Golf around the Open…a different Major experience

July 17, 2013August 22, 2023 Gordon Dalgleish

Each of the four “Majors” in golf provide the spectator with a unique experience. There is a good argument that says the Open Championship, held annually on one of nine links courses around the British coastline, is the most unique of all. This year the Open returns to Muirfield, home of the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, for the first time since Ernie Els won in 2002.

Spectators can expect to witness an event which encapsulates the country. It will be one of the lead news stories as golf is woven through so much of the fabric of Scottish life. Non golfers and golfers alike will pay attention to the happenings at Muirfield. A visitor to Scotland will be hard pressed to find any local who cannot engage in a fairly detailed discussion about the event and their favorite golfers. It is the only “Major” which sells admission tickets on the day, all very democratic and open to all. You will find a festive but respectful and knowledgeable crowd.

One of the many unique aspects of Muirfield is the proximity of Greywalls Hotel to the 10th tee. It is literally across a low stone wall. Greywalls Hotel is one of the many charming and comfortable country house hotels you find around the British Isles. I clearly recall that during earlier times when the Open returned to Muirfield, the guest book at Muirfield was a “who’s who” of the golfing greats of that time; Nicklaus, Trevino, Player, etc. Gaining access to one of the 23 rooms in the hotel was reserved for the elite of the sport. It’s fair to say that in 2013 the elite will have rented large homes for the week as they travel with their sizable entourages of trainers, nannies, stretchers, chefs & mental coaches. Times have indeed changed in that respect. Read more about Greywalls Hotel.

East Lothian, which is the area of Scotland around Edinburgh and onward to the east, is home to a host of great golf. This Google Earth Video Tour gives some sense of the plethora of fine links courses in close proximity to Muirfield, alongside some of the area hotels and other exclusive-use lodgings that PerryGolf clients enjoy. The tour also details some of our suggestions for dining of which in this region of Scotland are terrific.

If nothing else, be sure to add attendance at the Open Championship one year onto your bucket list!

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+

Best Place to Stay for the 2013 Open Championship

July 16, 2013August 22, 2023 Harrison Gould

Undoubtedly the best hotel in which to reside for spectating the 2013 Open Championship, Greywalls Hotel sits on the edge of Muirfield golf course where it is separated only by a knee-high wall. An extraordinary view from the hotel overlooks world famous greens of the 9th & 18th holes and the 10th tee of this championship links.

The stylish Edwardian hotel designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and built in 1901 offers 23 luxurious rooms. Greywalls was originally built as vacation home for its original owner, the Honorable Alfred Lyttelton whose one request was that it be “within a mashie niblick shot of the eighteenth green at Muirfield.” You’ll gain a greater appreciation of the history that lies before you at Greywalls when you see the hotel guestbook’s big names like Palmer and Nicklaus. Staying at Greywalls around the Open is much more accessible than in the past as many of the contenders simply rent houses for the week to accommodate their entourage of supporters instead of staying at the hotel.

Dining with spectacular views of the 10th tee complement gastronomic cuisine. Greywalls’ Chez Roux Restaurant won the Scottish Restaurant Awards 2012, “Scottish Hotel Restaurant of the Year.” The hotel offers several different dining venues to accommodate every occasion imaginable.

Gertrude Jekyll’s design of the beautiful walled gardens found outside amidst the hotel’s 6 acres of land create a peaceful and tranquil ambiance at Greywalls. The spa services, two tennis courts, croquet lawn, and putting green certainly add to its splendor as well. The hotel is an ideal location for more than just watching the 2013 Open Championship – it’s also within 5 miles of 10 other golf courses such as Gullane, Archerfield, North Berwick, and Dunbar; abound with beautiful beaches and historic castles; and only a half hour drive from Scotland’s capital Edinburgh.

Enjoy the Google Earth Video Tour below – navigated by PerryGolf’s President, Gordon Dalgleish – to gain a better sense of Greywalls’ surrounding area of East Lothian and Edinburgh. Please wait just a moment for the video to load – it will start automatically.

The Open Championship at Muirfield

July 15, 2013October 2, 2014 Harrison Gould

The Open Championship returns to Muirfield golf course this week for the first time since 2002. Muirfield is located in the small town of Gullane, Scotland. Part of the East Lothian, Muirfield is just one of the excellent links courses that abounds the area. Home to Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers since 1744, Muirfield will undoubtedly produce a true champion of the game at this year’s Open Championship.

Castle Stuart Golf Links and Scottish Open Basics

July 10, 2013April 24, 2018 Harrison Gould

There’s a case, often made, that Royal Dornoch alone is worth a journey to the Highlands. It is of course but treasure hunting links golfers will be pleased now to find new loot at Castle Stuart. Opened for play in July 2009 with instant honors from Golf Magazine as the “Best New International Course” of the year, Castle Stuart is the work of Americans Mark Parsinen (Kingsbarns) and Gil Hanse.

Watch the Scottish Open on NBC

July 9, 2013October 9, 2014 Harrison Gould

The 2013 and 2014 Scottish Opens will be televised on NBC, making them the first regular European Tour events televised on a major United States TV broadcast network. A two year agreement has been made between the Scottish Open’s title sponsor Aberdeen Asset Management and NBC in which NBC will broadcast two and a half hours of live coverage on the final two day’s play from Castle Stuart Golf Links in 2013 and Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, the venue for the 2014 Scottish Open. This coverage will of course complement that from the Golf Channel, as this year’s Scottish Open starts this Thursday, July 11.

This is a major breakthrough for Aberdeen Asset Management as they, and the Scottish Government – the tournament’s other key supporter – will have the opportunity to promote themselves around the broadcasting. Chief Executive of Aberdeen Asset Management, Martin Gilbert said, “The US is one of our most important markets and therefore we are very supportive of this new agreement with NBC and the Golf Channel.”

Chief Executive of The European Tour, George O’Grady went on, ““Following the vision and leadership of the Golf Channel, we are delighted to enter into this historic new agreement with NBC for live coverage of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open for the next two years. It speaks volumes for the quality of the European Tour product, and specifically the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, that one of our most prestigious championships will be shown to a new audience on one of the prime TV networks in the United States in conjunction with our already outstanding coverage on the Golf Channel.”

U.S. Television Coverage for the 2013 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open:

Thursday, July 11: Golf Channel – First Round Coverage

Friday, July 12: Golf Channel – Second Round Coverage

Saturday, July 13: Golf Channel – Lead-in Third Round Coverage Golf Channel on NBC – Third Round Coverage

Sunday, July 14: Golf Channel – Lead-in Final Round Coverage

Golf Channel on NBC – Final Round Coverage

FOLLOW us on Twitter at @PerryGolf to stay up-to-date with the latest information about the 2013 Scottish Open at Castle Stuart Golf Links.

READ the full article & WATCH the video on the Scottish Open coming to NBC.

About the Author: Harrison Gould is the Social Media Marketing Manager of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him on Google+

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