PerryGolf’s Founding Director, Colin Dalgleish, has recently returned from the 2013 British Open Golf Voyage. Below are some of his thoughts July 17 upon embarking on the quest, as well as some of his afterthoughts on July 25. The golf cruise was to no surprise, another success for both PerryGolf and clients. Between the five rounds of golf, attending the final round of The Open Championship at Muirfield, cocktail parties and much more fun in the sun, the slideshow below only sheds a mere glimpse into what a luxury golf cruise it really was. But I bet it’s enough to make you wonder about the 2014 British Open Escorted Tour…Enjoy!
July 17
“As the The Open Championship is shortly about to begin at Muirfield Scotland, the PerryGolf British Open voyage around Ireland and Scotland is now well underway. PerryGolf guests onboard the delightful 700 guest Azamara Quest have already enjoyed a pre-cruise stay at the The Westin Dublin Hotel followed by golf at 2006 Ryder Cup venue the The K Club outside Dublin, the classic links of world top ten Royal County Down Golf Club, and the excellent Carrick overlooking the beautiful Loch Lomond in Scotland. Combined with a great range of sightseeing activities for the non golfing spouses amongst the group, and some outstanding dining, entertainment, and all inclusive drinks onboard, the 100+ PerryGolf guests are having a great time!”
July 25
“PerryGolf’s highly successful 2013 British Open Golf voyage onboard the 700 guest Azamara Quest concluded earlier this week. Since our previous post from the Carrick Loch Lomond, the ship sailed through the western isles and around the north of Scotland before PerryGolf guests had exclusive use of Castle Stuart Golf Links only a few days following the Scottish Open Championship. She then continued to Scotland’s beautiful capital city of Edinburgh where her central berth afforded guests panoramic views of the city during the two day stay. After golf at Kingsbarns and attendance at the final days play at The Open Championship (a mere 35 minute transfer from the ship), guests then enjoyed a relaxing day at sea on Monday in perfect weather, the final few miles into the city of Hamburg being accompanied by water cannon spraying tugboat.”
The The K Club, in addition to its Ryder Cup golf course, also boasts a magnificent hotel, a favorite of many PerryGolf guests. — in Straffan, Kildare.
18th hole at the The K Club, site of much drama in the 2006 Ryder Cup. — in Straffan, Kildare.
Royal County Down Golf Club Hole #9 — in Northern Ireland.
Father & son pairing of F. & J. Lewis from the USA for our day at the always magnificent Royal County Down Golf Club — in Northern Ireland.
Father & son pairing of F. & J. Lewis from the USA joined up with K. Delwaide & A. Rendeau of Canada for our day at the always magnificent Royal County Down Golf Club — in Northern Ireland.
Great view from Titanic Belfast Center of the build & launch site of the Titanic; poles marking exact area where it sat during construction. PerryGolf’s Azamara Quest lines up in the background (-:
PerryGolf guests enjoyed a great evening at Titanic Belfast, where the band played for them from the replica staircase of the famous liner.
Azamara Quest flies the Scottish Saltire as we move into Scottish waters
C. Dussault & M. Thibault of Canada are joined by their caddies at High Tide Cafe on The Carrick Loch Lomond.
Welcome to ‘High Tide Cafe’, the innovative half way house at The Carrick Loch Lomond …well what else are you going to do with a lovely motor launch that you no longer need, than stick it at the top of a hill (-:
Having departed Glasgow, and after a day at sea through the western isles, Azamara Quest rounds the north of Scotland, and heads to Castle Stuart, Inverness. The following stop will be Edinburgh for The Open Championship at nearby Muirfield
Good friends R. Holliday & V. Quinton from London, Canada bring some color to the proceedings at Castle Stuart
M. Koss of Richmond Canada celebrates a hole in one on Castle Stuart’s par three #8. The first hole in one on the course since The Scottish Open won by Phil Mickelson. Pictured here with her caddie. Good club selection!
Castle Stuart #9. A great golf course with stunning views of the Moray Firth and the majestic mountains which surround.
PerryGolf staff take a short lunch break at Azamara Quest’s delightful Windows café at the aft of the ship, overlooking the former Royal Yacht Britannia at her berth in Edinburgh.
PerryGolf’s top bagmen! After transporting 80 sets of golf clubs in PerryGolf’s “Golf Truck Express” to 5 venues, covering 650 miles, and with (they claim!) 965 golf club movements and having the clubs regimentally arranged for the arrival of PerryGolf guests each day, our top bagmen should stand proud! Left to right, team leader Angus McIntosh with clipboard to hand, “Tonto” McPhee (rides shotgun on top of the truck) and Colin Sinclair.
#1 tee at Kingsbarns. Caddies at the ready. Always a great place to play.
Mr & Mrs Holliday and Mr & Mrs Quinton enjoy a snack and a drink at the Kingsbarns halfway house.
The PerryGolf “Golf Truck Express”, which has kept the clubs ashore for the duration of the voyage, gets ready to lift the final few sets and head off to the next golf venue.
Mr & Mrs Pease and friends from Columbus Georgia pose for a photograph overlooking Kingsbarns #18
J. Weatherall of Blufton SC, former production director for the TV series The Love Boat, and C. Ferrara also of Blufton SC pose at Kingsbarns in matching sun hats.
Father & son pairing of B. & C. Ackerman of Kalamazoo, Michigan toast their round at Kingsbarns Scotland
After shooting 39 for 9 holes at Kingsbarns, 79 year old F. Lewis of Princeton NJ joined M. Lippincott of Denver Colorado, and PerryGolf Co-Founding Director Colin Dalgleish for a well dressed lunch in St Andrews.
As she heads for “downtown” Hamburg, Azamara Quest sails on the River Elbe past the headquarters of Airbus in Germany. Lined up for a perfect landing (-:
http://www.airbus.com/company/worldwide-presence/airbus-in-germany/
Azamara Quest is honoured with a water spraying tugboat escort for the final few miles of the beautiful River Elbe into the heart of Hamburg Germany
Love these street artists in Hamburg Germany with their gravity defying magic!
Want to attend next years Open Championship? Click here to learn more about the 2014 British Open Escorted Tour by PerryGolf and be sure to watch the short video below – 2014 Open Championship Tour by PerryGolf – to get a better geographical sense of what’s entailed in next year’s tour!
You can also engage yourself with our fully interactive Google Earth Video of the 2014 British Open Escorted Tour – you’ll be able to pause the video and browse around the area as you please via Google Earth. Thanks for reading!
Have you read PerryGolf’s President Gordon Dalgleish’s 8 tips to make your dream of attending an Open Championship a reality?
About the Author: Harrison Gould is the Social Media Marketing Manager of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
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 onGoogle+
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.
Follow us on Twitter at @PerryGolf to stay updated with the latest news and information about the Open Championship.
About the Author: Harrison Gould is the Social Media Marketing Manager of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
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.
Glenmorangie is known for their well made single malt whiskeys – but is now searching for the world’s most “Unnecessarily Well Made” golf courses. Every golfer has a favorite golf course – maybe it’s because you had a great round there or watched a Major there or just really enjoy the layout of the course. They want to find out which course that may be, and to help do so have brought four established professionals on board to help as ambassadors.
