Author: PerryGolf Staff

A Great Restaurant in Southport, England

PerryGolf Staff

On a recent trip to Southportin the North West of England, I was glad to see how much the restaurant scene had improved since my last visit 6 or 7 years ago. Myself and some of the other sales team at PerryGolf ate in Warehouse Brasserie; located in the town centre on West Street, just off of Lord Street. It is very convenient for those using Southport as a base for a golf trip.

Warehouse Brasserie - Main Restaurant

The main restaurant, which is decorated in a modern Art Deco style, is located downstairs and has a warm and friendly atmosphere. No need for jacket and tie here. The menu is varied and offers dishes from local fish and game to Asian curries and Chinese-influenced noodles. I opted to have the black pudding hash brown with mustard mayo and poached egg followed by the local Fleetwood Cod with Crab and sweet corn risotto with ginger spring onions. Both dishes were excellent and certainly merited the 2 AA rosettes and Michelin Bib Gourmand the restaurant has been awarded. A number of my companions went for the Duck Spring Rolls which were also excellent, as was the fish pie. Unfortunately we did not have space left for dessert – but I was very tempted by the Dark Chocolate Tart with pecans and caramel ice cream.

All agreed it was an excellent meal and it was made even more special due to the fact we were seated beside a table of local professional soccer players who play for Liverpool Football Club.

Check out the Brasserie’s website for more information and to view their fantastic menu http://www.warehousebrasserie.co.uk/Menus.htm.

By Alastair Niven

SHARE

Machrihanish Golf Club with Kintyre Express

PerryGolf Staff

Machrihanish Golf Club is one of Scotland’s true hidden gems. Situated on the Southern tip of the Mull of Kintyre, the course is not easily accessible by road and is often excluded from itineraries purely because of its location. The journey time by road from Glasgow Airport is at least 3 hours, but by sea the time can be more than halved. Most people will travel to Machrihanish whilst spending time in Ayrshire – usually in Troon or Turnberry – and with the Kintyre Express making the journey much more achievable, I think it is an excellent addition to any schedule. Check out our website for more information on the Kintyre Express.

The PerryGolf team onboard the Kintyre Express
PerryGolf team onboard the Kintyre Express

I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to play the course earlier this year and had an outstanding experience. Our departure time from Troon was 9:00am for an 11:30am tee-time – which was ideal as it gave me enough time to travel down from my home and stop for a bacon sandwich en-route. The journey between Troon and Campbeltown was quicker than I thought and Wilson Smith, the captain of the Kintyre Express, gave us a running commentary of the surrounding area as we progressed. When we arrived at Campbeltown Harbour, two taxis were waiting to transfer us to the golf course as Wilson had called in advance and made the reservation. After a short taxi journey, we arrived in time for a quick warm up, a few putts, and were then faced with the first tee-shot over a corner of the Atlantic – no warm up could have prepared me for that. I was delighted to walk to the 2ndtee with a par. The rest of the course did not disappoint; each hole had its own character and offered something a little bit different. Machrihanish is not a long course with the onus put on hitting the ball straight off the tee for good lines to the greens. They have recently added some new tees to the course and I’d recommend single figure handicapped players play from the blue tees – the club is quite relaxed and will accommodate players who wish to do so. After golf there was enough time for a light bite and a couple of pints before the taxis picked us up again to transfer us back to Campbeltown Harbour to meet Wilson and the Kintyre Express.

The entire day was a great experience which I’d recommend to anyone spending a couple of nights in Ayrshire. It is something a little bit quirky and a memorable way to add a course which is in the Top 100 in the World to your schedule.

By Gary Sheppard

SHARE

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

PerryGolf Staff

At this time of year, everyone here in Scotland is wrapping up against the cold climate, while down under they are enjoying the start of their summer. Reflecting on the time I spent in Australia – this time last year – I was reminded of the excellent experience climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge; something I would recommend to everyone.

Alastair in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Alastair Niven, one of the PerryGolf staff members who is responsible for South Pacific programs

Myself and one of my colleagues booked the climb online a few days in advance, but it can be done much further ahead of time, which is recommended if you wish to do the evening walk which is very popular. We walked the short distance from our hotel through the Rocks area of Sydney past the various bars and excellent restaurants to the start point under the main highway of the bridge. After check in and being allocated to our group (around a dozen of us) we were given a safety briefing and were provided with all of the equipment we required based on the weather that day. It should be noted that, for safety reasons, you are not allowed to take cameras and all items have to be securely attached to you to avoid anything falling down onto the highway below.

Our group was a mixed bunch from the UK, Denmark and also a local from Sydney, ranging from around 16 years old to mid 50’s I would estimate (and all in varying degrees of fitness). I was concerned prior to the trip about being fit enough but it really was not difficult and our entire group completed the climb easily. We then set off on a gantry fixed under the bridge to the stone pylons that ‘book-end’ the bridge itself. The Pylons do not serve any structural need and are just there to make the bridge appear more solid.

We made our way up the stairs through the pylons and then up some ladders to the top surface of the arch. From there it is a leisurely walk up to the highest point of the arch. The views of the city and harbour are fantastic – as you can imagine – and the guide kept us amused throughout with various facts about the bridge and its construction (as well as several anecdotes). At the top, after some photos, we headed back across to the other side to start the descent to base.

The whole experience takes around three and a half hours so it was a great way for us to spend a morning and really get to know one of the world’s most iconic structures in a way it is not usually possible to do. Being located so close to the famous Opera House means it is easy to combine these two fantastic sights into the one day. Check out the Bridge Climb site for full details and to book online.

I would say this is must for anyone visiting Sydney!

By Alastair Niven

SHARE