The Birthplace of Guinness

February 28, 2010February 1, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

A trip to Dublin is a must when visiting the Emerald Isle. Whilst there, I recommend you take in all that the city has to offer; whether it be the history, local sights, the amazing cuisine or the local liquor. On a recent trip there, I decided to do some sightseeing associated with the latter. Everyone is familiar with Ireland’s number one export “Guinness” and the associated side effects. I therefore decided to educate myself on the origins of this beer and the brewing process.

The Galaxy Bar in the Guiness Storehouse

The museum is shaped to resemble a pint glass and is set over 7 floors, enclosed in one of the original brewing storehouses in Dublin. The tour educates you about every single aspect of the brewing process and the history/origins of this national drink. If, like me, the idea of climbing seven floors makes your knees shake, please do not let this put you off, as at the end of every rainbow is a pot of gold…and this is no exception. Upon scaling the dizzy heights you are rewarded with a free pint of Guinness in The Gravity Bar, where you can relax and take in the best view the city has to offer.

Click here to read all about the Guinness Storehouse.

By Jonny Ferguson. Jonny has been with PerryGolf for over 2 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

Should I take a Caddie?

February 26, 2010January 22, 2010 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.

Le Phenicien ~ French Barge Trip

February 24, 2010February 6, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

Having never been to the south of France, I was delighted that I was able to travel on our Provence River Cruise program onboard the 18-passenger luxury barge Le Phenicien. It is certainly THE way to travel; the food is outstanding and the service is second to none…a real home from home.

One of the highlights on the program was a trip to a local manade; a typical ranch, where the gardians à cheval (the local authentic cowboys) showed us how they tend the herds of bulls on their white horses. The ranch is located in Camargue, a short distance from when Le Phenicien was docked. On arrival we were greeted by the family who owned the range and the tour began with a display of bull herding out in the open – the weather was perfect and the display was not disappointing. On returning to the ranch, it was of great interest to learn of the history of the horses, bulls and the ranch.

Tasty snacks and excellent wine (amongst other delights) were supplied during the tour. It was fascinating to discover that the family spend every day in the traditional gardians à cheval clothing – an excellent part of the program – and the family could not have been more welcoming to their visitors. It was certainly a memorable and special experience.

By Denise McKee. Denise has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is one of our team members responsible for the South Pacific programs.

Fly-Fishing on the River Dee in Scotland

February 22, 2010January 13, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

I had always wanted to try fly-fishing, and with a spare morning I persuaded the group to join me. The concierge at our hotel, the Craigendarroch in Ballater, arranged for a ghillie to collect us first thing after an early breakfast and we piled into the Land Rover complete with a picnic lunch. David, the ghillie, explained how all the rivers are divided into ‘beats’ with fishing rights and huts. We could see Balmoral Castle on the opposite bank as we headed along and passed several of the little Victorian suspension bridges (that looked strangely out of place) before crossing the beautiful Thomas Telford built Potarch Bridge and heading off through the pine forest to Carlogie Beat. Our ‘hut’ was anything but, and boasted everything we needed for a comfortable day. David’s assistant was already there, the coffee was brewing and the rods were all set up ready to go. We were given a quick demonstration on casting the lines and how to be safe; we were then kitted out in wellies and flotation jackets and off we went to begin our day.

Apparently as a horse-rider, I should’ve been good at communicating through the line! I’m not sure if this was the reason, but with help I managed not to get caught in any of the bushes or trees on my back-swing! David’s assistant, Iain, explained how the salmon had come in from the Atlantic and journeyed back up-river to spawn in short bursts of swimming and, unfortunately for the angler, need to feed very little. Habit causes them to ‘snap’ or ‘snatch’ anything that lands on the water and this is what we were trying to emulate with our flies.

Sufficient to say, we caught no fish although several were landed by the guy on the opposite bank. I did win the competition for landing my fly into a circle on the ground back at the hut and we had plenty of laughs over lunch and a few beers.

By Yvonne Shaw. Yvonne has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is a member of our admin team.

St. Andrews Links Trust – New Website

February 21, 2010February 16, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

The St. Andrews Links Trust launched their new website at the recent PGA Show in Florida. The PGA Show is the largest golf show in the world where many of golf’s leading brands exhibit their latest equipment for the season ahead.

The new website gives users all of the information they need to book tee-times on any of the 7 courses as well as detailed information on the services on offer from the Links Trust. Anything from course guides to a live webcam on the Old Course can be viewed. It’s also useful for people who have already booked to play on any of the courses, as information on each can be viewed under ‘the courses’ tab. Click here and take a look at the website for yourself!

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

Insight, Offers & Inspiration