The Lowdown on Golf in Scotland

The Great Golf Guide 2014

THE LOWDOWN ON GOLF In

SCOTLAND Where to play and where to stay for the ultimate trip this year

Inside the guide: 3 Scotland: The original and best 4 Ryder Cup: Gleneagles awaits 6 Resorts: Starring Turnberry 8 The Highlands & Perthshire 10 Fife & Angus: Cradle of golf 12 East Lothian: Unbroken links 14 Ayrshire & Borders www.nationalclubgolfer.com | JULY 2014 1

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The Great Golf Guide | Scotland

Dornoch The 2nd at the Highlands gem

Welcome

Is there really anywhere else you would rather be this summer?

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ith hundreds of courses to suit all standards and pockets – and a golfing heritage that cannot be matched – Scotland really is the dream ticket for golfers.

From Open venues and ancient links to modern parklands, hidden gems and luxury resorts, the range of golf Scotland has to offer is quite amazing.

We’ve teamed up with VisitScotland to create a selection of the finest tours and packages imaginable, taking in world-famous regions such as Fife, East Lothian, Ayrshire and the Highlands to name but a few.

So if you are thinking about a

golf break in Scotland why not let Golfbreaks.com help you to plan your perfect trip?

From organising your golf and accommodation to booking airport transfers and hire cars, we take care of everything, leaving you to savour the prospect of the trip of a lifetime

to the Home of Golf.

Away from the golf course, Scotland has so much more to offer visitors, from whisky distilleries and award-winning cuisine to stunning beaches and vibrant cities.

Why not stay an extra day or two and enjoy some of the many

GETTING TO YOUR UNFORGETTABLE GOLF BREAK IN SCOTLAND...

There are many ways to get to Scotland and start enjoying the golf and the hospitality and start creating memories that will live with you forever:

By Road: Throw all the gear in the car and head up the A1, or the M6, A74(M) and M74 from the South.

By Rail: Sit back and relax on a direct train to Glasgow or Edinburgh from main cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and York.

By Air: Reach Scotland’s four main airports in around an hour from most regional and city airports across the UK. All are well served by a wide range of airlines.

off-course attractions?

Getting there by air, road or rail couldn’t be easier, and with The Ryder Cup taking place at Gleneagles in September, 2014 is the perfect year to take a trip to this very special golf destination.

We’re here to save you time and money, so why not give our experienced and dedicated sales team a call on 0845 543 664 to find you the very best deal?

Andrew Stanley, CEO

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The Great Golf Guide | Scotland | The 2014 Ryder Cup

2 JULY 2014 | www.nationalclubgolfer.com

Many more great value breaks available online at

Gleneagles ready for golf’s

greatest show Put the last week of September into your diary – and block out the weekend

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Gleneagles The PGA Centenary course

or call us on 0845

oW can it be that the country which gave the world golf can have hosted its greatest event, the Ryder Cup, on only one occasion?

Incredibly, Muirfield in 1973 is currently the only time the biennial transatlantic showdown has come to Scotland.

That will all change later this year when Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Co arrive at Gleneagles under the leadership of no less than Tom Watson, determined to regain possession of a trophy they have raised aloft after only one of the last six matches.

They face quite a task, because while the exact composition of the home team will not be known until August, it will be, on paper at least, an exceptionally strong one.

There may be a changing of the guard, with the likes of France’s Victor Dubuisson, who won the hearts of many

543 664 – we’re open 7 days a week

when he came so close to defeating Jason Day in the WGC Matchplay final in Arizona, demanding inclusion.

It is unthinkable that Europe will not be led in spirit by the remarkable Ian Poulter, with Major champions Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose also prominent.

It will be an incredible week – if one where the usual tranquility of Perthshire will be somewhat disturbed. And even if you haven’t managed to acquire a precious ticket, play and stay deals are still available locally so you can be a part of it.

www.nationalclubgolfer.com | JULY 2014 3

The Great Golf Guide | Scotland | Resorts

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oU can stay in real style in Scotland – and you won’t even have to leave the property to play some of the country’s finest courses.

The two obvious places to start are Turnberry and Gleneagles – and you might be surprised by how affordable these iconic venues can be.

The former hosted The Open as recently as 2009 and as well as the legendary Ailsa you can also tackle the Kintyre. As for the accommodation, whether in the form of the famous claytiled hotel or new appartments opposite the clubhouse, you will be staying in real style. Enjoy a drink in the Ailsa Bar before experiencing fine-dining in the 1906 Restaurant, from where you can watch the sun set over Ailsa Craig and Arran.

At Gleneagles, September’s Ryder Cup venue, there are three world-class courses: the Jack Nicklaus-designed PGA Centenary, over which The Ryder Cup will be played, the King’s and Queen’s. Off the course, Gleneagles enjoys a global reputation for opulence and Scottish elegance. With a spa, shops and every conceivable leisure facility, you simply will not want to leave.

There are many more resorts to choose from elsewhere.

Near the Auld Grey Toun is Fairmont St Andrews, equipped with two fine courses.

the RESORTs Where to play and stay in real style

Gleneagles The hotel at the Perthshire resort

Outside Glasgow is Mar Hall and in Peebles Macdonald Cardrona. Or for something slightly different, head for the remote Kintyre Peninsula and Machrihanish Dunes’ awardwinning Ugadale Hotel. There is a summer ferry here from Ardrossan.

Take our word for it – it’s worth every mile of the trip.

1 night’s B&B 2 rounds

now £219 was £419

2 nights’ B&B 3 rounds

now £319 was £595

Turnberry Resort 5★ Ayrshire

Stay in the world-famous hotel or neighbouring lodges and gaze out towards Ailsa Craig

2 JULY 2014 | www.nationalclubgolfer.com

1 in 8 free

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Perthshire

This year’s Ryder Cup host venue has three magnificent courses and a world-class hotel

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was £169

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Mar Hall 5★ Glasgow

This five-star resort is conveniently close to Glasgow Airport and the Earl of Mar course is a gem

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Marriott Dalmahoy 4★

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Edinburgh

On the outskirts of Edinburgh close to the city’s airport, Dalmahoy has hosted the Solheim Cup

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Fairmont St Andrews 5★

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St Andrews

Just outside the famous old town is this modern, international resort where luxury comes as standard

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Cameron House 5★ Loch lomond

On the banks of Loch Lomond, you can stay in style at this De Vere and enjoy the Carrick course

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MacDonald Cardrona 4★ Peebles

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Ugadale Hotel Machrihanish Dunes 4★

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Machrihanish, Argyll

The classic designs of the Macdonald Cardrona’s guestrooms feel spacious and welcoming

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Perthshire

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Westerwood Resort 4

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Cumbernauld

Set in Kinross in the heart of the Perthshire countryside, there are two courses on site

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Green Hotel 4

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The Kintyre Peninsula is an unforgettable experience

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This Q Hotels resort is between Glasgow and Stirling and also boasts a pool, gym and spa

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The Great Golf Guide | Scotland | The North & Perthshire

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HEN travelling to Scotland on a golf holiday it is entirely natural to make a beeline for St Andrews and the Kingdom of Fife.

We would urge you to show a little more patience and instead keep travelling north up the A9 that cuts through the Cairngorms to Inverness.

Not only will you be richly rewarded with what must be one of the most spectacular drives in Britain but there is also some truly special golf just waiting to be discovered.

The north

Sensational links courses and the home of whisky

“Experience the joys of the Moray Firth to the east of Inverness” It is also surprisingly accessible. Most famously, if you continue north upon reaching Inverness, an hour later you can be in Dornoch.

This small town is utterly consumed by golf and the championship links course is simply a national treasure. Within easy reach are the likes of Skibo Castle, Brora, Golspie and Tain.

Alternatively, head east from Inverness and experience the joys of the Moray Firth. The highlight for many is the recent Scottish Open host Castle Stuart, while traditionalists will tell you that Nairn has the edge.

Stay in the promisingly named Golf View Hotel to tackle either or both.

Castle Stuart Stunning new course near Inverness

Just down the coast, in Lossiemouth, are Moray’s two courses – both pure links and quintessentially Scottish. Further east still is the golf-rich city of Aberdeen. Trump International, rightly, is acquiring a stellar reputation while Cruden Bay and Murcar are each over a century old and Royal Aberdeen hosts July’s Scottish Open.

Play at: Castle Stuart, Nairn Dunbar, Fortrose & Rosemarkie Inverness

Stay at: Kingsmills Hotel 4

★

2 JULY 2014 | www.nationalclubgolfer.com

2 nights’ B&B 3 rounds

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Play at: Nairn, Royal Dornoch, Nairn Dunbar

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Nairn

Play at: Royal Aberdeen, MurcaR Cruden Bay Aberdeen

Stay at: Marriott Aberdeen 4

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COTLAND is rightly synonymous with links golf but it should not be overlooked that there is also plenty of the inland variety that is pretty special too.

Perthshire is the very heart of the country and it is here The Ryder Cup will be decided in September at Gleneagles.

It goes without saying that tee times on any of the three wonderful courses will be in great demand in this year of years for Scottish golf, so let us instead concentrate on the treasures nearby.

It is only right to start with Blairgowrie, host of the Junior Ryder Cup, and its high-class Rosemount and Lansdowne courses. The former was the venue for Greg Norman’s first professional victory and winds its way mellifluously through Scotch pines, heather and Silver Birches.

“Blairgowrie was the venue for Greg Norman’s first win” The latter is a much newer layout, only opening in the late 1970s and designed by Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas.

It was good enough to host the Scottish Amateur in 2011 and should be considered an equal of the Rosemount.

Crieff is shorter, a little more gentle and is played across

Perthshire Tour 3★

Gleneagles is the star, Blairgowrie and Crieff are special

Blairgowrie One of Perthshire’s finest

rolling parkland. There are some excellent bases for a trip to this part of Scotland and Murrayshall House Hotel is certainly one of them. Located just to the north of Perth, close to Scone, it is a 300-year-old house with 41 wellappointed rooms. There are two delightful courses on-site here – the Murrayshall and the more recent Lynedoch.

2 nights’ B&B 3 rounds

Perthshire

Play at: Blairgowrie, Crieff, Glenisla Stay at: Mercure Perth • 1 in 8 free

or call us on 0845

Perthshire

now £215 was £265

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Play at: Lyndoch, Murrayshall Perthshire

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Stay at: Murrayshall Hotel 4★ • 1 in 12 stay free

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Perthshire Tour 4★

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Perthshire

Play at: Murrayshall, Downfield, Pitlochry Stay at: Murrayshall Hotel

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www.nationalclubgolfer.com | JULY 2014 3

The Great Golf Guide | Scotland | Fife & Angus

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HERE to start? It would be stretching the point to say that you could go to the east coast and play a different course every day for a year... but you would certainly have enormous fun trying.

The Fife and Angus coasts are a cradle of the game – from Open Championship venues the Old Course and Carnoustie to modern classics like Kingsbarns, it is simply as good as golf gets.

The only place to start is St Andrews and while the Old Course needs no introduction, too few golfers realise that this single patch of unbroken linksland has a total of 99 holes laid out over it – also including the New, Jubilee, Eden, Strathtyrum and nine-

Fife & angus

St Andrews, Carnoustie and much more besides

“Angus has wonderful links with firm, fastrunning fairways and punitive bunkering” hole Balgove.That is before you have even considered the spectacular Castle Course that is a mile or so outside the town with views over the Auld Grey Toun, or the Duke’s, an everimproving championship course in its own right.

Travel a few miles down the coast from St Andrews to take in the likes of Kingsbarns, Leven, Lundin, Elie and Crail – the choice is almost too much.

You can also stay at Fairmont St Andrews, next door to the Castle Course and play the comparatively new Torrance and Kittocks layouts.

Criminally under-appreciated is Angus, just across the Tay from Fife to the north, and home to arguably an even better collection of traditional links courses in the shape of

Kingsbarns Fife’s modern classic is stunning

Carnoustie, Panmure, Montrose and Monifieth.

All offer wonderful links conditions of firm, fast-running fairways, some punitive bunkering and true, smoothrunning greens.

Indeed, there are 54 holes at Carnoustie alone, with the Burnside and newly revamped Buddon well worth a visit.

2 JULY 2014 | www.nationalclubgolfer.com

St Andrews Tour 5★ St Andrews

Play at: Kingsbarns, Torrance, Kittocks Stay at: Fairmont St Andrews

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Play at: Crail, Lundin Links, Elie Links

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was £389

ABerlady

★

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Play at: Carnoustie Championship, Panmure, Monifieth

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Stay at: Apex Dundee 4

was £399

Dundee

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★

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www.nationalclubgolfer.com | JULY 2014 3

The Great Golf Guide | Scotland | East Lothian

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HERE could you possibly be playing to find yourself in view of the Firth of Forth scratching your head trying to work out how to negotiate a stone wall between you and the flag that divides the fairway from the green?

There is only one answer to that question – North Berwick’s West Links. Many have fallen in love with this occasionally outrageous old course and indeed the region to the east of Edinburgh as a whole.

East Lothian

It might just be the country’s richest golfing region

“There is a school of thought East Lothian has even more to offer than St Andrews” Whisper it quietly, but there is a school of thought that East Lothian, a region known as Scotland’s Golf Coast, has even more to offer than St Andrews.

Certainly, for most of us it is more accessible. And starting at Musselburgh, in Edinburgh’s eastern suburbs, you could go all the way along the coast to Dunbar, 30 miles away, playing from one course to the next.

The most famous course in the area is Muirfield, host venue for last summer’s Open Championship so memorably won by Phil Mickelson. Arguably the most enjoyable to play is Kilspindie, which is also one of the shortest.

The sea is never out of view and high and low-handicappers alike have the chance to mark down a few three-pointers before retiring to the wonderful old clubhouse.

Kilspindie is a mere stone’s throw from Gullane, and its three timeless links, while the wonderful new Tom Doakdesigned Renaissance is close by.

Stay at the Marine Hotel in North Berwick if you prefer a base that is fully equipped, or opt for an intimate guesthouse.

Two of the best are Ducks, in Aberlady, where you can also eat well, and North Berwick’s No 12 Quality Street. Or stay at Craigielaw’s new lodge and play on site – a modern links of the same name is waiting for you.

2 JULY 2014 | www.nationalclubgolfer.com

Play at: North Berwick West Links, Gullane No.1, Kilspindie Ayr

Stay at: Ducks Hotel 3

★

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Renaissance East Lothian’s newest treat

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Play at: Craigielaw, Longniddry, Kilspindie ABerlady

Stay at: Craigielaw Lodge 4

★

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Play at: Dunbar, Glen GC Gullane No.2 ABerlady

Stay at: 12 Quality Street 3

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www.nationalclubgolfer.com | JULY 2014 3

The Great Golf Guide | Scotland | Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway and Scottish Borders

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HERE are many parts of Scotland that demand a return trip to get round all the courses. You could visit Ayrshire on three occasions and tackle a different Open venue on each one.

The courses in question could hardly be more different.

Prestwick is in many ways a museum piece, a shrine to the days 150 years ago when it hosted the first Open – and indeed 23 further ones between then and 1925. Not even its fondest admirers would deny that several of its holes present a challenge far removed from those on newer courses.

Ayrshire

There are no fewer than three Open venues on this coast

“Dundonald is arguably a better layout than Kingsbarns” By contrast the first Open to be played at Turnberry was not until 1977 – the unforgettable Duel in the Sun between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus.

The third venue is Royal Troon, where the Open will next return in 2016, some 12 years since Todd Hamilton defeated Ernie Els in a play-off.

There is much, much more besides. In the Irvine area alone are Western Gailes, Gailes Links, Irvine Bogside, Kilmarnock Barassie and Dundonald, a modern links that may lack the views of Kingsbarns but is arguably a better layout.

Dundonald The latest great Ayrshire links

Troon is a great base for any trip to the area, well stocked with pubs, bars and restaurants.

Try the South Beach Hotel or Barcelo Troon if you would like to stay in comfort and style.

Alternatively, in nearby Ayr, the Mercure Ayr is centrally located and gives easy access to all of the above plus the likes of Belleisle, Lochgreen and Darley.

Play at: Western Gailes, Gailes Links, Dundonald Links Troon

Stay at: Barvelo Troon 4

★

2 JULY 2014 | www.nationalclubgolfer.com

2 nights’ B&B 3 rounds

now £315 was £349

SAVE

10%

Play at: Belleisle, Lochgreen, Darley

2 nights’ dinner B&B 2 rounds

Ayr

now £155

Play at: Irvine Bogside Kilmarnock, Dundonald Links

2 nights’ B&B 3 rounds

Stay at: Mercure Ayr 3★ • 1 in 8 stay free

Troon

Stay at: South Beach Hotel 4

★

Many more great value breaks available online at

was £199

now £239 was £279

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22%

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14%

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HE closest that many golfers get to playing in Dumfries & Galloway is while en route to the Ayrshire coast, with all its myriad golfing attractions.

Similarly, the Borders is too often circumnavigated by those heading for East Lothian and Fife via Edinburgh. ­ In both cases, this is a real shame. Partly because there is some fine golf to experience and also on account of their being such attractive regions.

In terms of courses, the star is surely the region’s only true links, Southerness, which stands on the Solway Firth. Simple and uncomplicated, the turf here is firm and the greens true. It really is a fine test of your game.

The premier resort in this area is certainly The Roxburghe, a 22-room hotel in the form of a castle. As for the course, designed in the 1990s by the late Dave Thomas, this is a

“There is some fine golf in both these attractive regions” rolling, tactically demanding layout with some spectacular views that represents modern course architecture at its best.

To experience Dumfries & Galloway, we suggest staying at the Aston Hotel, a mile away from the centre of the town. From here you have

Dumfries & Borders

Do not overlook this charming and pretty part of the country

Southerness Dumfries & Galloway’s finest course

easy access to the remote, challenging and rugged Southerness as well as the likes of Powfoot and Dumfries & County.

Southerness was designed

by Philip Mackenzie Ross, shortly after the Second World War, during an age when courses were laid out, rather than created.

Dumfries Finest 4★

2 nights’ B&B 3 rounds

Dumfries

Play at: Southerness, Powfoot, Dumfries & County Stay at: Aston Hotel

or call us on 0845

now £219 was £249

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12%

Play at: Dumfries & County Silloth, Moffat

2 nights’ dinner B&B 3 rounds

Dumfries

now £205 20%

Roxburghe

2 nights’ B&B 2 rounds

Stay at: Aston Hotel 4★ • 1 in 12 stay free

Kelso

Stay at: Roxburghe Hotel 4★

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SAVE

was £255

now £260 was £260

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The Great Golf Guide 2014

Call free on 0845 543 6674 Monday – Friday 8am – 9pm, Sunday 9am – 3pm Email sales@golfbreaks.com Or visit Golfbreaks.com facebook.com/ Golfbreakscom @golfbreaks www.nationalclubgolfer.com | JULY 2014 1