Tag: scotland

Dining at Zizzi Restaurant in St. Andrews

Mhairi

Whenever I am staying in St. Andrews, I always make a point of visiting the Zizzi Restaurant for either lunch or dinner.

It is a casual setting serving excellent Italian food in four distinct sections of antipasti, salads, the mains (including pizza, pasta and risotto) and a selection of desserts, all within reasonable pricing.  Having not been to any of the other outlets, I can only comment on the warm ambience and bustling atmosphere of St. Andrews’ own Zizzi Restaurant situated on South Street.

Zizzi Restaurant, St Andrews
Zizzi Restaurant, St Andrews

Last summer, while staying in the Fairmont Hotel just outside of St. Andrews town, my partner and I decided to dine there of an evening…and we were not disappointed.  The Bruschetta  with tomatoes and basil served on toasted garlic ciabatta was so good I could of eaten another serving…but I managed to hold off for my main of Pollo Prosciutto – chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto ham and sage and cooked in white wine – amazing!  Not often opting for a dessert, I changed my mind on this occasion and decided to order the Chocolate Melt and only stopped eating when I realised I couldn’t possibly make room for anything else.  All of this was offered with the accompaniment of a great wine list.  I should mention that there really is a great choice of food and drink on the menu and I’m sure that there is something for everyone there.

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Albert Roux brings Two New Restaurants to Scotland

PerryGolf Staff

In the next few months, the famous French Chef, Albert Roux, will be opening 2 new restaurants in Scotland.  This is in addition to his already successful restaurant at the Rocpool Reserve in Inverness.

The first restaurant is due to open in April and will be set in a remote town in the North West of Scotland, (click here for more details).  This isolated location means that many of our clients may not get the opportunity to dine there as the closest area which clients regularly utilize is Dornoch which is 1 hour and 30 minutes away.  The second restaurant, which will open at the famous Greywalls Hotel (on the edge of Muirfield Golf Course), is set to open in May.  Greywalls is set on the outskirts of Gullane and is in a great location for many championship courses which are within 5 miles of the hotel.  Having the latest Albert Roux restaurant in the hotel is sure to make Greywalls an even more appealing place to stay.

The 3 restaurants which Albert Roux will have in Scotland come under the Chez Roux banner which prides itself on fresh Scottish ingredients with a French twist.

Click here for a link with details on both of the new restaurants.

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

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Should I take a Caddie?

PerryGolf Staff

A question we are often asked by our clients is if they should take a caddie or not; and with the average caddie fee being around $60-$70 per round (not including tip) it is a good question.  This is especially relevant in Scotland where caddies do not double-bag, and Ireland where fees are per bag.

A caddie providing useful advice
Caddies are invaluable where experience of the course is required

At PerryGolf we always recommend that our clients take caddies as they add significantly to the enjoyment of a round.  Apart from the obvious benefit of them carrying your bag, looking for your ball, raking bunkers and cleaning clubs, etc, they make negotiating, particularly links-style courses, much easier.  They obviously assist in club selection based on distances, but links courses are often played in windy conditions where experience is absolutely essential.  They are also able to help you tackle the blind shots that can arise on a links course as well as reading the (at times) severely undulating or large greens.  I am sure many will agree that a caddie has saved them a few putts on the double greens of the Old Course at St. Andrews!  All of this comes before you have even heard some of the great stories they have to tell from past experiences.  They can give a visitor real enjoyment beyond the golf and give some local-insider knowledge to a trip… not least the best pubs to visit!!

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

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Fly-Fishing on the River Dee in Scotland

PerryGolf Staff

I had always wanted to try fly-fishing, and with a spare morning I persuaded the group to join me. The concierge at our hotel, the Craigendarroch in Ballater, arranged for a ghillie to collect us first thing after an early breakfast and we piled into the Land Rover complete with a picnic lunch. David, the ghillie, explained how all the rivers are divided into ‘beats’ with fishing rights and huts. We could see Balmoral Castle on the opposite bank as we headed along and passed several of the little Victorian suspension bridges (that looked strangely out of place) before crossing the beautiful Thomas Telford built Potarch Bridge and heading off through the pine forest to Carlogie Beat. Our ‘hut’ was anything but, and boasted everything we needed for a comfortable day. David’s assistant was already there, the coffee was brewing and the rods were all set up ready to go. We were given a quick demonstration on casting the lines and how to be safe; we were then kitted out in wellies and flotation jackets and off we went to begin our day.

Potarch Bridge
Potarch Bridge

Apparently as a horse-rider, I should’ve been good at communicating through the line! I’m not sure if this was the reason, but with help I managed not to get caught in any of the bushes or trees on my back-swing! David’s assistant, Iain, explained how the salmon had come in from the Atlantic and journeyed back up-river to spawn in short bursts of swimming and, unfortunately for the angler, need to feed very little. Habit causes them to ‘snap’ or ‘snatch’ anything that lands on the water and this is what we were trying to emulate with our flies.

Sufficient to say, we caught no fish although several were landed by the guy on the opposite bank. I did win the competition for landing my fly into a circle on the ground back at the hut and we had plenty of laughs over lunch and a few beers.

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

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St. Andrews Links Trust – New Website

PerryGolf Staff

The St. Andrews Links Trust launched their new website at the recent PGA Show in Florida.  The PGA Show is the largest golf show in the world where many of golf’s leading brands exhibit their latest equipment for the season ahead.

The new website gives users all of the information they need to book tee-times on any of the 7 courses as well as detailed information on the services on offer from the Links Trust.  Anything from course guides to a live webcam on the Old Course can be viewed.  It’s also useful for people who have already booked to play on any of the courses, as information on each can be viewed under ‘the courses’ tab.  Click here and take a look at the website for yourself!

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

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