. It's spacious, fresh and modern, but retains every last drop of it's rich Irish culture. The suites are enormous, and the hospitality is faultless. And did I mention the hotel has the exclusive rights to the best stretch of salmon fishing in Ireland? The K Club is a special place, as is The Merrion in Dublin, but I think Mount Falcon edges it for me. It's a heavenly retreat... and as I described above, the nearby golf isn't too bad either.

Galgorm Resort & Spa

2009-04-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

High level accommodation has always been somewhat of a problem when it comes to building golfing itineraries in Northern Ireland. The suites at Slieve Donard located beside Royal County Down fit the bill, as do those in The Culloden and Merchant Hotels in Belfast. But until recently, staying a little closer to Royal Portrush has left many golfing tourists with a headache. I am happy to report that thanks to Galgorm Resort and Spa, this is no longer an issue.

The original Galgorm Manor was built in the early nineteenth century, and sits in over 160 acres of beautiful parkland and forest overlooking the River Maine. The recent 17 million euro refurbishment has made it one of the most attractive and comfortable country house hotels in Ireland. It is ideally situated within 40mins of the courses at Royal Portrush, Portstewart and Castlerock, and only 30mins from Belfast International Airport. It has managed to retain all the Manor's authentic Irish charm, whilst offering the spacious modern environment required by the modern golf traveller.

The most impressive addition is probably the new Spa and fitness suite. Here you can ease away your golfing aches and pains with an Infinity hydrotherapy pool, outdoor hot tub, five individual climate rooms, and 11 wet-and-dry treatment rooms. A full range of Spa treatments are available on demand.

It's also the perfect choice when considering the non-golfing members of your party. Galgorm boasts it's own equestrian centre, trout and salmon fishing, on-site clay pidgeon shooting and a series of country walks. Like Gleneagles in Scotland, it's the perfect place to relax for a few days within a busy golfing schedule.

Fine Dining is available at The River Room restaurant, or if you require something that little bit more rustic and casual you can enjoy a steak along with a creamy pint of Guinness at Gillies Bar & Grill. The latter has a fantastic vibrant atmosphere with a mixture of locals and residents at nights and weekends. It's great not having to leave your resort to find the hot-bed of local nightlife, but with the solace of having a quiet country house to return to after closing time.

Northern Ireland contains two of the top twelve courses in the world and is a golfer's paradise. With such fabulous accommodations now on offer, there is really no excuse not to visit.

The Renaissance Club

2009-03-30T02:45:00.000-07:00

When Kingsbarns opened for play almost a decade ago, I was blown away. I thought it was a one-off miracle that a new course could look and play so good. Every now and again a course will open with similar ambitions of grandeur, but none ever live up to the marketing hype. That is until I played 18 holes at The Renaissance Club near Muirfield towards the end of last summer.

Along with a couple of my friends from Scotland and a few others from Georgia, I enjoyed a very hospitable day out at the new private club with it's founding principal, Derek Siewert. The day got off to the best possible start with a few early morning 'sharpeners', and some food from the outdoor grill. The clubhouse and lodge were still under construction, but even from the temporary facilities you could sense that this place certainly had the makings of a successful private members' club. Even as guests, we were made to feel right at home.

Normally, a combination of golf and rain doesn't really excite me too much. But on this occasion I had a ball. Tom Doak (responsible for Pacific Dunes in Oregon and Cape Kidnappers in New Zealand) was the chosen architect because the management team felt he could deliver justice to the land's natural beauty. I can understand their thought process. Doak is regarded as the founder of the minimalist movement when it comes to golf course design, and when you have a special piece of land such as this, why over-complicate things? The result is a classical, aesthetically pleasing and challenging layout. It doesn't have the drama of Old Head for example, but a more traditional kind of beauty provides eye candy for the connoisseur. I wouldn't class the course as out-and-out links, but it comes very close. I tend to reserve this term for the fiery terrain associated with the likes of St Andrews or Prestwick, but this doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the course. There are certainly holes that invite a low, running approach shot, and I was also impressed with the rugged styling of the bunkers.

A testing opening nine calls for shot-making and an emphasis is placed on accuracy from the tee. The 236 yard 2nd lets you know from the outset that you have to work hard for level numbers. I thought the 6th was an excellent par 5. At 577 yards, and with the dogleg positioned perfectly, this is a true three shot test. The 9th is a silent assassin. So many courses now just throw in a bunch of boring generic-looking short holes. The trick with this hole is hitting the correct part of the green. Pin placement is all important. Leave yourself on the wrong side of the green, and you can pencil in a four before you leave the tee.

The course really begins to bare it's teeth at the turn. A string of uphill, demanding holes leads up to a terrific panoramic view of the Firth of Forth. The views from the 12th green are particularly amazing. The par 5 14th is a lot of fun. Downhill, and reachable in two, I'm sure this will prove to be a terrific matchplay hole. The changes in elevation and the camber of the fairways throughout this section of the course are truly beautiful. It's one of those courses that when you play it for the first time, you find yourself checking the hole number on every tee hoping that No.18 is still some way off.

Prospective members are required to buy a non-interest bearing Membership Bond, which is currently valued at £45,000. If I had that kind of dough burning a hole in my back pocket, the Range Rover Sport could find itself slipping further down the wish list. The Renaissance Club is a fabulous course, and if like me you don't have a spare 45K, you better start getting friendly with someone that does!

Top 5 Courses

2009-03-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

I'm interested to hear what everybody's Top 5 courses are in Ireland and Scotland combined. I'll start the ball rolling with:

1. St Andrews - The Old Course

2. Royal Portrush - Dunluce Course

3. Kingsbarns

4. Tralee

5. Royal County Down

Click the 'Comment' button below, and post your rankings.

Success of Irish Golfers on Tour

2009-03-26T04:59:00.000-07:00

With a population of less than six million people, Ireland is most certainly over-achieving with regard to the level of success currently being enjoyed by it's touring professionals. Michael Hoey and Gareth Maybin have made excellent starts to their 2009 schedules after coming through last year's Challenge Tour. Graeme McDowell is a multiple winner and was a member of the last Ryder Cup Team at Valhalla. Rory McIlroy recently picked up silverware at The Dubai Desert Classic. Darren Clarke has a golfing CV that includes everything but a Major Championship. Padraig Harrington has a great chance of picking up his third consecutive Major at this year's Masters in April. But why does Ireland continue to consistently produce such outstanding golfing talent?

All of the above names have one thing in common, and that is playing amateur golf under the governance of The Golfing Union of Ireland. The opportunities given to golfers at a young age is something other associations should be keen to copy. From early teenage years, they are assisted with free coaching and perhaps most importantly have access to an excellently managed series of competitive events. Both 72 hole and matchplay tournaments are incorporated into Boys, Youths and Senior schedules. The GUI have always looked to provide additional assistance to the younger generation. For example - they designate a number of spots at national amateur championships for boys that have showed promise in other events throughout the season but may not have the necessary handicap to normally join the field.

Another defining factor is the quality of courses that these events are played on. The four regional championships, namely The North, South, East and West are staged at Royal Portrush, Lahinch, Baltray and Rosses Point. I can't imagine any other national association being able to host week-long tournaments on four of it's top rated courses. All the golfers now enjoying success on tour have made their way through the ranks at these events, and all have flourished in or even dominated the amateur scene in Ireland at some point in their careers. Surely it is an advantage to have played under this intense pressure on some of the world's finest courses at such a critical stage in their development. It makes it just that little bit easier to bridge the gulf towards the paid ranks. The strength in depth of these amateur tournaments is growing year on year. A decade ago, anyone entering off a scratch handicap would have been seen as a possible favourite to win the event. At last years Irish Amateur Open, 33 'plus-one' golfers found themselves on the waiting list. Bearing in mind there were 120 competitors on the drawsheet, this is a staggering statistic.

It also seems that there is an immense amount of pride involved in capturing a national amateur title in Ireland. Perhaps in other countries this would be regarded as an individual achievement, but here the award is enjoyed and cherished as a club. The silverware itself is always displayed in the clubhouse trophy cabinet, and photos of the great moment will adorn the walls of the members' bar for future generations. The GUI and its clubs have done an excellent job in conveying the ethos and history of it championships to the younger generation. Could this be one of the reasons why Irish golfers that have reached the pinnacle of the sport, like Harrington, remain humble and thankful for their achievements in the professional game?

I think the trend is set to continue. In a few weeks time, I have a sneaking suspicion that the colour of the Augusta blazer may finally suit the nationality of it's owner.

Valley Links, Portrush

2009-03-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

At only £35 for a weekday round, this is the best value golf course in Ireland by a country mile. It may not make my Top 5 in the country, but it certainly falls inside the Top 10. You have heard the statement, "Were it not for it's more famous sister course...", well this time it's true.

The Valley sits between the Dunluce Course and the sea, flanked by enormous dunes on either side. At only 6300 yards, you may be forgiven for thinking it could be a walkover. But it's a par 70, and course management is at a premium here. Although it's relatively short, there aren't too many holes that can be overpowered by long hitting. A lot of patience is required, and it's one of those courses where the short holes can play even tougher downwind than they do normally.

It is fairly common to reach the sixth tee with the scorecard still intact, but the next three holes rarely yield a string of pars. The sixth is a colossal 237 yard short hole. Before you reach for the 3-iron, I should also mention that it plays into the wind and uphill. It's one of those occasions where you have to forsake your dignity and reach for the big dog.

If somehow you manage to get through that one unscathed, try the seventh out for size. It weighs in at 437 yards, and you must hit the right-half of the fairway or be faced with a semi-blind approach. The rough is particularly punishing on this hole, and if sampled, you will be walking off the green with a five at best. Make four, and it almost feels like a birdie.

The eighth is a mere 408 yards - again into the prevailing wind. This time, a fairway wood is required to find a raised plateau of fairway, as driver can often run through into the long stuff. The hole then doglegs slightly to the right, where the green is protected by a curtain of gorse and a run-off area to the left. You look back from the ninth tee, and try to figure out how you dropped so many shots in the space of half an hour!

Although the course is owned by Royal Portrush, it is also home to a club of local members by the name of Rathmore Golf Club. Their clubhouse is situated near to the first tee of the course, and it is everything a golf club should be. Full of friendly characters, a thriving junior section, and a bar that requires the Guinness van to stop off twice a week.

Rathmore is a club with many famous sons. Former captain, Fred Daly, won the Open Championship at Hoylake in 1947. His clubs were graciously donated by his family and are on display in the foyer. It is also home to European Tour and Ryder Cup player - Graeme McDowell. Perhaps to follow in his footsteps is young Alan Dunbar, who has recently been selected for the GB&I Walker Cup Team.

The Valley isn't something to do on your day off in between playing Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, it's a reason to visit Northern Ireland in itself.

Old Tom Morris - Brought Back To Life

2009-03-24T11:09:00.000-07:00

St Andrews is very lucky to have a character that enriches the fabric of the city with his wit, artistic talent, and thespian skill. He acts as a great ambassador for The Auld Grey Toon on his many travels, an exploit that is only bettered by his reciprocal willingness to welcome visitors in. The man in question is David Joy - a fourth generation born and bred St Andrean.

For those of you that have walked down the back corridor at The Old Course Hotel - David's detailed and lifelike drawings of the Open Champions adorn the walls just past the desk of The Golf Steward. He is also responsible for adding a pictorial golfing theme to many of the pubs in town, The Pilmour and The Dunvegan to name but two. In fact, you may have already seen David on TV without knowing it - he played his most famous role as Old Tom Morris in a series of Titleist ads alongside John Cleese. The tweed jacket and make-up aren't just for the screen however. David is world renowned at portraying the most iconic figure in the history of golf. I have been fortunate enough to witness this performance on three different occasions now, all at golf functions in St Andrews itself. Old Tom is perhaps the most unusual and effective after-dinner speaker imaginable. He begins by running through his life, his love of golf, and the sad passing away of his son (also an Open Champion). Questions from the floor are then answered with humour and spontaneity. Each time I've seen it, I've been more impressed. It's a different show on each occasion; David simply slides into the costume and morphs into Old Tom. It's impromptu and it's the ultimate entertainment for anyone with a penchant for the history of the game.

A Round at St Andrews with David Humphreys

2009-03-21T02:54:00.001-07:00

On a day that offers Ireland it's first chance at Grand Slam glory in 61 years, it seems only fair to reminisce about a round of golf with one of it's most successful ever No. 10's - David Humphreys. Throughout periods of national unrest, the two gentlemanly pursuits of rugby and golf were the only two mainstream sports to compete under the umbrella of 'Ireland' with no shame or ridicule. Representing your country at either one of these two disciplines was far more important than any political sway. Both are great examples of true amateur competition - 100% commitment shown during the game, but the decency to pull on a blazer afterwards and have a drink with your opponent. Win, lose or draw.

David is a very genuine and likeable fella, but one of these annoying people that are naturally blessed with an inbuilt talent for many sports. "What do you play off these days?", I asked on the first tee of The Old Course. "Probably 6 or 8, but I haven't played in quite a while", he replied.

It was probably about the stage when he lipped out on the tenth green to go three-under that I realised I had been sold one of his trademark dummies. In fact, had it not been for an errant tee-shot on the long fourteenth he would have surely broken par on his Old Course debut.

Although winning over 70 caps for Ireland, I'd say David's finest hour was guiding Ulster to an unlikely European Cup triumph in 1999 at Lansdowne Road. I was lucky enough to be in the terraces that fateful afternoon in Dublin, and to witness one of the great sporting moments in the history of Ulster Rugby will last with me forever. The slice on 14 will probably stay in David's mind for quite some time too.

The Witchery, Edinburgh

2009-03-20T04:17:00.000-07:00

Many of our clients are just as enthusiastic about food and wine as they are about golf, and we take great pleasure in providing them with the best dinner reservations that Scotland has to offer.

There are a whole host of fantastic restaurants to be found across the length and breadth of the country including The Seafood Restaurant in St Andrews, Rogano in Glasgow and Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles. But in my opinion, one stands out above all others. The Witchery, located just yards from Edinburgh Castle, has it all. Mouthwatering food, award-winning wine lists and charismatic staff all housed in spectacular sixteenth century architecture.

The very best produce is sourced and prepared by some of the country's finest chefs in order to deliver a simple, classical menu bursting with flavour. Lindisfarne Oysters, Anstruther Crab, lightly smoked Barberry Duck, and Terrine of Wild Rabbit all feature on the list of starters. For Entree, the restaurant is proud to serve Lobster, Steak Tartare, Speyside Venison and a collection of other hearty, unfussy dishes in keeping with the aura of the whole experience.

Its comprehensive list of almost 1,000 wines covers all of the great wine producing areas, varieties, prices and styles with a special selection of seventeen available by the glass. As a Chevalier of the Order of the Tasse de Vin in Burgundy, owner James Thomson is a regular buyer of fine wines in cask at the annual Hospice de Beaune auctions each winter and sometimes these wines from his private cellar may be available to enjoy with your meal.

It is likely you will be based elsewhere for much of your golfing schedule in Scotland, but should you require a night of extra indulgence in the nation's capital, The Witchery has seven theatrical and decadent suites which regularly book out several months in advance. They are individually themed, and it's rather difficult to describe how much effort and no doubt expense has gone into furnishing these gothic masterpieces. Take 'The Guardroom' for example. It consists of a dramatic red and gold hall, a sitting room adorned with various military uniforms, a romantic four-poster bed and an oak-panelled bathroom complete with roll-top bath.

Visiting Edinburgh and not experiencing The Witchery would be like leaving St. Andrews without playing The Old Course. If you would like any further information, or have it added to your itinerary, just get in touch at the usual e-mail: jim@connoisseurgolf.com.

The 11th at St Andrews

2009-03-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

The Old Course only has two par 3's - the eighth and the wonderful eleventh. It is widely regarded as one of the best short holes in world golf and has been copied by many different golf architects around the globe, most notably Alister MacKenzie.

It measures 174 yards from the back tees and is yet another great example of why length plays second fiddle to good design. Unusually for a championship course, this hole cuts across the fairway of another, the 7th. The main dangers here are the greenside pot bunkers. Everyone knows about the challenges associated with Road Hole bunker on 17, but in my opinion the little beast that guards the front of the green at 11 is much worse. If you are anywhere near the face of 'Strath', you simply have no choice but to play out backwards or sideways. A pulled tee shot will often find another horrible spot - 'Hill' bunker. The trouble with this one is not only the steep face, but depending on the pin location you will need to fly the ball at least twenty yards - one of those really tricky escapes that require a perfect contact. The green itself slopes severely from back to front, with the exception of a little plateau top right. This is one of the many double-greens at St Andrews and shares with the par-4 7th. You can easily find yourself here with a putt in excess of 50 yards. In 1921, the great Bobby Jones was even brought to his knees by this hole. "Confounded and confused", he ripped up his scorecard and walked back to the clubhouse! The course grew on him however, and later in life he would regard the magical links as his favourite track.

If you walk off here with a 3 you can happily wipe your brow and move on to the next tee.

St Andrews Watering Holes

2009-03-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, a round of golf is not completed until you have washed it down with a cold pint of Tennents lager. St Andrews is not only known for world-class golf, but it is also blessed with some fantastic bars and pubs. Within a five minute walk of the 18th of The Old Course you will find twenty or so bars, all of whom have been lucky enough to do business with me... many on several occasions.

The most famous of them all is probably The Dunvegan. It sits on the corner of North Street and Golf Place, a mere nine-iron from the 18th green (this has actually been proven, and the said implement hangs on the wall above the corner snug). Jack and Sheena are amiable, colloquial hosts who give the same time and hospitality to every customer. The framed photos of many of the world's best golfers adorn the golf-themed interior, including pictures of the owners enjoying a drink with Arnold Palmer, Tiger, Payne Stewart and Fred Couples to name but a few. These four walls have probably heard every golf yarn ever told. Many of the St Andrews caddies meet here for bacon rolls and coffee in the morning before attempting something a little stronger post-round. Add all this atmosphere to arguably the best steak in town, and you have one of the most talked about golfing pubs in the world.

During my University years, the liveliest bar in town was The Pilmour - just around the corner on North Street. Kenny and Lenny were the guys at the helm, and they got this place so busy that it was often known to run out of glasses and ice! It was one of the few bars where students, locals and visiting golfers all got inebriated in perfect harmony. Unfortunately such a good time was had that it caused two separations, one divorce and a major shortening of many people's life expectancy. How I miss sitting at the bar in my softspikes, chatting to the tourists about their day on the Old Course. I probably learnt more in The Pilmour that I did in four years at St Andrews University. Kenny now has a great little pub just two streets across at the Westport, named Drouthy Neebors. Call in and have a pint, you will be made more than welcome.

Connoisseur Golf enjoy a special relationship with the New Golf Club, and our clients can utilize a temporary clubhouse membership here throughout their trip. You can even sit at the window seat, where Old Tom Morris had his very last drink before falling down the stairs on his way to the toilet. It's a great place to watch the 1st and 18th holes, and the food from executive chef Martin Reid is some of the best in town.

If only golf was played over 19 holes, I still may be able to hold my own.

Best Front Nine in Ireland

2009-03-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

You may have read my post on Tralee, where the back nine is truely out of this world. But where is the best opening nine in Ireland?

In my opinion, a few courses can stake a claim. The Dunluce Course at Royal Portrush has some terrific holes on the way out, not least the fifth, which is one of my all time favourites. A panoramic, sharp dogleg right from an elevated tee. I am yet to see a travelling golfer that hasn't reached for his camera at some point along this celebrated par 4. It's sister course - The Valley - also has some spectacular dune-lined holes (this has GOT to be the best value for money course in the Emerald Isle). Royal County Down has the remarkable views of the Mourne Mountains, in addition to some seriously ferocious holes. And of course there's Old Head, where every single view from every single angle looks like it's been taken from a golfing fairytale. But my pick for the best front nine would be a lesser known links course located on the northern coast at the mouth of the River Bann. Portstewart is somewhat a tale of two halves. Not that the inward half is poor by any stretch of the imagination, but 1 - 9 are seriously outstanding.

The first hole at Machrihanish is often related to as the best opener in links golf, but anyone who has played Portstewart will disagree. The tee shot is from an elevated tee (and I mean elevated) to a tight fairway that doglegs to the right. On the left is thick rough, and on the right is gorse - closely followed by sand and sea. A well hit drive seems to hang in the air for days. One of those rare occasions when you can feel like a professional golfer, holding pose until the ball finally lands. A mid-iron approach to a large green with very teasing subtle breaks is how you will more than likely complete your bogey.

I could literally spend hours running through the picturesque challenge of each hole, but the second is also a little special. Another raised tee allows you to hit into a deep cavernous valley, from which the dunes appear overwhelming. These aren't your little run of the mill dunes that Phil Mickleson could clear with a flop shot. These are dunes that would take ten minutes to climb if you could bear the vertigo at the top. This time a three-tiered green awaits, and don't be short or you could find it coming back to your feet.

The short sixth is Portstewart's version of No.17 at Sawgrass. Although only measuring 130 yards, you must hit the green. There is no water here, but everythings falls away from the fringe to the bottom of huge gulleys on every side. Missing the target here can leave you as much as a full sand-iron for your second. A terrific little hole, and one that can play extremely brutal if the wind gets up.

The other holes are every bit as aesthetically pleasing and challenging, those are just my personal favourites. I was fortunate enough to find myself playing in the Ulster Schools Cup over this course when I was younger and slimmer. I remember going down to a very good Irish amateur by 4&3 in the final, and over the course of that week I fell in love with the place. It's dramatic, testing and beautiful all at the same time. So if you you are embarking on a golf trip to Northern Ireland, don't even consider leaving this amazing course off your itinerary. It's just too good to miss.

Blending Golf and Whisky

2009-03-13T05:40:00.000-07:00

Golf and whisky is a marriage made in heaven. Lets hope that's where Old Tom Morris finished up anyway. Tom was a regular at The New Golf Club which overlooks the 18th fairway of The Old Course, where he would quite often be found beside a pint of Black Strap and a whisky chaser. On Sunday 24th May 1908, he rose to go to the toilet and was never to return. Tom had fallen down the stairs and left the golfing world at the age of 87. I can certainly think of worse ways to say the final goodbye.

Connoisseur Golf have combined with Scotland's most respected name in Whisky - David Wishart of The University of St. Andrews - to offer visiting golfers a light education on the the history of Scotland's national drink and the differing characteristics between many of it's most favourite brands. David is a captivating host, and engages his guests with charm and wit throughout. He has a great aptitude for being able to translate the taste of a whisky into words, and this is probably why he has spoken on the subject at various conventions throughout he world.

David's book - 'Whisky Classified' aims to help the newcomer navigate through the maze of single malt whiskies available to the consumer. If you like a particular malt whisky, then it tells you what other brands taste similar. On the other hand, if you want to diversify your collection, it helps you choose a range of malts that taste different. It is a reflection of David's philosophy that whisky shouldn't be graded on a scale of 1-10 by a committee of experts, but differentiated by taste - because everyone's palate is unique.

It is also now possible to embark on specialized Golf & Whisky Tours, which combine both loves into one itinerary. You could be playing Royal Dornoch in the morning, and find yourself on a guided journey around Glenmorangie Distillery in the afternoon. Or, if like me, your golf is declining at a rate of knots - turn the day on it's head and get merry before commencing play.

If you have any questions about Golf & Whisky Tours in Scotland, or if you would like to set up a night with David Wishart as part of your golfing pilgrimage, get in touch at jim@connoisseurgolf.com. Slainte Mhath!

The Old Course in Reverse

2009-03-12T02:22:00.001-07:00

It is only relatively recently in it's 600 year history that the Old Course has been played in an anti-clockwise fashion. Even in the time of Old Tom Morris, it was played in reverse - i.e. Teeing off at 1 and playing for the 17th green, then teeing off at 18 and playing for the 16th green. The Links Trust now set the course up in this original form for a couple of days each year, with the next available dates being the 3rd, 4th and 6th of April.

I've managed to play this layout on a couple of occasions, and it increases the difficulty of the course by at least a couple of notches. It becomes tough to get an accurate distance for many shots, and some of the holes even have blind second shots to the green. The landing areas on the fairway are extremely small in many cases, and it seems as if the trouble is more visually noticeable.

A good example of this last point is on what we now know as the 12th fairway. Except on this course you will be playing from the 13th tee to the 11th green. Usually, this hole is known for all its 'invisible' trouble, a collection of pot bunkers stretched across the middle of the fairway that tend to catch more than their fair share of balls. Only on this layout, the bunkers are there staring you square in the face. It's actually tough to find a line off the tee, and usually ends up as more of a hit and hope. Obviously on many holes, the definition of the rough is now made with a different routing in mind and it doesn't particularly suit the original course, but the Links Trust do a great job in making it playable. Even with all the new maps, scorecards and instructions made available on the first tee, it is not uncommon to see a fourball ambling across the links like a group of lost sheep. The excitement of not really knowing what faces you next is all part of the enjoyment.

It is extremely interesting however plotting your way around this course, and seeing the kind of shots that some of golf's legends were faced with in days gone by.

Prestwick - Birthplace to the Open

2009-03-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

Many golfers around the world treat St Andrews as The Home of Golf, and I would have no argument with that. But what many people fail to remember is that Prestwick played host to the first twelve 'Open Championships'. The first red Moroccan belt was won by Willie Park of Musselburgh with a score of 174 over two rounds. After a decade or so, Prestwick, The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers and The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews pitched together £30 to purchase the Claret Jug. This was first played for in 1872 and was won by Young Tom Morris.

In today's modern game Prestwick is widely regarded as too short to host a major championship, but it continues to provide a stern test for many amateur events, including the British Amateur - which was last won here in 2001 by Shandon Park member Michael Hoey.

It riles me slightly that Prestwick is not included on the countless touring itineraries that are set up by visiting golfers each year. Not only is it a tremendous golf course to play, but the feelings induced from the history surrounding it can only be second to The Old Course at St Andrews. But perhaps what really upsets me most is the unfair stigma associated with Prestwick as not not being visitor friendly. Ian Bunch, Secretary of Prestwick, has sat on the board of a number of tourism orientated projects to try and encourage visitors to the Ayrshire coastline. Indeed, the club is very welcoming to visiting golfers, and I would be the first in recommending you play here.

It's exactly as links golf should be - rough and ragged with the exception of excellently kept tees and greens. It's not as long as many of the championship courses in Scotland, but this simply makes the layout more inviting to the amateur. One thing Prestwick does require is a strong mental game. Not only on the tees, but more significantly on the approach shots. Holes that appear tame only begin to show their teeth on the second shot. Like Elie in yesterday's post, this is a tremendous matchplay course. There are many birdies to be had, but blink for a second and you can see yourself running up a string of fives.

The hospitality at Prestwick is just as enjoyable as the course itself, and I believe an important part of any golf day. Like any esteemed golf club with a revered reputation, treat the club with the respect it deserves and you will have a memorable day. But be sure to indulge in a Kummel, one of the local delicacies. Just remember not to drive afterwards...

Elie - Fife's Hidden Gem

2009-03-09T04:49:00.000-07:00

Twenty minutes south of St Andrews lies one of the most enjoyable courses you will find anywhere in Scotland. Golf has been played at Elie perhaps as early as the 15th century. Officially known as 'The Golf House Club', the course we know today was laid out in 1896, and the course has a direct link to the great James Braid - he played golf here as a boy. At only 6200 yards, there are no par 5's and only two par 3's. This long stretch of fours may appear bland to those who haven't played the links, but let me assure you nothing could be further from the truth. In it's time, Elie has been a final qualifying course for The Open Championship, and has played host to a number of notable professional and amateur tournaments. It is a joy to play from start to finish.

On the first tee you will be cordially greeted by the starter, who's hut sits under an impressive looking thirty foot periscope. This wonderful, quirky feature was retrieved from HMS Excaliber - built in 1955. From here the starter can view the fairway ahead, which is blind from the tee, and let golfers know when it is safe to play. On many courses, I am a little weary of blind tee shots, but on Elie they definitely add to the character of the course. These are usually combined with large landing areas, with the first being an example, and they don't really detract from the playability of the course. What is so exciting about Elie, is the risk-reward nature of many of it's holes. For this reason it acts as a tremendous matchplay venue. There is a great chance of making birdie or bogey at almost every hole.

The best stretch of holes are found running adjacent to the beach at the far end of the course. The 12th is one of those holes like the 1st at Machrihanish where you must decide how much of the carry to bite off, and then hope for a good connection. A brave tee shot leaves a mid-iron for your approach, but a nervous bail-out to the right will result in a long iron or fairway wood from a much tougher angle. The 13th also doglegs slightly to the left. This time a much more friendly tee shot invites you to a fantastic view of a raised green sitting below the picturesque ampitheatre of a series of steep cliffs. The front nine, and loop at the corner is most certainly the place to make your score because the later part the round is a lot more challenging.

If you're spending a week in St Andrews, this is without doubt a course I suggest you add to your itinerary. And after you've experienced the very welcoming hospitality of the clubhouse, don't forget to drop in to the nearby Ship Inn and enjoy a malt within the confines of one of Scotland's best pubs.

Tralee - The King of Kerry

2009-03-07T14:21:00.000-08:00

The south-west of Ireland holds a multitude of legendary links courses. For most people, Ballybunion gets the nod as the finest jewel in the crown, but for me, I think Tralee is a golfing heaven on earth. Or as Wayne Westner once said, "If heaven is not like this, I don't want to go there".

Tralee was Arnold Palmer's first foray into course design anywhere in Europe. The Atlantic Ocean is clearly visible from every single hole and the views are nothing short of spectacular. It is one of those magical places where sunlight brings the humps and hollows of the fairways alive. The dunes become that little bit more noticeable as the coastal breeze sweeps through the rugged collection of grasses - waving like a beacon for balatas. The course actually begins rather benignly however, and it is possible to mix sightseeing with relatively decent scoring for the first hour or so. The first major challenge appears on the eighth. A shortish par 4 that lures the driver from your bag. Of course there is no real need, a long iron leaves a wedge or shortish club to the green. But like 99% of amateur golfers, I always hit driver... especially downwind. I can justify this by thinking that there's a slim chance of knocking it on in one. But in hindsight I can't recall ever making par. It's a classic case of showing that every hole on the scorecard doesn't need to be overly long, something that many of today's modern architects should sit up and take note. This is a great example.

If the first nine holes are beautiful, the back side is mesmerizing. Palmer humbly quoted, "I may have designed the front nine, but surely God designed the back nine". The terrain he had to work with is rather special. These holes have everything - changes in elevation, risk-reward, demanding tee-shots, shots that test every club in the bag. It is tough to pick one to focus on in particular, but the 12th is a truly fantastic golf hole. A long downhill par 4 of 460 yards, the right-side of a tight fairway is the goal off the tee. It opens out slightly after this, and everything tends to kick off to the left. There's a wall on the left and punishing rough to the right, so to finish on the short-stuff in crucial. A decent drive leaves you with a long iron or fairway wood to a raised plateau green. A deep chasm collects everything that misses to the left, and short-siding yourself isn't really an option either. Basically it's a game of hit the green in two, or work hard for your five. Walking off the green with a four here would give a feeling of tremendous satisfaction. I am yet to experience it.

On the way back to your hotel (you will most probably be based in Killarney), make a point of stopping in at The Oyster Tavern - just a few miles from the club on the Fenit coast. The bar has a great atmosphere, but better still is the quality of the seafood. The menu is very reasonably priced, and it is a great way to finish off a great day on one of Ireland's best golf courses.

Machrihanish by Sea

2009-03-06T10:02:00.000-08:00

There are a number of golf courses in the world that everyone has heard of, but not so many have actually played. With many of these famous layouts, the reason is exclusivity and a small member list that reads like the Forbes 100; but with Machrihanish this couldn't be further from the truth. It is one of the most welcoming golf clubs you are likely to find. The answer in this case is it's geographical location. Machrihanish sits nestled on the southern tip of Mull of Kintyre. As the crow flies, its not too far from many of the championship courses in the west of Scotland, but it is a full 165 mile drive from Glasgow by road. This distance may not sound like a lot if you were cruising up I-95, but the quality of roads in this part of the country leave a lot to be desired. Fine for leisurely Sunday sightseeing, but not conducive to getting somewhere in a hurry. Helicopter is the ideal form of transportation on this occasion (a 15 minute journey), but for many golfing tourists this isn't financially feasible.

Two years ago, Wilson Smith and his son Robin came up with the novel solution of moving golfers there by chartered speed boat. This exciting new service takes only an hour from Troon Marina. When docked at Campbeltown, a chauffeured vehicle then completes the 10 minute journey to the first tee. I was very kindly invited to experience the transfer for myself last Spring. The 'Kintyre Express' is an 11 metre Redbay Stormforce R.I.B., with a centrally heated fully enclosed cabin. The craft holds 12 golfers comfortably in large aircraft style seats. I was taken aback by how smooth the journey was for such a relatively small boat. Skipper Wilson is a very affable character, and his great story-telling ability makes the sailing seem like no time. The views from the boat are incredible. With Arran on the right, and the Ailsa Craig viewable to the left (apologies for my lack of nautical terminology), everyone had their cameras at the ready. Porpoises, dolphins, minke whales, and basking whales have all been spotted by Wilson and Robin, and the boat is a registered spotter for the Sea Search Foundation.

Machrihanish itself is a wonderful golf course. It is world renowned for having one of the best opening holes in golf. The best line from the back tees requires a 200 yard carry over the Atlantic Ocean. The layout isn't overly long, but it is a shotmakers course. Doglegs right and left, along with challenging short par 4's that require some real thinking on the tee. The mid to high handicapper may want to bring a few spare Titleists because the rough here is genuine links rough - rugged, and just like it should be. If it were not for the club's location, I have a feeling Machrihanish would feature much higher on the lists of many people's favourite courses. Perhaps the Kintyre Express will go a long way to making this beautiful links course more accessible for many travelling golfers.

A round at St. Andrews with Roger Cleveland

2009-03-05T03:03:00.000-08:00

Most serious golfers at some point over the past three decades have enjoyed the feel and diverse playability of a Cleveland wedge. In 1979, Cleveland Golf began as a company making excellent replicas of clubs from the 1940's and 1950's. Today, Roger Cleveland is Chief of Golf Club Design at Callaway Golf. Aside from having the lead input into new products and designs, he personally modifies and tweaks the clubs of many of the world's top golfers by hand. It was a pleasure for Connoisseur Golf to host Roger and his travelling party back in October, 2008. Their trip consisted of a St Andrews based tour playing three courses - Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and The Old Course. On arrival, the group were very keen for me to join them on the links, and I was more than happy to oblige. Having been a member at St. Andrews since 2000, I have probably been lucky enough to play The Old Course in excess of 300 times. However, teeing it up with my distinguished playing partner brought back those nervy feelings on the first tee that I hadn't experienced for quite a few years. Luckily, I managed to pull a decent swing out from somewhere, and sent the ball down the middle of the enormous opening fairway. I was only one shot into my round, and I was already reaching for my 49 degree, gunmetal Cleveland wedge. It felt a little surreal pulling it from the bag and preparing to line up my approach. The execution of this shot was wasn't quite as successful as it's predecessor. A little thin, and a long way right, the ball managed to somehow clear the burn and come to a stop on the right edge of the green. I quickly covered the clubhead with my hand and returned it to it's home, hoping Roger wouldn't see how I had just butchered a straightforward shot with one of his beautiful creations. Although at the forefront of golf design technology, Roger is a traditionalist on the course. His classical balanced swing, and tweed bonnet make him look like he's just played 18 holes with Bobby Jones. We probably play to a similar level, but Roger is one of golf's great gentlemen who prefers not to talk too much of handicaps - he simply enjoys the imagination of shot-making, and adapting his game to the challenges that the course throws up. There were quite a few friendly 'gimme's' over the next four hours, but Roger roughly shot 74 to my 76. He made four birdies, and didnt really look in trouble at any point. It was great to see how he approached many of the shots around the green. Where I would often pull out the putter from 20 yards, he was hitting these beautiful little checked wedge shots to within inches of the hole. Hopefully I will get the opportunity to pick up another few pointers in the not too distant future. There were a lot of laughs shared between our fourball, and I look forward with interest to the next installment.

Cream of Irish Golf to open new tees at Portrush

2009-03-04T08:37:00.000-08:00

Connoisseur Golf has heard speculation that four of Ireland's top professional golfers, namely Padraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke will tee it up early this summer to officially open the newly lengthened Dunluce Course at Royal Portrush. The fantasy foursome all have a love of the famous links, and all at some point in their amateur careers found success over the layout consistently ranked in upper echelons of every Top 100 Courses ever compiled. Although an extremely tight track under tournament conditions, many have felt that the course needed stretched beyond its 6900 yards. Perhaps the recent alterations to the length of the course may re-install some of the fear faced by top golfers in years gone by.

At the precocious age of 16, McIlroy destroyed the previous course record of 64 by 3 strokes. His 61 (coming home in 28) included nine birdies and an eagle. It was probably at this point when the public perception of McIlroy as a great young amateur turned more to hopes of a possible golfing genius.

McDowell swept through the field here in 2000 at the Irish Amateur Close Championship defeating fellow international Andrew McCormick by 7&6 in the final.

Harrington played a host of amateur events at Portrush in the early to mid 1990's, and made it to the final of The North Of Ireland Amateur in 1993. He often speaks of Portrush as his favourite course.

Darren Clarke is Mr. Portrush. He developed his legendary ball-striking on the links as a boy, and won the aforementioned 'North' title in 1990.

However the day pans out, one thing is for sure... the bar manager at the club better make sure he orders in enough Guinness!

Castle Stuart to open for play in July

2009-03-04T08:13:00.000-08:00

Anticipation is mounting over the opening of Castle Stuart Golf Links near Inverness in northern Scotland. Aside from a championship links course, the resort will include a small luxury Hotel & Spa, 'resort-ownership' Lodges & Apartments, plus a second Seaside Course. Golf in the upper-reaches of Scotland is severely under-rated. For those that do make the journey, you will undoubtedly hear of the world-class golfing links on offer. Nearby Nairn hosted the Walker Cup in 1999, while Royal Dornoch is continually rated as one of the finest courses in the country. Tom Watson once famously quoted, "It's the most fun I've ever had on a golf course." When Castle Stuart adds to this abundance of quality links already on offer, I think we will see the Highlands of Scotland take off as a leading golf destination in it's own right - not just as a two day addition to the most popular itineraries in Fife and Ayshire. Mark Parsinen, Managing Partner of Castle Stuart Golf LLP, was also instrumental in the spectacular rebirth of Kingsbarns, 8 miles from St Andrews. If his new creation is anywhere near as successful, we could see the beginning of something special in the Scottish Highlands.

Fairmont St Andrews goes from strength to strength -

2009-03-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

Connoisseur Golf has viewed the 5* Fairmont St Andrews Resort as it's preferred accommodation provider in the Home of Golf for some time.

They were the proud recipients of "Hotel of the Year" at the 2008 Golf Tourism Scotland Awards, and bolstered with their recent refurbishments we see it as the place to be when playing golf in St Andrews. Commenting on the award, Charles Head, General Manager of Fairmont St Andrews, said “This is a great achievement by our team at the hotel. We have invested £13.5 million in the resort and it is good to see that our efforts are being recognised by our colleagues in the tourism industry. With our Open qualifying Torrance course opening in summer 2009 and our new signature Spa, the hotel keeps going from strength to strength”.

With their recent collaboration with the Hilton Caledonian in Edinburgh, golfers can now experience the excitement and culture of Edinburgh in addition to their stay in St Andrews. Packages are available on a bespoke basis from Connoisseur Golf. The newly opened £2.5M Signature Spa is a haven of relaxation before or after you finish your round. From the Sam Torrance Signature Experience, you can enjoy a 90 minute 'Ultimate Golfer's Treatment' from as little as £145. The opening of the revamped Torrance Course, which will play host to Final Qualifying for the 2010 Open Championship is being eagerly awaited. The new championship layout will be available for play from August of this year, and will surely add to the plethora of world-class courses available to golfers in the North-East Fife area. Should you wish to learn more about what is available at one of the UK's finest hotels, don't hesitate to contact Graeme Dawson - Golf & Leisure Sales Manager, or Jim Stewart at Connoisseur Golf.