Category: Classic Golf Courses

Western Gailes…Another of Scotland’s Hidden Gems

PerryGolf Staff

Scotland is home to many of the world’s finest courses.  In addition to the many Open Championship venues and bigger name courses, it is also home to some great courses which many people may not be aware of.  I would consider Western Gailes to be one of the best ‘hidden gems’ around; situated about 10 minutes from Troon, the course is a true test of links golf and one which I consider to be a ‘must play’ if you spend any time in the Ayrshire area.  Turnberry, Troon and Prestwick are all within striking distance of the course.

Normally I struggle to enjoy a golf course if I play badly, but Western Gailes is one of the few exceptions to my rule.  I remember being 6 over par and 3 balls lighter after 4 holes when I played, I also managed to break my pull cart (not through anger!) yet still managed to enjoy my round.  My fingers are crossed for another chance to play there this year and I will definitely be putting in some hours on the range to iron out my erratic driving.

Click here for more information on the course.

By Gary Sheppard.  Gary has been with PerryGolf for over 3 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

 

www.westerngailes.com

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Golf Lesson at Turnberry

PerryGolf Staff

Working for PerryGolf for 10 years has opened up my interest in golf; learning about all of the courses and ‘golfing regions’ but having never played a game of golf, I realised it was time to change that.  On a visit to the Turnberry Resort I was lucky enough (when you see my clip you will understand) to have a golf lesson at The Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy’.  It is a great facility showcasing an open-air driving range with a landscaped target area,  a state-of-the-art audio-visual theatre, simulator and swing analyzer.  After my consultation and a few practice swings, the problem with my swing was clear…to put it bluntly…it was awful!  Once the professional advised where I was going wrong and made a few small changes to my swing, a definite improvement was evident.  Spending a further 20 minutes in the teaching bays hitting balls found that my swing was massively improved; there’s a long way to go, but certainly with practice I could be better.

It was a great experience and they have the space and capability to take groups for lessons and offer different options depending on your skill level and what you need to improve on.  This is an ideal addition to your stay at Turnberry and will no doubt improve your round and your experience on the Ailsa Course.

Click below to view my experience at Turnberry’s Golf Academy:

Denise’s Golf Lesson

By Denise McKee.  Denise is a member of PerryGolf’s admin team.

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Kittocks Course, Fairmont St. Andrews

PerryGolf Staff
The Kittocks Course at Fairmont, St. Andrews
The Kittocks Course at Fairmont, St. Andrews

The Fairmont Hotel in St. Andrews is a 5* Resort on the outskirts of one of the most famous towns in the world.  The hotel is situated about 2 miles outside of the town centre and offers views over St. Andrews Bay and the medieval skyline.  It is also home to 2 championship golf courses; The Kittocks and The Torrance.  Both courses are very enjoyable and are worthy inclusions in any schedule based in and around St. Andrews.  Even if you don’t happen to be staying at The Fairmont, these courses are worth considering.

The Kittocks is sometimes overshadowed by The Torrance which has recently been renovated and is now home to the Scottish Seniors Championship as well as a final qualifying venue for the British Open.  I played both courses at the tail end of last year and I found The Kittocks a slightly tougher test of golf and, from a personal point of view, I’d say I enjoyed it more.  I played the course with my Dad and while it was wet underfoot and a windy climate, we both had a great day.  We agreed that the course was tough but fair and we hope to get another chance to play it in the future (in drier conditions with a bit of luck).  Fingers crossed I can avenge the 3 and 2 defeat!

I’d also recommend that you use a golf cart when you play as some of the walks between greens and tees are longer then usual.

Click here for information on the course.

By Gary Sheppard.  Gary has been with PerryGolf for over 3 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists. 

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A Day at Muirfield

PerryGolf Staff

An opening became available to play Muirfield for the first time when a group of past clients invited me to play with them.  Chuck Battey, his son David, and son-in-law John Fraser had a great two-week Scotland itinerary in mind.  Muirfield was one of their ‘must plays’.  As there were only three of them, they asked if I would join them so that the group matched the clubs requirements; all visiting parties are in multiples of 2 players.  Naturally, I accepted the invitation without hesitation.

Muirfield Golf Club
Muirfield Golf Club

The course isn’t laid out like a traditional, straight out and straight back, links course.  It’s structured in two loops, so the wind comes at you from a different angle on almost every hole, making it more challenging – yet without doubt, more interesting.  More details on what many people consider to be the best golf course in Scotland, can be enjoyed at LinksMagazine.com.

After golf, the Battey’s told some wonderful stories about their many previous trips with PerryGolf while we enjoyed a fantastic roast lunch in the clubhouse (where lamb, beef, chicken and all the trimmings were available at the buffet).  Our schedules didn’t allow time to go back out on the course for the traditional alternate shot afternoon round; however the day was already special enough.

Visitor tee-times at Muirfield are not the easiest to come by as they only permit visitors on Tuesday and Thursday mornings…so if you’d like it included in your schedule, be sure to start planning it well in advance of your travel date.  By well in advance, I’d recommend 15 months prior to the time of travel as that’s when their diaries open up and the tee-times don’t remain available for long.  It’s well worth the planning, as it is one course you won’t want to miss.

By Keith Baird.  Keith has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

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Should I take a Caddie?

PerryGolf Staff

A question we are often asked by our clients is if they should take a caddie or not; and with the average caddie fee being around $60-$70 per round (not including tip) it is a good question.  This is especially relevant in Scotland where caddies do not double-bag, and Ireland where fees are per bag.

A caddie providing useful advice
Caddies are invaluable where experience of the course is required

At PerryGolf we always recommend that our clients take caddies as they add significantly to the enjoyment of a round.  Apart from the obvious benefit of them carrying your bag, looking for your ball, raking bunkers and cleaning clubs, etc, they make negotiating, particularly links-style courses, much easier.  They obviously assist in club selection based on distances, but links courses are often played in windy conditions where experience is absolutely essential.  They are also able to help you tackle the blind shots that can arise on a links course as well as reading the (at times) severely undulating or large greens.  I am sure many will agree that a caddie has saved them a few putts on the double greens of the Old Course at St. Andrews!  All of this comes before you have even heard some of the great stories they have to tell from past experiences.  They can give a visitor real enjoyment beyond the golf and give some local-insider knowledge to a trip… not least the best pubs to visit!!

By Alastair Niven.  Alastair has been with PerryGolf for over 9 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

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