The club that would become Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in Aberdeen, Scotland, was founded in 1780. It was a city club until 1888 when it relocated 2 miles up the coast to Balgownie. After 126 years, the world’s 6th oldest golf club will host the European Tour’s Scottish Open in 2014. The pros will find what links lovers have known for years that there is no finer outward nine in the game as there is at Royal Aberdeen. Read more “Video #12: Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, Aberdeen, Scotland”
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CBS Sunday Morning News ran a story during the holidays about Islay single malts that reminded us that the flight from Glasgow to Scotland’s famous Isle of Islay (EYE-lah) takes less than an hour. Whisky loving links golfers who journey this way with a week or so to chase their passions will find their quest for Scotland’s pride and joy off to an outstanding start.
First there is the joy that is an Islay single malt. There are nine distilleries on the island who find themselves set apart from Scotland’s other whisky regions because the peat they use to fire their kilns and smoke their barley produces the boldest malts made. Islay’s tradition with peat is not exclusive to Scotch whisky production but it is profoundly distinctive. Sunday Morning reports that more than a billion dollars’ worth of Islay malts were exported to the States last year. The New York Times spirits panel wrote in 2011 that as they tasted 20 single malts from Islay, “ we reminded ourselves to step back a moment, to contemplate with no small amount of awe the magic of what was in the glass.” Roll Tide but Islay is also home to golf magic, at The Machrie (1890), found five miles from the Laphroaig (lah-FROYG), Ardbeg and Lagavulin distilleries who are queued up along a two mile stretch of the A846. The Machrie would be a good proshop to patronize because you’ll go on to meet plenty of golfers who have heard of it but not so many who have played.[singlepic id=33 w=320 h=240 float=]
The same can be said for your next round. After a night or two in single malt heaven, the focus will turn to Scotland’s pride – her classic and clever links – beginning with Machrihanish. Machrihanish (1876) isn’t ordinarily “on the way” but if you’re bound for Turnberry from Islay, the Mull of Kintyre is immediately on the left at the end of a two hour ferry ride. The Mull is home to Old Tom Morris’ masterpiece, along with its impressive neighbor and newcomer Machrihanish Dunes ( 2009). Accommodations are superb at The Royal Hotel or The Ugadale Hotel or the Ugadale Cottages, the dining is exceptional, the pace is perfect. The scene will change before you know it of course but you’ll enjoy two nights and 2-3 rounds before speed boating off to Turnberry.
The Kintyre Express will ferry you back to the real world, 40 miles away across the Firth of Clyde to the Scottish mainland, in time for your first round on the Ayrshire Coast. Another thing to like about this trip is how the first part gives you a tune up for the second part when you’ll be playing two of the most historic courses in championship golf. Having a little game on a British Open layout is a good thing, so you can go home with the right kind of stories about Royal Troon (1878) and The Ailsa at Turnberry (1909).
In the recent 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards survey, Condé Nast Traveler’s rated Kauri Cliffs as the number one lodge resort in all of New Zealand. Not only is it the number one in New Zealand, it ranks in the top 100 worldwide.
The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs ranks #3(up from #6 last year) on the 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards list of Top 100 Hotels Overall with a whopping score of 99.2! A record 46,746 readers participated this year in the annual survey. It is the only New Zealand lodge to make the list.
Owned and developed by New Yorker Julian Robertson and family and managed by Julian “Jay” Robertson III, The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs is the sister property to The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, Hawke’s Bay on the North Island and Matakauri Lodge, Queenstown on the South Island. All are members of the exclusive and prestigious Relais & Châteaux collection.
This 5 star luxurious lodge is set on 6000 acres near Matauri Bay, Northland. The main lodge allows guests to have a 180 degree view of the glistening pacific ocean. Amenities include two Astroturf tennis courts, an infinity swimming pool with spa and a fully equipped fitness center. Kauri Cliffs has three secluded swimming beaches, which are also available for picnics and barbeques.
Kauri Cliffs was designed and built by David Harman of Golf Course Consultants, Orlando, Florida. The par 72 championship golf course measures 7,119 yards/ 6,510 meters and offers five sets of tees to challenge every skill level. Fifteen holes view the Pacific Ocean, six of which are played alongside cliffs which plunge to the sea. The beautiful inland holes wind through marsh, forest and farmland.
The golf complex includes a world-class practice range, putting and chipping greens, a well stocked golf shop, and ladies’ and mens’ locker rooms. Premium ladies’ and mens’ rental clubs are available. In 2008 and 2009 Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs hosted the Kiwi Challenge, our PGA TOUR Challenge event featuring four of the top PGA TOUR players under the age of 30.
“Kauri Cliffs has had the most outstanding year, winning some of the very best awards the travel industry can bestow. This and our many other awards really belongs to our passionate, caring and dedicated team of professionals at our trio of lodges who ensure each and every guest is treated with the utmost care, and impeccable service.” says Managing Director Jay Robertson
[singlepic id=19 w=320 h=240 float=] Monalto is a privately owned Estate nestled in the picturesque surroundings of the County Down countryside. With Northern Ireland becoming a much more popular destination for golfers, thanks to the on-course success of Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke and, in particular, Rory McIlroy, Royal County Down and Royal Portrush have never seen so many visitors. PerryGolf are always on the look out for properties to use that meet the quality our clients expect and Montalto Estate is one we’ve recently become aware of and which could work out perfectly for the right group. It has 10 deluxe bedrooms, so for groups of guys wanting single rooms or indeed a large party of couples, it could work out perfectly as an exclusive use property…which would make your trip to Ireland even more special.
By Keith Baird. Keith has been with PerryGolf for over 11 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.
One of the restaurants we have booked for clients for many years is the Champany Inn in Linlithgow. It is just 40 minutes from the centre of Edinburgh and has long had a great reputation as being one of the best restaurants in the country…especially for steaks! As a treat for a recent Anniversary I finally made reservations to dine there and I was not disappointed.
The restaurant has a very homely atmosphere and is set in converted farm buildings – they actually now have two restaurants; we ate in the Chop & Ale House. The menu is fairly basic as their focus is on the quality of the produce…and you can tell. Also available is the main dining room which is more formal and has a larger menu. Not to be forgotten, within the building is an outstanding wine cellar which is also worth a visit.
We started with chicken liver pate and chorizo which is made from scratch on-site and was excellent but that was just the teaser. For the main course we had rib eye and T-bone steak; both chargrilled and easily the best I have ever tasted. The steaks were nicely seared on the outside and incredibly succulent inside. I had also heard that their cheesecake was very good so we managed to find the space to share a slice to finish off what is one of the most enjoyable meals I have ever had.
A recent addition is that they now have some rooms available so, while they are not a conventional hotel and more of a restaurant with rooms, you can fully indulge in the experience and have a great farmhouse-style breakfast the following morning…although I do suggest good long walk beforehand to build up your appetite.
By Alastair Niven. Alastair has been with PerryGolf for over 12 years and is of our Golf Travel Specialists.
