Ireland 2024

Old Head Golf Links

IRELAND 2024

Welcome to Ireland 2024

When Irish eyes are smiling – we are also smiling. And why not?

The PaR nz team have the pleasure of offering you a place on our special tour to the ‘Emerald Isle’ in July 2024. Enjoy the challenge of an extraordinary selection of seven Irish golf courses – Carton House, Old Head, The K Club, Cork, Adare Manor, Lahinch, and Doonbeg. Staying in iconic resorts and hotels including Carton House, Adare Manor, Trump International Doonbeg and Hayfield Manor Hotel. This is 5-star accommodation with 5-star golf all the way!

Our tour package includes eleven nights of luxury accommodation, seven rounds of world-class championship golf and the chance to go on to Scotland to the 152nd Open at Royal Troon, with a special Turnberry add-on bonus package. This is a tour not to be missed.

We start our Ireland ’24 tour on the outskirts of Dublin staying at Carton House, managed by the Fairmont Group. The hotel, a historic mansion with two championship golf courses, is set on 1,100 acres of sweeping Kildare parkland.

As you walk through the doors of this magnificent hotel you step back in time to experience the lives of the Irish aristocracy who once resided here. The original details of the manor house merge harmoniously with the contemporary luxury touches one would expect to find from a leading resort.

The list of celebrities and royalty to grace the grounds of Carton House is endless. Queen Victoria holidayed there enjoying time beside the lakes. Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier enjoyed a visit. Peter Sellers and Marianne Faithfull lived there for years. The 1st Duke of Leinster chose it for his country seat in 1739 keeping the mansion in the FitzGerald family until the mid-20th century.

With all this history and luxury perfectly paired with a warm Irish welcome, Carton House will create an unforgettable guest experience.

We begin our golf adventure with golf on site at Carton House playing the O’Meara Course – one of the two courses on offer. Next, we go to the nearby K Club, playing the Palmer North Course, host of the 2006 Ryder Cup and Irish Opens including 2023.

It’s then off to Hayfield Manor a boutique luxury hotel in County Cork. Since its opening in 1996, the Hayfield Manor 5-star hotel has been consistently recognised for providing

exceptional service. This is reflected in the various awards with which Hayfield Manor has been honoured. The estate, in the heart of Cork city, was originally owned by the Musgrave family, famous grocery merchants since 1876. The current owners, the Scally family, purchased the estate from the Musgrave family and established Cork’s first 5-star hotel and have continued the hotel’s high standards.

During our stay in Cork, we play one of the world’s most photographed courses – Old Head. We also enjoy a day playing one of Alister MacKenzie’s original courses – Cork GC. We then head north to Limerick to Adare Manor.

Staying at Adare Manor is a lavish experience. The hotel was recently awarded a five-star rating by Forbes Travel Guide 2023, and voted the #1 Resort in the World by Condé Nast Traveller 2022. Its full reward will come to fruition in 2027 as the European host of the Ryder Cup.

Adare Manor was a labour of love from the very start, created to delight, astonish and impress. That legacy is vividly alive in the manor house itself: sumptuously restored, brimming with gothic splendour, and perfectly appointed in every detail. There are 340 hectares of pristine parkland to roam and a Michelin restaurant to dine in along with a world-class spa to refresh and reflect – and yes, we also have golf to play! Adare Manor – a Tom Fazio masterpiece awaits.

Our final nights of luxury and indulgence will be spent at Trump Doonbeg on the wild Atlantic Coast. The investment the Trump family has made in golf worldwide is extensive and every detail at the hotel and on the course is perfectly executed.

Doonbeg is a favourite place of stay for PaR nz who have hosted many past tours there. In 2024 we play both the Greg Norman Doonbeg Course and the nearby, historical Lahinch private members’ course.

Come join us – see the smiling eyes of the Irish – and enjoy the Craic with us.

It will be our pleasure. Denise

Denise & Kim

PaR

nz Golfing Holidays

Email denise@parnz.co.nz or kim@parnz.co.nz

Carton House O’Meara Course Dublin, County Kildare

Designer: Mark O’Meara

Opened 2002

We start our 2024 Ireland Tour staying and playing on site at Carton House, on the outskirts of Dublin. There is a lot of history in this golf course and our chosen hotel. Two-time Majors Champion Mark O’Meara has created a classic parkland experience, an undulating layout, wandering through ancient woodlands, around the banks of the river Rye.

The wonderful water features and great variety of trees that adorn the O’Meara Course are the legacy of Emily FitzGerald, Duchess of Leinster (1731-1814) – also known as the Countess of Kildare (1747-61) and Marchioness of Kildare (1761-66). Lady Emily played a significant role in the development of the Carton House estate in the mid-to-late 1700s, when not attending to the demands of her 23 children.

Over 30,000 rounds are played annually on the O’Meara Course by golfers from around the globe. The signature hole is the 18th which offers a breath-taking view of the historical Palladian Manor House. Many photos have been taken of the Manor and over its reflective lake to the picturesque boathouse, custom built for Queen Victoria.

Another highlight that demands a photo, and a grand tee shot, is from the par-4 10th. The 17th century Tyrconnell watchtower provides a great line and views over the countryside.

Carton House, now managed by the Fairmont Group is an ultra-luxury hotel and is one of Ireland’s award winning golf and hotel destinations. PaR nz Golfing Holidays stayed and played Carton House O’Meara while on tour to The Open in 2022 – and it was a winner with the 2022 team.

Carton House, O’Meara Course

Carton House, O’Meara Course

The K Club – Palmer North Course Dublin, County Kildare

Designer: Arnold Palmer

Opened 1991

An iconic club and next on tour is The K Club, playing the Ryder Cup Course – Palmer North. This challenging parkland layout became firmly fixed in Irish golfing legend when it hosted the initially very wet, but ultimately hugely successful Ryder Cup matches in 2006 when Europe dominated the scoreboard 18 ½ to 9 ½.

Originally known as the North Course, then the Palmer Course, then the Ryder Cup Course, and now the Palmer North, this wonderfully testing layout has many memorable holes and features that bring the River Liffey into play.

The gently flowing river, which eventually passes through Dublin, weaves its way alongside several holes. At the double-doglegging par-5 7th it hugs the hole’s left side before cutting across in front of the green; a delightful white-painted suspension bridge gives access to the green. The river also induces much knee-trembling at the right-to-left curving 8th – the course’s signature par-4.

More water threatens in front of the clubhouse, with a fountain-adorned lake seriously in play on your approach to the par-5 18th green.

The elegant Straffan House provides a wonderful backdrop to several holes – have your camera ready at this course, also! Recent ratings put The K Club –Palmer North 28th in Ireland (Golf World 2023).

Inspired and created by one of Ireland’s leading businessmen, Dr Michael Smurfit, a packaging and paper mill merchant, The K Club is Ireland’s most famous inland golf venue and home of the European Open.

The Irish Open will return to The K Club as part of a long-term deal with the DP World Tour, which will see the National Open played at the former Ryder Cup venue in 2023, 2025 and 2027.

The K Club, Palmer North

The K Club, Palmer North

Old Head Golf Links

Kinsale, County Cork

Collaborative design: Ro Kirby, Paddy Merrigan, Lian Higgins, Eddie Hackett and Dr Joe Carr. Opened 1997

This course is a photographers dream! Old Head Golf Links sits atop 300-foot cliffs that plunge into the Atlantic Ocean on all sides. If golf was simply about scenery and location, Old Head would surely top all the rating lists such is its unique and jaw-dropping location.

When opened for play in 1997 it caused quite a stir... not least among the thousands of tourists and local ramblers who were thenceforth barred from visiting this iconic headland on the Cork coastline. Now Old Head is the sole preserve of golfers... not an insignificant green fee – but, oh so worth it!

Beyond great scenery, golf courses need to be playable. And this is where the Old Head lays down its biggest challenge, especially when the wind blows, as is often the case. The layout is necessarily characterised by good-width rolling fairways, complemented by excellent bunkering and large expansive greens.

The par 72 course includes five par-5s and five par-3s, with six teeing options on each hole. Nine of the holes play directly along the cliffs’ edge, with precipitous drops on one side or the other.

Principal among Old Head’s challenge is flighting your ball into the wind, and keeping it from taking a deep plunge into the Atlantic. If you strike lucky, you’ll face a

moderate breeze. At other times, it’s likely to be a case of hang on to your hat! Some golf experiences are not about counting your score, but rather marvelling at a unique golfing adventure. Old Head offers one such thrill.

Pick of the holes? What a question! But you will for sure remember the opening stretch of four holes that head up to the lighthouse, unforgettable, while the par-5 12th also presents another jaw-dropping spectacle. The stunning par-4 18th plays from the lighthouse back to the clubhouse, usually with the wind assisting.

The brainchild of John and Patrick O’Connor, Old Head has developed into one of the most recognised and sought after golf experiences anywhere in the worlda sanctuary for those seeking the finest in personalised service. The Old Head Caddie Programme is one of the most extensive and professional worldwide, with approximately 160 caddies working at the Club during the season.

Latest rankings include Ireland, 16th best in Ireland ( Golf World , 2023); GB&I: 74th best course in Britain & Ireland ( Golf World, 2022). World: formerly ranked 96th best course in the world.

Old Head Golf Links

Old Head Golf Links

Adare Manor County Limerick Designer: Robert Trent Jones Snr (1995), revamped by Tom Fazio (2017) Opened 1995

The Golf Course at Adare Manor is the centrepiece at one of Ireland’s most luxurious Stay & Play locations... the stunning 840-acre Adare Manor estate. And PaR nz Golfing Holidays will be there in 2024!

Together with the sumptuous manor house itself, and all its top-quality facilities, Adare Manor offers an unforgettable golf experience. Following Tom Fazio’s redesign of the golf course in 2017, the green fee for resident guests has been pitched at a weighty level... opportunities for non-resident visiting golfers are few and far between.

Like most Robert Trent Jones Snr layouts, Adare Manor features an array of testing challenges, with copious bunkering and many large ‘lunar landscape’ greens. The course contains plenty of variety, with many pleasantly tree-lined holes, and others laid out in more open settings.

A large lake brings water into play on the front-nine, while several back-nine holes make excellent use of the attractive River Maigue. The river flows through the entire length of the course, passing directly in front of the manor house along the way.

The long par-5 9th and slightly shorter 18th provide a fitting end to each of the excellent nine-hole loops. The manor house serves as a magnificent backdrop to the straight 9th hole. The signature 18th hole is flanked on its left side by the river. For brave heart big-hitters, there’s the chance to cross the river and reach the green in two. For mere mortals, it’s better to play it safe and savour the spectacle of the final green, which is overlooked by a historic cedar of Lebanon, the beautiful manor house also dominating the picturesque backdrop.

In 2019, Adare Manor owner JP McManus proudly announced that the prestigious Ryder Cup will return to Ireland at Adare Manor in 2027. “It is a wonderful tribute to the many great Irish golf ambassadors and success stories Ireland has had in golf over the years and a nice follow on from Shane’s momentous 2019 Open win in Portrush.” He stated he was confident that the people of Ireland will get behind The Ryder Cup and take the opportunity to showcase Ireland on the world stage and ensure that the 2027 Ryder Cup will be an outstanding success for the Irish economy and across the south west community.

A course to be played and enjoyed – great rankings include Ireland: 10th best course in Ireland (Golf World, 2023) and in GB&I: 55th best course in Britain & Ireland (Golf World, 2022).

Adare Manor

Cork Golf Club County Cork

Opened 1888 with a complete renovation by Alister MacKenzie in 1925. A major upgrade by Hawtree Ltd 2010

Originally founded in 1888 as a club by local businessmen, the game of golf was played on the rough surface of working stone quarries owned by the Cantillon Family.

In 1925, the great Alistair MacKenzie was invited by the club to build a championship layout on the quarry site and the rest is a long and prestigious history. Cork Golf Club has hosted many major amateur and professional championships over the years including the Irish Open. Its free-draining limestone base creates a crisp heath-like playing surface similar to links courses. Its views over the Cork inner harbour are spectacular.

The club did not rest on its laurels as a MacKenzie course, but continually upgraded and modernised, using prominent golf architects such as Frank Pennick, well known for his work in Portugal and Dave Thomas associated with the Belfry in England. Even the renowned American architect

Over the years, new greens, bunkers and tees were established and the course was considerably lengthened. However the planting of a variety of evergreen and deciduous trees drastically altered the course appearance, leading to the attractive original features of rock, gorse and water becoming less obvious.

Recognising this and the progression in golf technology, in 2010 an upgrading proposal presented by the well-regarded architects Hawtree Ltd, was sanctioned. This included re-modeling all tees to American PGA standards, re-landscaping and more significantly re-bunkering to more faithfully reflect the original MacKenzie design concept. The ambitious program was successfully completed in 2013.

The revamped course is now a worthy challenge for players of all standards.

Robert Trent Jones Snr was invited to offer an opinion.

Cork Golf Club

Cork Golf Club

Lahinch Old Course Lahinch, County Clare

Designed by Old Tom Morris, with later modifications by Dr Alister MacKenzie (1920’s) and more by Martin Hawtree (2003) Open 1892

Lahinch will be one of those special courses that is an honour to play because of its history and difficulty in gaining access to the private member course. But yes, PaR nz will be there in 2024.

Located on the edge of Lahinch Bay, Lahinch is simply one of Ireland’s best known and best loved links golf courses.

The Old Course at Lahinch is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Inagh River, the town of Lahinch and a small local road. Inside these bounds, you’ll discover towering dunes, fabulous ocean views and a thoroughly absorbing layout; first conceived by Old Tom Morris, and then perfected by the great Alistair MacKenzie. Though it is worth noting that Dr MacKenzie did not touch the original par-5 4th nor the par-3 5th because they were already perfect!

The Old Course occupies as perfect an environment for seaside golf as can be found anywhere. Threading through the impressive sandhills, are crisp-turf rolling fairways and an abundance of links-style pot bunkers, all with more ‘gathering’ ability than their size suggests. Nestling amongst the dunes are fast-paced greens, full of mesmerising slopes.

From almost every part of this most memorable course, and not just from its higher elevations, there are spectacular views to enjoy. Across the road is the club’s Castle Course, not as highly- rated or as long as the Old Course, but also worth playing if you have time.

PaR nz’s pick of the holes: much revered (and maybe feared) at Lahinch are its two infamous ‘blind’ holes. The short par-5 4th (Klondyke) requires a good length drive,

before going up and over a 35-foot dune that straddles the fairway; the hope is that your second shot gets you close to the blind green somewhere in the distance.

Old Tom has you guessing again at the 5th (Dell). At this world-famous, short par-3, a long shallow green sits snuggly between two 30-foot-high sand dunes, completely out of sight from the tee.

Historic notes record that in March 1892 Alexander Shaw, Richard Plummer and a number of officers from the British Army’s Black Watch Regiment went in search of sand dunes suitable for the creation of a golf course. They discovered Lahinch. The first game of golf was played on Good Friday 1892 between Lt William McFarlane of the Black Watch and William F. McDonnell, a Limerick businessman. Feathers and sticks were used to mark out the course.

In 1894 Lahinch Golf Club’s founder Alexander Shaw invited Old Tom Morris to design a new links golf course. Old Tom commented that Lahinch was “the finest natural course he had ever seen”. Lahinch is the anglicised form of Leath Inse, which means peninsula.

Lahinch is the annual venue for the South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, among whose illustrious past winners are: Darren Clarke (1990), Paul McGinley (1991) and Graeme McDowell (2000). Padraig Harrington was twice the runner-up (1994, 1995).

Significant rankings include recognition by Golf World 2023, 5th best course in Ireland, with regular top billings in Great Britain & Ireland ratings, and as best as 36th in the world (Golf Magazine 2021 & 2022).

Lahinch Old Course

Lahinch Old Course

Trump Doonbeg

Trump Doonbeg Doonbeg, County Clare

Designer Greg Norman

Opened 2002

Once you get past the grandeur of the fabulous Doonbeg luxury resort, head out to one of Ireland’s truly great golf masterpieces – reminiscent of many historical links challenges but one which is only 21 years old!

Originally known as Doonbeg Golf Club, then as Doonbeg Resort, this luxury hotel and golf links development is now part of the expanding Trump Golf collection. Although not quite as revered as its older ‘siblings’ Ballybunion and Lahinch, Doonbeg still offers a wonderful links golf outing, and some of Ireland’s most memorable oceanside holes.

Greg Norman’s design captures all the natural splendour of an impressive line of sand dunes. From the tops of the sandhills, you are afforded wonderful views of Shanahan’s Strand (beach) and Doughmore Bay.

The classic links layout incorporates many revetted (sodfaced) bunkers, complementing others that were shaped by nature itself. One of the more mischievous sand traps makes an appearance in the middle of the 12th green. The dangers lurking at three relatively short par-3s are clear enough to see, but that doesn’t make these tricky holes any easier to play.

Doonbeg (Dún Beag in Irish) means “small fort.” As you enter the village, you’ll see the remains of Doonbeg Castle, standing alongside the bridge over the Doonbeg River.

The challenge of Trump’s Doonbeg has received top billings with 14th best ranking in Golf World’s 2023 Irish rankings, and 58th best course in Golf World (2022) for call courses in Great Britain and Ireland.

IRELAND 2024

6 - 17 JULY, 2024

2024 Ireland Inclusions

Here’s the ‘Craic’ on Ireland 2024

• PaR nz Golfing Holidays fully hosted tour to Ireland and the chance to extend your travel to Scotland to attend The 152nd Open @ Royal Troon staying and playing at the luxurious Turnberry Resort.

• Experienced tour hosts Denise & Kim

• Welcome travel pack and tour clothing – FJ branded

• Extensive tour notes and Tour APP

• Eleven nights luxury accommodation staying at

~ Carton House – Fairmont Double Rooms in the Garden wing; 3 nights

~ Hayfield Manor – Manor Rooms; 3 nights

~ Adare Manor – Deluxe Rooms; 2 nights

~ Trump International Doonbeg – Links Cottages; 3 nights

• Welcome gift at Carton House

• Full Irish / Continental breakfast daily

• Welcome drinks, dinner and whiskey tasting at Carton House

• Drinks hour @ Hayfield Manor

• Lunch @ Adare Manor

• Special tour dinner @ Adare Manor

• Farewell drinks and evening @ Doonbeg

• Seven (7) rounds of World Class Championship Golf – excellent tee times

~ Carton House O’Meara

~ The K Club Palmer North

~ Adare Manor

~ Old Head Links

~ Cork

~ Lahinch Old Course

~ Trump Doonbeg

For more information or to book, please visit www.parnz.co.nz

Email: denise@parnz.co.nz or kim@parnz.co.nz

SPECIAL FEATURE – PaR nz TRAVEL APP

When you register for this 2024 Ireland Golf Tour, you will receive a link to our special PaR nz Travel App. A detailed electronic itinerary can be downloaded on your laptop, iPad or smartphone, enabling you to review tour highlights and access daily updates while on tour.

Stay on and travel with PaR nz to The Open 152nd Royal Troon and Save GBP £400 per person when booking both tours!

2024 Open Package Inclusions

• Check into Trump Turnberry 18 July – 5 nights

• Pre- or post-nights possible, on request

• Deluxe King Rooms

• Breakfast included daily

• Dinner, daily; 3-Course Meal at any Turnberry outlet – 1906 Restaurant, The Grand Tea Lounge or Duel in the Sun Restaurant

• Reserved PaR nz tee times on King Robert The Bruce from 10.06am Thursday 18 July

• Reserved PaR nz tee times on Ailsa Championship from 10.10am Saturday 20 July

• Transfers / return Friday 19 July and Sunday 21 July

• Two days Open Hospitality including:

~ Official Admission Ticket to The 152nd Open with Fast Track entrance

~ Friday 19 July 2024

~ Sunday 21 July 2024

~ Located overlooking Royal Troon’s challenging 15th hole

~ Stunning on-course views from the upper-level balcony

~ Fully inclusive dining and drinks – Private PaR nz tables

~ Reserved seating area in the 18th Green Grandstand (shared seats on either of one day we are there)

~ Q&A with a past or present player

• PaR nz Golfing Holidays Open Souvenir Package

• Experienced tour hosts – Kim and Denise

• The Open Tour APP – for all schedules and venues

Welcome to the 152nd Open Package

The Open – quite simply, there’s no other major like it! PaR nz Golfing Holidays is delighted to present a luxury 6-day / 5-night package. From New Zealand’s only R&A authorised provider for The Open – welcome to the 152nd @ Royal Troon.

The Troon Record – what a record it is!

1923 – 58th – Arthur Havers (England)

1950 – 79th – Bobby Locke (South Africa)

1962 – 91st – Arnold Palmer (USA)

1973 – 102nd – Tom Weiskopf (USA)

1982 – 111th – Tom Watson (USA)

1989 – 118th – Mark Calcaveecchia (USA)

1997 – 126th – Justin Leonard (USA)

2004 – 133rd – Todd Hamilton (USA)

2016 – 145th – Henrik Stenson (Sweden)

2023 – 152nd ?

The magic of golf’s oldest Major can only be realised with an in-person experience. Denise & Kim would like to be your hosts in 2024, staying at the nearby Turnberry Resort. The 2024 Championship will be our 8th group to The Open – we love it, that much!

This is a beautiful 6-day package that includes two days hospitality at Royal Troon, on the 15th hole at Royal Troon, and guaranteed tee times on Turnberry’s Ailsa and Robert the Bruce Championship courses. Seating on the 18th Grandstand on either Friday 19th or Sunday 21st is included.

Get up personal with a past champion with a Q&A in the Engravers suite. Yes, this is part of our package.

Scrumptious all-day food and beverage packages at The Open along with 3-course evening meals throughout our stay at Turnberry in either of the restaurants – the 1906 Restaurant, Duel in the Sun or The Grand Tea Lounge & Bar.

The package includes transfers to and from Royal Troon on Friday 19th and Sunday 21st July – and much more from PaR nz Golfing Holidays – lovers of The Open!

Come on – join us at The Open, Royal Troon and enjoy our accommodation and golf partner, Turnberry Resort.

Thanks so much

Denise

Denise & Kim

& Kim

PaR nz Golfing Holidays

Email denise@parnz.co.nz or kim@parnz.co.nz

SPECIAL FEATURE – PaR nz TRAVEL APP

When you register for this 2024 The Open Golf Tour, you will receive a link to our special PaR nz Travel App. A detailed electronic itinerary can be downloaded on your laptop, iPad or smartphone, enabling you to review tour highlights and access daily updates while on tour.

Rory McIlroy

Royal Troon – The 2024 Open Host

The Club, which now has a total of 45 holes, was founded in 1878, initially with five holes. It lies adjacent to the Firth of Clyde. George Strath was appointed in 1881 as the club’s first golf Professional and, together with 1882 Open champion Willie Fernie, designed the original course, expanding it to 18 holes by 1888. The two were assisted by Charlie Hunter, greenskeeper of the neighbouring Prestwick Golf Club in Troon’s early days.

The Club’s property lies between the Firth of Clyde on the west, adjacent to Prestwick Golf Club and a short drive to Glasgow Prestwick airport. Many a day the aircraft of the RAF can be seen overhead doing their stuff.

Royal Troon was redesigned for its first Open Championship in 2023 where five-time Open Champion James Braid, lengthened, and redesigned many of the holes. Granted Royal status in 1978, which coincidentally was during its centenary, what is played today is very much reminiscent of Braid’s work all those years ago. Take a look around the historic clubhouse which houses many club artifacts.

Designed in the traditional out-and-back manner of the Old

Course at St Andrews, Troon’s test begins with a gentle opening through some of the most striking links land to be found at any of the Open venues and concludes with a back nine as tough as any finish in the world. Troon most recently staged The Open in 2016, when Henrik Stenson prevailed in a stunning duel with Phil Mickelson.

Royal Troon is home to both the longest and shortest holes in Open Championship golf. Regarded as one of the top holes in the world, the par-3 8th hole (“Postage Stamp”) measures a scant 123 yards (112 m), but its diminutive green measures a mere 2,635 square feet (293 sq. yd; 245 m2). Two holes earlier, the par-5 6th (“Turnberry”) extends to a lengthy 601 yards (550 m).

The 11th hole (“The Railway”) is one of the most difficult holes in Major Championship golf. Now a long par-4, a blind tee shot has a long carry over gorse with out of bounds all along the railway on the right. The lengthy approach shot is to a small green that falls away, with nearby out of bounds.

Royal Troon

The Open

The Open Championship, is one of the oldest golf tournaments in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club, Scotland. Later the venue rotated between a select group of coastal links golf courses in the United Kingdom and managed by the R&A Limited.

Royal Troon joined The Open rota in 1923 and has hosted The Open nine times. The 152nd Open will be Royal Troon’s 10th hosting pleasure.

It is called The Open because it is in theory “open” to all,

Open Trivia

i.e. professional and amateur golfers. In practice, the current event is a professional tournament in which a small number of the world’s leading amateurs also play, by invitation or qualification. The success of the tournament has led to many other open golf tournaments to be introduced around the world.

PaR nz Golfing Holidays was at St Andrews in 2022 when Cameron Smith (Australia) was crowned The Open champion, and will be hosting a group of keen golfers this year at Royal Liverpool. Smith won with an aggregate score of 268, 20 under and one shot ahead of Cameron Young (USA).

• The first Open was held at Prestwick in 1860, with a field of just eight players.

• The largest margin of victory in the British Open was 13 strokes by Old Tom Morris in 1862.

• The record for the most victories is six, by Harry Vardon. He won in 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911 and 1914.

• The oldest winner was Old Tom Morris, who won in 1867, aged 46 years and 99 days.

• The youngest winner was Young Tom Morris, who won in 1868, aged 17 years 5 months 8 days. Young Tom Morris was also the youngest competitor when he competed in the event in 1865, aged 14 years 4 months, 25 days.

• The oldest competitor was Gene Sarazen, who was aged 74 years, 4 months, 9 days in 1976.

• The only time The Open was played outside England and Scotland was 1951, at Royal Portrush Golf Club, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The tournament returned there in 2019.

• The 2020 Open Championship was cancelled due to the coronavirus, the first time the event has been cancelled since WWII.

• The 2022 event was the 150th edition of the championship, which started in 1860, 162 years previously.

Rory McIlroy

PaR nz’s Golfing Holidays 2024 Open Engravers Package

Engravers is one of the R&A’s most exclusive fully inclusive premium experiences at any Open – and the 152nd is no exception. With on-course views overlooking the 15th hole, you will always be at the heart of the action. Before or after your meal, you are ideally placed to get out amongst the crowd and walk the course. We will be treated to the finest cuisine throughout the day including Champagne and canapés and a four-course à la carte lunch.

This is what is included:

• Official Admission Ticket to The 152nd Open with Fast Track entrance

• Friday 19 July 2024

• Sunday 21 July 2024

• Located overlooking Royal Troon’s challenging 15th hole

• Stunning on-course views from the upper-level balcony

• Fully inclusive dining and drinks – Private PaR nz tables

• Reserved seating area in the 18th Green Grandstand (on either of one day we are there)

• Q&A with a past or present player

• Coach access – special entry to the grounds

• Souvenir programme order of play

• Full TV coverage of play

• Air-conditioning

• Private restroom facilities within the pavilion

• Welcome lounge and hospitality hosting staff

• Your choice of plated breakfast served alongside warm pastries, seasonal fruits and freshly squeezed juices

• Champagne and canapé reception

• Four-course á la carte lunch featuring local produce

• Full complimentary bar throughout the day, including fine wines, beer, Champagne, house spirits and soft drinks

• Afternoon tea served as your group returns from the course

Engravers Lounge

Turnberry Accommodation & Golf – an impressive history

PaR nz Golfing Holidays has secured Deluxe King rooms at nearby Turnberry Resort only 40kms from Royal Troon. Turnberry will be our host for the five nights package.

Turnberry’s history and story is fascinating with many remnants of past days, such as the Turnberry lighthouse, and runways still evident – read on. If you have never been to Turnberry, it is a treat – and if you are returning, you’ll know what we mean!

A 5-star property, Turnberry is enchanting and exceptional in every way – a long established iconic landmark on the spectacular Ayrshire coastline and most recently named Luxury Hotel of the Year, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2022 Travel & Hospitality Awards. It was at its inception considered the first purpose built planned golf resort.

The history of Turnberry dates back to ancient Kings – the most famous being the legendary leader Robert The Bruce. Strategically located on the lands of Turnberry, and favoured with vast views of portentous seas since before recorded time,

which have beheld a thousand tales. Out to sea the volcanic island half a billion years old, Ailsa Craig has borne witness to countless events throughout history from its station in the Firth of Clyde. Once a haven for Roman Catholics during the 15th century Scottish Reformation, the island was quarried for its rare stone in the 19th and 20th centuries. Long ago disused and utterly uninhabited, Ailsa Craig still stands 17km out to sea, presiding over the links at Turnberry, another of its mysteries.

Many a photo has been taken of the Turnberry Lighthouse, the iconic symbol of Turnberry.

Standing at 24m high, with 76 steps to the top, the Turnberry Lighthouse has marked this coastline since 1873. Originally commissioned by the Northern Lighthouse Board to warn passing vessels away from nearby Bristo Rock, the lighthouse is the oldest man-made structure on the Turnberry premiseswith the exception of the remains of the 13th-century castle of Robert the Bruce that it marks.

The initial plan to erect the lighthouse on the Rock itself

Turnberry Resort

proved too dangerous so instead Turnberry Point was chosen. The foundations of the lighthouse stand in what was the moat of Turnberry Castle, the birthplace of Robert the Bruce in 1274. The first light beamed across the waters on 30 August 1878, showing one flash every 12 seconds and, in line with all UK lighthouses, was automated in 1986. Though it is known today as Trump Turnberry, the life of the Station Hotel that began in 1906 continues.

The awe-inspiring view from Bain’s Hill was sadly different during Turnberry’s years as a military air base. Pressed into service during The Great War because of its strategic coastal location, Turnberry’s waving greens and dunes were levelled to make way for airstrips, hangers and huts. There, the Royal Flying Corps trained pilots in the art of aerial gunnery and combat, and the wounded convalesced at Turnberry Hotel. Turnberry at war was a far cry from the pleasure park it had been during its grand and glorious decades previously.

When peace came, the damage to the resort was repaired, and

in 1923, Turnberry’s No. 2 course benefitted from a substantial redesign by the acclaimed James Braid; three years later, the No. 1 course was revised to increase its length and improve play. At this time, both were rechristened with the more romantic names, Ailsa and Arran, that are used today. A memorial to honour those lost still remains on the hill overlooking the 12th green of The Ailsa.

War was declared against Germany in 1939, and soon it was again difficult to imagine that Turnberry had ever been anything but an airfield. The hotel was commissioned as a hospital afresh, and the courses were converted into a Royal Air Force flying school. It is thought that as many as 200 died at Turnberry, and the heavier aircraft and machinery of the Second World War damaged the grounds even more severely than those of the First.

During the three uncertain years that Turnberry was under the command of the Ministry of War, the railways were nationalised and some feared that the thousands of tonnes of

Pool at Turnberry Resort

Ailsa Bar at Turnberry Resort

concrete spread across its hills would be the end of Turnberry. Happily, Frank Hole, the chairman of British Transport Hotels (BTH), a subsidiary of the British Railways Board that had just taken ownership of Turnberry, invited Suttons, the seed and merchant grass specialists, to oversee the restoration of the celebrated links.

In the mid-twentieth century, when Turnberry was owned by BTH, a series of propietors introduced improvements, before Starwood Hotels come to town in the new millennium. The red-roofed houses by the roadside, originally built as staff accommodation, have been converted into guest lodges offering space and seclusion to large groups. The state-of-the-art Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy and the newly-built Kintyre course commenced operations.

Dramatic changes started in 2008 when Leisurecorp, the Dubai World investment company, took ownership of Turnberry and closed the hotel immediately for a dramatic renovation ahead of the 138th Open Championship, 2009. Internationallyrenowned interior designer Mary Fox Linton led the renovation, which, with the help of a heritage consultant, saw the 103-yearold hotel restored to the vision of its original architect while accommodating the needs of the modern guest. After this

extensive renewal project the property became a member of Starwood’s The Luxury Collection® portfolio.

As dramatic as the changes in 2008 were, more was to come for Turnberry in 2014 when The Trump Organisation purchased the hotel and set to work making it the finest golf and spa resort in the world. With an investment of £200m, the hotel was lovingly restored and the Ailsa course was transformed at the hands of renowned golf course architect, Martin Ebert. Since 2014, the Clubhouse has been renovated, a new golf course, King Robert the Bruce, was unveiled and an opulent ballroom was added to the footprint of the resort. Throughout all this, Trump Turnberry continued to offer one of the top golf and resort experiences in the world.

Hidden away from the rest of the world, Turnberry has offered its refined hospitality to many well-known guests over the years. In this secluded spot, members of the royal family, elders of state and Hollywood’s elite have escaped the gaze of the public eye and enjoyed the challenge of the links, the downtime of the spa and the beauty of the stately grounds. Prince Edward, Prince Andrew, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Rod Stewart, Jack Nicholson and Luciano Pavarotti, among many others, have all been made to feel at home here.

1908 Restaurant, Turnberry Resort

The Ailsa Challenge

The Ailsa is one of the world’s most loved golf courses and has had the privilege of hosting The Open Championship four times, including the unforgettable 1977 Duel in the Sun.

Since acquiring the resort in 2014, The Trump Organisation and famed golf course architects Mackenzie & Ebert have completed a meticulous historic study and modern day review of the Ailsa course, creating a true masterpiece.

Named after the third Marquess of Ailsa, who owned the land on which it was built, this par-71, 6,474-yard Championship course is one of golf’s storied places – set alongside the glorious Ayrshire coastline, with Arran and Ailsa Craig as a stunning backdrop.

As part of the Trump £200million investment, a selection of inspiring changes have been implemented, including the creation of five dramatic and stunning new holes plus a range of alterations covering virtually every corner of the course. Since these changes have been made, the Ailsa has been ranked by Golf Monthly as the UK & Ireland’s number one golf course.

The Ailsa was also named ‘Redevelopment of the Year’ by Golf Inc Magazine , stating it as “an iconic property that has been restored immaculately without losing the proud history created over hundreds of years”.

Ailsa

Ailsa

The Lighthouse, Ailsa

King Robert The Bruce

King Robert The Bruce

King Robert The Bruce Links

Many people are unaware of the fact that the iconic lighthouse, which was built by the family of celebrated author, Robert Louis Stevenson, is situated amongst the ruins of Turnberry Castle. It was in this medieval castle that King Robert the Bruce was born in July 1274.

Turnberry is steeped in a strong history, leading to naming the new golf course after the King of Scotland, Robert the Bruce, the historical warrior who led Scotland to claim its right as an independent country in the Battle of Bannockburn in June 1314.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this course is second rate to Ailsa – it offers a very worthy Championship links challenge. Martin Ebert, who was the architect responsible for the reborn

Ailsa, was commissioned once more to create a world-class golf experience, which thrills golfers of all abilities.

Breath-taking vistas from the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th of King Robert the Bruce delights golfers, with spectacular views of Turnberry’s stunning coastline, castle ruins and the lighthouse.

The overall design concept for the course has been to introduce fairway bunkers with sand faces and marram grass “eyebrow” faces tempting “risk or reward” shots whilst greenside bunkers are shaped and neatly revetted to require perfect recovery shots. With 18 holes of magnificent golf, the King Robert the Bruce course reinforces Turnberry’s reputation as a true golfer’s paradise.

King Robert The Bruce

Shane Lowry, 148th Open winner