New Chef at the Barceló Troon Marine Hotel

July 8, 2010June 14, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

The Barceló Troon Marine Hotel has appointed Robert MacGillvray as their new head chef in its Fairways Restaurant. It’s the first time in 42 years they’ve had to appoint someone to the position, so it’s bound to add an exciting and new aspect to the hotel’s restaurant. Kevin has been in the industry for 30 years and has a wealth of experience; having worked in some of Scotland’s best kitchens (including Lochgreen House and Ballathie House). He focuses on traditional Scottish flavours with a modern twist and has twice been voted Scottish Chef of the Year (2000 & 2002), as well as being the President of the ‘Federation of Chefs Scotland’…so it’s a move which can only be a good thing for the hotel.

The restaurant itself is in a spectacular location within the hotel; overlooking Royal Troon Golf Club, with great views over to the Isle of Arran; it’s the perfect place to enjoy the sunset and a fantastic evening meal after a day on one of the area’s great links courses. If you’d like to make a reservation in advance of your trip to Scotland, please don’t hesitate to contact your Golf Travel Specialist, who will be happy to do so.

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

150th Anniversary and End of an Era

July 8, 2010July 2, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

This years Open Championship at St Andrews will be the 150^th anniversary of the event and to mark this, the R & A have arranged for a special 4 hole Past Champions Challenge. All living past champions will be present with the exception of Jack Nicklaus, Nick Price, Johnny Miller, Kel Nagle, and (sadly) Seve Ballesteros.

The 4 hole event holds special significance for me as my granddad, Willie Aitchison, has caddied for 2 Open Champions – Robert Di Vicenzo and Lee Trevino. He was ‘on the bag’ for Di Vicenzo when he won at Royal Liverpool in 1967 and won back-to-back Opens with Trevino at Royal Birkdale in 1971 and Muirfield in 1972. The pairings for the event have still not been announced but it would be special if Di Vicenzo and Trevino were paired together.

It has been estimated that 30,000 fans will be present for the 4 hole exhibition match and I certainly plan on being one of them. This will definitely be the last time that my Grandad and both men get to meet, and although he will not be able to caddy, he does plan on walking the fairways one last time. This promises to be a special moment and it’s something that I would hate to miss. I’ve always been an admirer of Trevino’s game and the way he handled himself on the course; he was a crowd pleaser and certainly someone that the crowds would flock to see. There was never a dull moment and always plenty to talk about after a round when he was involved and I’m already looking forward to seeing him in action in a few weeks time.

Click here to read more.

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

Prestwick, a great links experience

July 7, 2010June 14, 2010 Cameron Reid

Prestwick Golf Club is one of the most recognized names in the world of golf. A private members club founded in 1851 that become birthplace for the Open Championship when first played in 1860. Indeed this year marks the 150^th anniversary of the first championship being played and a members dinner is planned with past Open Champions in attendance to mark the occasion. A recent round over this wonderful links venue reinforced my belief that the members and club staff equally provide one of the friendliest visitor experiences you will encounter on a visit to Scotland. The Clubhouse is delightfully traditional and full of character with great memorabilia for those with a keen interest in the history of golf.

Prestwick is a course that needs to be played at least once in your life, it is traditional Scottish links and a monument to the game of golf. For the first time visitor a caddie is certainly recommended as there are a number of blind shots which without local knowledge you will struggle to pick the right line or club. The undulating greens are fast and true matching the curvaceous nature of the rolling fairways and despite a very hard winter in Scotland in excellent condition. Following a wonderful lunch, foursomes golf (alternate shot) was the order of play. A unique game that really tests you and the patience of your partner! On a dry chilly day with a stiff breeze blowing scoring was difficult. The only real highlight for our pairing was at the 8^th hole, a long testing par 4 at the far end of the course. A good drive chased over the hill between the fairway bunkers onto the flat leaving a mid iron to the green. The green was found following a good shot that deserved to chase up to the flag, but a soft bounce left a 30+ foot putt uphill, the long putt that followed disappeared into the can for a great birdie three!

For those with Prestwick on their schedule this year enjoy your day and if still in the planning stages be sure to include Prestwick as a must play. For further information this article in Links Magazine is a good read. Click here

Northern Portugal – so much more than great golf!

July 5, 2010July 7, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

I was lucky enough to spend some time working in the Lisbon area with one of our PerryGolf groups recently and they really enjoyed the trip. Lisbon is a fantastic, vibrant city full of character and has a friendly, relaxed atmosphere with some great bars and restaurants.

There is also great golf on your doorstep in the shape of the outstanding Oitavos Dunes and the courses at Penha Longa. Further north, it is also well worth taking the trip to Praia del Rey which again is a great track. As a fan of Portugal, since my return I read the below article with interest as this would make for a fantastic addition to any trip in northern Portugal. When thinking of golf in Portugal, most people focus on the Algarve in the south and, true it has wonderful courses, but can be busy; so if you are looking for a trip combining golf, history, culture, great food and wine, you should look no further.. and I haven’t even touched on the Port!

Click here for an interesting article on Portugal.

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

A Day in St. Andrews

July 5, 2010July 2, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

I’m spending the day in St. Andrews today and the atmosphere around the town is fantastic. Everyone seems to be on a high with the Open Championship just around the corner. It’s a relatively calm day and about 60 degrees – but most importantly, it’s raining. Scotland has benefited from an extended period of nice weather and I believe the green staff at St. Andrews will be welcoming some rain. The course looks to be in great shape and will certainly be playing like a true links when the Championship kicks off in a couple of weeks. The tented village is almost complete, the grandstands are in place, and television camera stands are dotted around the course. Now we just need to sit tight and wait on the action unfolding.

Click here for the link to the live webcam on the Old Course.

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

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