Harrington DQ’d from Season Opener

PerryGolf Staff
Padraig Harrington will be disappointed

I was very disappointed to learn today that Padraig Harrington was disqualified from the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship after the first round.  After opening with a fantastic 7 under par 65, Harrington signed his card and presumed everything was in order. Unfortunately he was notified by e-mail from the European Tour around 6pm that there had been a rule infringement during his round and that there was TV evidence of the incident.  Click here for details on what actually happened.

After a lengthy winter break, and countless tweaks and swing changes, this is potentially the worst possible start to the 2011 season for Harrington.  At least he knows he’s playing well after his 65…

By Gary Sheppard.  Gary has been with PerryGolf for over 4 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

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Scottish Open Confirmed at Castle Stuart

PerryGolf Staff

After much consideration, the European Tour announced today that the Barclays Scottish Open will relocate from Loch Lomond Golf Club to Castle Stuart Golf Links near Inverness.  It is believed that the tournament will remain in the Highlands for 3 years and I’m sure the locals will welcome this news with open arms.  Loch Lomond has hosted the event for the last 15 years and every year was a resounding success with large crowds ever present.  I’m certain this tradition will remain now that Castle Stuart is taking over.

After its official opening in 2009, Castle Stuart has been on the receiving end of very high praise – and for what it’s worth, I was one of those who praised it.  Being awarded with the Scottish Open is acclaim of the highest order.  This is one of the European Tour’s biggest events and it attracts a top quality field on a yearly basis.  I’d like to think that it’ll attract an even higher class field now that it will be played on a links course.  This was always a major consideration for some players as the Scottish Open is played the week before The Open Championship.  Loch Lomond is an outstanding course, but the parkland layout and soft fairways haven’t suited some players’ practice regimes the week before The Open. 

Click here for more information.

By Gary Sheppard.  Gary has been with PerryGolf for over 4 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

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Which is the Oldest Course?

PerryGolf Staff

Much of Scotland’s history has been as wild and changeable as its weather…but on a more light-hearted note, the oldest golf course in Scotland; ‘The Home of Golf’, is often fiercely disputed.

Musselburgh (near Edinburgh) can prove existence in 1674 and it is even suggested that Mary, Queen of Scots played there in the late 1500’s.  The Old Course at St. Andrews has records of golf played there in 1574 and is the most widely known ‘Home of Golf’.  Stirling, with it’s much fought over castle, insists that King James IV played a round of golf there in 1506 with the Earl of Bothwell, so it is assumed there was some sort of course there at that time.  Now Perth golfers have come up with some interesting facts to claim the title as theirs.

It is well-known that golf was banned in 15th Century Scotland and all men were encouraged to practice archery in readiness for any invasion by their neighbours in England.  James IV was crowned at Scone Palace, near Perth in 1488, and by 1502 (in a more peaceful period) he had decided that an invasion was unlikely and golf could again be played.  The King was a keen sportsman and took up the game himself.  He commissioned a set of clubs from a local bow-maker and is reputed to have used them on the town’s North Inch course the same year.

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

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The pioneer of international golf course architects

Gordon Dalgleish

As the world has become a smaller place and outstanding golf courses can be found in some of the most remote corners of the earth, we should not overlook the tremendous work that Robert Trent Jones did around the world as demand for golf grew during the 1930’s and later. Details on the collection of his business papers can be read here .  I recall very clearly playing at Royal Dar es Salam Golf Club in Rabat, Morocco in the 1990’s. The layout was classic Jones, wide fairways, doglegs, large bunkers with fairly shallow lips…all very playable and enjoyable. The golf course in Morocco was at one time in the Top 100 Courses in the world but as time and new construction sped by, it fell out of these rankings. Mr. Jones did much to create the initial international golf travelers.
 

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+

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Kohler’s Development Plans for Hamilton Grand

Mhairi

Kohler Co., the current owners of the Old Course Hotel in St. Andrews, have revealed approved development plans for Hamilton Grand which they purchased at the end of 2009.

One of the most sought-after locations in the world of golf, Hamilton Grand boasts views over the 18th Green of the Old Course and of St. Andrews Bay, and is neighbor to the Royal & Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews.

To read more, click here.

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