CBS Sunday Morning News ran a story during the holidays about Islay single malts that reminded us that the flight from Glasgow to Scotland’s famous Isle of Islay (EYE-lah) takes less than an hour. Whisky loving links golfers who journey this way with a week or so to chase their passions will find their quest for Scotland’s pride and joy off to an outstanding start.
First there is the joy that is an Islay single malt. There are nine distilleries on the island who find themselves set apart from Scotland’s other whisky regions because the peat they use to fire their kilns and smoke their barley produces the boldest malts made. Islay’s tradition with peat is not exclusive to Scotch whisky production but it is profoundly distinctive. Sunday Morning reports that more than a billion dollars’ worth of Islay malts were exported to the States last year. The New York Times spirits panel wrote in 2011 that as they tasted 20 single malts from Islay, “ we reminded ourselves to step back a moment, to contemplate with no small amount of awe the magic of what was in the glass.” Roll Tide but Islay is also home to golf magic, at The Machrie (1890), found five miles from the Laphroaig (lah-FROYG), Ardbeg and Lagavulin distilleries who are queued up along a two mile stretch of the A846. The Machrie would be a good proshop to patronize because you’ll go on to meet plenty of golfers who have heard of it but not so many who have played.[singlepic id=33 w=320 h=240 float=]
The same can be said for your next round. After a night or two in single malt heaven, the focus will turn to Scotland’s pride – her classic and clever links – beginning with Machrihanish. Machrihanish (1876) isn’t ordinarily “on the way” but if you’re bound for Turnberry from Islay, the Mull of Kintyre is immediately on the left at the end of a two hour ferry ride. The Mull is home to Old Tom Morris’ masterpiece, along with its impressive neighbor and newcomer Machrihanish Dunes ( 2009). Accommodations are superb at The Royal Hotel or The Ugadale Hotel or the Ugadale Cottages, the dining is exceptional, the pace is perfect. The scene will change before you know it of course but you’ll enjoy two nights and 2-3 rounds before speed boating off to Turnberry.
The Kintyre Express will ferry you back to the real world, 40 miles away across the Firth of Clyde to the Scottish mainland, in time for your first round on the Ayrshire Coast. Another thing to like about this trip is how the first part gives you a tune up for the second part when you’ll be playing two of the most historic courses in championship golf. Having a little game on a British Open layout is a good thing, so you can go home with the right kind of stories about Royal Troon (1878) and The Ailsa at Turnberry (1909).
There has been much discussion in the golf press in recent days regarding the announced changes to the Old Course, St. Andrews in anticipation of the 2015 Open Championship. I have been asked by several journalists for comment on the changes from a travel & tourism perspective as St. Andrews accounts for a significant portion of our annual traffic. My viewpoint is very simple…from a golfers perspective, one who is visiting the “Home of Golf” to enjoy the history, tradition and play the Old Course…the changes will have relatively little impact and will no way diminish from a wonderful & memorable travel experience. St. Andrews has evolved into a outstanding destination with a vibrant nightlife, excellent restaurants, hotels to suit every budget & expectation and a multitude of good golf courses with the Old Course at the center of everything.
[singlepic id=29 w=320 h=240 float=]While I can empathize and understand the viewpoint of architectural purists like Brad Klein & Tom Doak, both of whom I have the highest respect for their work and knowledge of the game, I must however on balance defer to the Links Trust and R & A who are both very deliberative bodies who do their very best to consider the many and differing demands and expectations on the Old Course as they keep it relevant in today’s game at the highest level. From memory (maybe a poor one), one of the reason’s play was suspended during high winds at the 2010 Open Championship on the Old Course was the severity of the slope on #11 green and balls blowing off the green
The golf industry for the last many years has suffered greatly, from a variety of self created challenges mixed with issues beyond it’s control such as a changing society moving faster & faster with less to spend on recreational activities. As I noted to one journalist, given the larger challenges at hand, I am not sure this one would make it onto David Letterman’s Top Ten 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+
Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing one of the world’s finest Spa’s, The Spa at the Fairmont St. Andrews. The Spa at Fairmont is one of the largest health spas in all of Scotland. It includes twelve treatments with locally-themed massages, facial and relaxation therapies featuring exclusive Kerstin Florian products. Enjoy a wide variety of these massages, therapies, and experiences. Some options include Body Experiences, Massage Experiences, Facial Experiences, Fitness, Enhancement Treatments, and the Just for Men section.
Don’t get any ideas just yet! The Just for Men offers treatments such as The Ultimate Golfers Treatment by Sam Torrance. This exclusive experience is endorsed by Sam Torrance, winning Ryder Cup Captain and golf course designer. Get limber with this all-inclusive experience for golfers. It begins with a eucalyptus foot bath, continues to an invigorating exfoliation and stretch massage focusing on key need areas of golfers, and finishes with a wrap, which includes a mini-facial to help protect the skin from environmental damage caused by weather conditions out on the course. “Looking after your body before and after you golf is as important as practicing your swing. This treatment is the perfect tonic to leave you invigorated and ready to enjoy another round of golf or a fine dinner at Fairmont St Andrews,” raves Sam Torrance.
Ladies! If the wonderful list of Experiences and Treatments doesn’t flatter you, then treat yourself to a relaxing manicure/pedicure. Why not enjoy a fresh treatment of nail polish with a wonderful hand massage? You could even take part in the makeup application lesson with a makeup specialist.
Truly it’s remarkable that the game of golf continues to revolve around the course that gave it birth over 600 years ago. It’s all the more impressive when you consider that aside from some new tees and an irrigation system, nothing’s changed all that much at the world’s 4th ranked golf course since 1764 when 22 holes were reconfigured to 18. Meanwhile the game and its players have gone from the Stone Age to the Space Age, and yet, in July of 2015 the Old Course at St Andrews will host the Open Championship for the 29th time – a run that began in 1873.
For some time Scotland has been slowly developing and positioning itself as a leader in the development of wind as a sustainable energy solution. By some estimate Scotland may eventually account for fully 25% of the harvestable wind in Europe. If you have travelled there in recent years you will have noticed tall windmill turbines at various locations around the countryside
Hitherto the debate has been more focused on the potential benefits versus environmental considerations. I think it is fair to say that the economic benefits may be further down the road than some proponents may claim, but this is a function of any developing technology. Undoubtedly there is a legitimate argument to be made in support of green energy options.
While the debate has continued in Scotland for some years, it has mostly been contested by the green energy backers in one corner with environmentalists squarely in the other camp. One could reasonably argue that due to political expediency elected officials have taken up with the green energy camp, not because they truly believe in the solution and could argue for its need…but rather they cannot argue against it politically.
Slightly blurry image of wind turbine beside Royal Aberdeen Golf Club
Enter Donald Trump onto the scene who has grand plans for the Aberdeenshire coastline. Even with just his golf course, before hotels and houses are built, he has made a significant investment in northeast Scotland. His golf course opens this summer but he has put additional development plans on hold until after any decision on a proposed wind farm just offshore from his development.
While Mr. Trump can have a polarizing impact on discussions he has served to raise the profile of the impact to Scottish tourism, and more specifically Scottish golf tourism should wind farms be developed with little regard for the tourist implications.
As the leading golf tour operator from the United States to Scotland, delivering consistently more American golfers to Scotland than any other company for almost three decades, we have serious concerns if wind farms are developed that widely impact the Scottish golf experience. The recent addition of a single turbine very close to Royal Aberdeen Golf Club is something of a wake up call for Scottish tourism. To be clear, one turbine does not change a purchase decision by an overseas visitors to the “Home of Golf”. It is reasonable to conclude that the purchase decision to visit Scotland is the cumulative effect of many smaller considerations; air schedule, hotel options, transportation choices and for golfers, the most important issue…quality of the golf experience.
Quality of golf experience means different things to different people. It can be the condition of the course, knowledge of caddies, friendliness of welcome in the clubhouse, speed of the greens…most likely it will be a combination of various factors…or anticipated experience based on various information sources. One of the considerations will be the ambience of the golf course. We often hear that some travelers consider the links course of Ireland to have more spectacular scenery than Scottish courses and that is just one reason why they travel there to play golf.
Returning to the single turbine at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, which is the first of Scotland’s renowned links courses to have a turbine placed right on it doorstep causing both sight and noise pollution; were a second or third course in Scotland to have turbines placed right alongside on land or even nearby offshore, it may not make a difference but do twenty courses with compromised vistas from turbine development impact a golfers decision to visit Scotland? Within the purchase decision process of a prospective golfer, feedback from friends who recently visited usually weighs heavily; it is not unreasonable to think some golfers may conclude another “less cluttered” destination, on balance to be more enjoyable.
We should not underestimate the importance of visiting golfers to the Scottish economy. Government statisticians generally count one foreign visitor as one foreign visitor, despite what they may contribute to the local economy. As evidence of this mindset, the recent study presented by the Scottish government as evidence of the minimal impact on tourism by the placement of turbines speaks in generalities. It would appear that the questions were directed to tourism in general. For a golfer, 4 hours on a golf course with turbines damaging the visual experience is impactful….would a sightseeing tourist be unaffected by a turbine between Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street which is what the placement of the turbine at Royal Aberdeen amounts to for visitors to the course. Golfers spend substantially more than backpackers or most tourist segments and thus have a far greater financial impact on the economy than other visitors. The premium hotels in Scotland target golfers; Gleneagles, Turnberry, Old Course Hotel, Fairmont St. Andrews to name but a few. In addition to premium hotel rooms, caddies, more expensive restaurants, chauffeurs, etc…the list of utilized service providers is extensive…all because of golf, which is the driving force. Scotland has been blessed to be regarded as the “Home of Golf” the world over. It is a significant part of our heritage and we should not lose sight of the fact that there are many other destinations who will gladly take our golfers if they ever feel that Scotland does not deliver what visiting golfers anticipate.
Vista that golfers anticipate from the links
There may well be a strong argument for wind power. It may well be a great energy source when the technology evolves but Mr. Trump has done a great service to the country by raising the profile of tourism within the context of the debate on green energy.
Mr Trump has raised a bona fide concern in his own style which some people may view as singularly selfish. The simple reality is that the larger message which he has also raised is the more important one for the country as a whole, as it will, if not prudently managed will cause a negative impact on the golf tourism segment.
I hope that decisions can be made which respect the many constituent groups involved and respect their wishes, and also provide suitable recognition for the potentially damaging impact one sided decisions will have on the many people and families who rely tourism and specifically golfers for their livelihood.
Gordon Dalgleish
President
PerryGolf
About the Author: Gordon Dalgleish is the Co-Founding Director of PerryGolf, the leading provider of international golf vacations. You can find him onGoogle+
