Snow in Scotland….and bureaucracy in inaction!

January 12, 2010January 12, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

Testing the depth of the ice at the Lake of Menteith

You may have read reports about the unusually lengthy cold spell we have had in Scotland since before Christmas. While we do get some snow each year, it is generally fairly insignificant aside of parts of the Highlands. The lowest temperature so far has been recorded at -23, the record is -27 in Braemar. The ski resorts in Scotland – Glen Coe, Annoch Moor, Cairngorms and Glenshee have had an outstanding season, lots of fresh snow and lovely sunny days to ski. The last time we had this volume of snow and such low temperatures was in 1947, and my mother, whose family farm was between two golf courses, remembers great sledging, with the occasional sudden dive into a bunker filled with snow!

My biggest excitement was the prospect of the Grand Match being played; a Curling Bonspiel to be held at the Lake of Menteith (the only lake in Scotland, the rest being Lochs) which is west of Stirling, in the Central Belt. This outdoor match was last played in 1979 in which my father played, so I very definitely wanted the chance to play. Having been a member of our local club since the early 1980’s, I managed to pull rank and get a place in the team; I found some hip flasks, my fathers Tam O’ Shanter (tartan beret), procured a ‘crampit’, (basically a piece of metal with prongs into the ice to give you a solid surface to throw your stone from) and had my curling stones polished. Everything was in place and the ice was the requisite 8 inches deep – then bureaucracy kicked in, the emergency services got nervous at 2500 curlers on the ice and pulled the plug on it. So disappointing…I would have taken my chances just to take part in this historic event, but sadly it seems it may never be allowed to happen. Are there still a lot of outdoor bonspiels held in USA? Maybe we need some tips on how to appease the authorities.

By Anne Filshie. Anne is the Group Director of Operations at PerryGolf.

South Island, New Zealand additions

January 4, 2010October 3, 2014 Gordon Dalgleish

Millbrook, a popular resort for PerryGolf clients on the South Island of New Zealand has just opened an additional 9 holes, bringing the total to 27 holes at the facility. Additionally, they have also completed the restoration of a high country wool shed which has been outfitted with the latest club fitting technology.

About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him on Google+

Highland Safari experience – Scotland, ideal for non golfers

December 28, 2009December 10, 2009 PerryGolf Staff

From the moment we were collected at the hotel by our Safari Guide, Colin, we had a fantastic day. Loch Tay must surely be one of the prettiest of Scotland’s lochs and Colin had plenty of interesting conversation to keep us amused as we headed off-road and up through the forest – here I got my wish, and as promised, he found a red squirrel who was keeping very still on a fir tree not far from the track. I would never have noticed it myself as it was much smaller than I was expecting but really red and even prettier than it appears in pictures.

Leaving the Land Rover, we walked to a viewpoint only to be ‘attacked’ by a group of Highland Warriors wielding claymores. They were putting on a display for another group but thought they would practice on us!

We took it in turns to drive the 10-seater off-road vehicle, and with Colin’s guidance, negotiated some impressive hills and water obstacles. Lunch was laid on for us in a hilltop bothy and, either the food was exceptionally tasty, or we were exceptionally hungry! On the way back to the hotel, our guide pointed out a golden eagle circling high over the glen and he told us how to tell the difference between the various hawks by their wing and tail formation.

The Highland Safari offers a fantastic opportunity to view some of Northern Scotland’s hidden wildlife!

By Yvonne Shaw

Machrihanish Golf Club with Kintyre Express

December 21, 2009December 21, 2009 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 2^ndtee 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

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

December 18, 2009December 21, 2009 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

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