Wildings Restaurant in the West of Scotland

March 24, 2010March 9, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

I am often asked for dining suggestions from groups before they travel to the West coast of Scotland. Here is my personal number one suggestion for anybody travelling or thinking of going to the Ayrshire Coast.

Wildings Hotel & Restaurant is a fantastic place to eat and is no more than a 5 minute drive (1mile) from the magnificent Turnberry Resort, home of the famous Ailsa Course. Situated in the small harbour village of Maidens, this is a well run family business and is rumoured to be one of Tom Watson’s favourite haunts when the Open comes to town.

The menu has a strong French influence and sources some of the areas finest produce; whether this is from the local countryside or the ever-present sea. In my opinion, it’s well worth a visit if you’re a seafood lover like myself or if you just fancy a decent steak.

My friendly advice to all is to book in advance of your trip in order to avoid disappointment!

By Jonny Ferguson. Jonny has been with PerryGolf for over 2 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

Boat Trip on Loch Lomond

March 22, 2010March 9, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

Wherever you are in the Cameron House Hotel, you cannot help but notice the boats of all sizes enjoying the loch, and so we decided to join one of the daily cruises. The skipper of the Astina was very knowledgeable and entertaining and I sensed we were in for a good trip around a few of the thirty-eight islands. We headed north away from the ‘busy’ end, past the famous Loch Lomond Golf Club and some of the larger islands and up to Tarbet where history has it noted that Viking raiders would drag their longships overland from the sea-lochs to the west. Turning back south we saw the cave where Rob Roy is reputed to have hidden (he was often in hiding from the law!) This is MacGregor country and there are many links to the infamous outlaw around the loch. The clan burial place lies on the island of Inchcailloch.

Our lunch stop was at the tiny (but very busy) village of Luss; with its sandy beaches, narrow lanes of tiny cottages and flowers everywhere, it’s a step back in time. There is a small sea-plane based there and we were just leaving as it flew in; an impressive sight below the mountain of Ben Lomond. The plane is apparently popular with golfers, as it can take them and their clubs to courses that are our hours away by road. Our return journey took in the larger islands, each with a story to tell and lots of rumours too. We didn’t see the wallabies on Inchconnachan, hear the ghostly bell on Inchtavannach, or catch sight of any nudists on Inchmurrin…but who could doubt that they are there?

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

The Seafood Restaurant ~ St Andrews

March 20, 2010March 4, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

If you are a fan of seafood – like myself – and are looking for the best seafood restaurant in St. Andrews, then look no further than the spectacular ‘The Seafood Restaurant’. It is the only dedicated seafood restaurant in St. Andrews and can also boast the fact that it sources all of its ingredients from the seas surrounding Scotland. The restaurant has floor to ceiling windows and takes full advantage of the stunning views of St. Andrews bay.

As ever, my friendly advice is to book in advance to avoid disappointment. However if you find it is fully booked…please don’t despair! There is a sister restaurant 20 minutes away in the small fishing town of St. Monans, which more than equals the St. Andrews-based restaurant.

By Jonny Ferguson. Jonny has been with PerryGolf for more than 2 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

Golf Lesson at Turnberry

March 16, 2010February 23, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

Working for PerryGolf for 10 years has opened up my interest in golf; learning about all of the courses and ‘golfing regions’ but having never played a game of golf, I realised it was time to change that. On a visit to the Turnberry Resort I was lucky enough (when you see my clip you will understand) to have a golf lesson at The Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy’. It is a great facility showcasing an open-air driving range with a landscaped target area, a state-of-the-art audio-visual theatre, simulator and swing analyzer. After my consultation and a few practice swings, the problem with my swing was clear…to put it bluntly…it was awful! Once the professional advised where I was going wrong and made a few small changes to my swing, a definite improvement was evident. Spending a further 20 minutes in the teaching bays hitting balls found that my swing was massively improved; there’s a long way to go, but certainly with practice I could be better.

It was a great experience and they have the space and capability to take groups for lessons and offer different options depending on your skill level and what you need to improve on. This is an ideal addition to your stay at Turnberry and will no doubt improve your round and your experience on the Ailsa Course.

Click below to view my experience at Turnberry’s Golf Academy:

Denise’s Golf Lesson

By Denise McKee. Denise is a member of PerryGolf’s admin team.

Kittocks Course, Fairmont St. Andrews

March 14, 2010February 18, 2010 PerryGolf Staff

The Kittocks Course at Fairmont, St. Andrews

The Fairmont Hotel in St. Andrews is a 5* Resort on the outskirts of one of the most famous towns in the world. The hotel is situated about 2 miles outside of the town centre and offers views over St. Andrews Bay and the medieval skyline. It is also home to 2 championship golf courses; The Kittocks and The Torrance. Both courses are very enjoyable and are worthy inclusions in any schedule based in and around St. Andrews. Even if you don’t happen to be staying at The Fairmont, these courses are worth considering.

The Kittocks is sometimes overshadowed by The Torrance which has recently been renovated and is now home to the Scottish Seniors Championship as well as a final qualifying venue for the British Open. I played both courses at the tail end of last year and I found The Kittocks a slightly tougher test of golf and, from a personal point of view, I’d say I enjoyed it more. I played the course with my Dad and while it was wet underfoot and a windy climate, we both had a great day. We agreed that the course was tough but fair and we hope to get another chance to play it in the future (in drier conditions with a bit of luck). Fingers crossed I can avenge the 3 and 2 defeat!

I’d also recommend that you use a golf cart when you play as some of the walks between greens and tees are longer then usual.

Click here for information on the course.

By Gary Sheppard. Gary has been with PerryGolf for over 3 years and is one of our Golf Travel Specialists.

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