Posts Tagged ‘St Andrews’
Monday, September 21st, 2009
The ninth annual Dunhill Links Championship, the UK’s premier pro-am golf tournament will take place from October 1 – 4. As usual, the tournament will be played on three of Scotland’s top links courses, The Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, with the final round being played on the Old Course. In 2001 the inaugural Dunhill Links Championship was played as a celebration of links golf and this is still the essence of the tournament to this day. The combination of The Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns surely incorporates all the splendid qualities of links golf. With the rich history of The Old Course and Carnoustie along with the splendid views at the newer links at Kingsbarns, it is hard to imagine a stronger mix of links golf in the entire world. The magnificent trio will once again stand to be a true and fair test of golf.
Past Open Champions Padraig Harrington (2007 Carnoustie, 2008 Royal Birkdale) and Ernie Els (2002 Muirfield) head a talented list of professionals who will be competing for the five million dollar purse. Other professionals in the strong international field will include past Dunhill Links Champions Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie along with rising star Rory Mcllroy and tour veterans Darren Clarke and Jose Maria Olazabal.
Along with the individual professional tournament, there is also a team competition in which the tour pros are paired with some of the world’s most celebrated amateurs. In 2001 and 2006 Padraig Harrington won both competitions! Celebrity amateurs entered into this year’s tournament include actors Samuel L Jackson and Hugh Grant, professional athletes Wladimir Klitschko and Marcus Allen, and musicians Huey Lewis and Tico Torres. With free entrance for the first three rounds, this rare combination of pro golfers and celebrities provides local fans with a unique opportunity to walk alongside and interact with their idols.
Tags: alfred dunhill, alfred dunhill links, alfred dunhill links championship, carnoustie, carnoustie golf, carnoustie golf trip, darren clarke, dunhill, dunhill links, dunhill links championship, ernie els, european golf, European Golf trip, Golf, golf trip, huey lewis, hugh grant, jose maria olazabal, kingsbarns, kingsbarns golf, kingsbarns golf trip, lee westwood, luxury, luxury golf, luxury golf trip, marcus allen, padraig harrington, rory mcilroy, saint andrews golf, samuel l jackson, scotland golf, Scotland golf trip, St Andrews, st. andrews golf trip, wladimir klitschko
Posted in European Golf Tours, Scotland Golf Trips, Scottish Golf Holidays, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
To most “experts” and casual fans alike, it was a foregone conclusion Tiger Woods would win his 15th major championship (5th PGA Championship) this past Sunday at the beautiful links of Hazeltine Country Club in Chaska Minnesota.
Why even watch? Tiger would surely hold on to his lead, and his competitors would surely wilt under the relentless pressure and mystique Tiger has cast upon the PGA Tour. Sure, Tiger may come up with some fantastic shots during the big pressure moments, but doesn’t this get a little boring? Certainly no need to remove yourself from your cherished mid-summer activities, just turn on ESPN or The Golf Channel before work on Monday morning and watch Tiger’s recent highlight reel. After all, Tiger was a perfect 14 for 14 when holding or sharing the lead going into the final round of a major championship.
Well, it is a good thing the engraver of the Wanamaker Trophy stuck around to see the results of the final round of the PGA Championship. And, if you were fortunate enough to trade your day at the beach for an afternoon of being a couch potato you may have witnessed one of the greatest upsets in recent sporting history, thanks to Y.E. Yang’s gutsy and ice cool performance. If only our good friend Tom Watson could have pulled off a similar and equally stunning upset, at Turnberry Ailsa last month during the 138th Open Championship in Scotland. However, we still expect another strong performance by Watson in 2010 at the Old Course, in St. Andrews.
Yang Yong-eun, known in the United States as Y. E. Yang, not only put an end to Tiger’s 14 for 14 streak. He also became the first Asian born player to win a major championship. Ironically, Y. E. Yang was able to turn the tables on Tiger by making “Tiger-like” shots with a “Tiger-like” demeanor. Chipping in for eagle on the short par 4 14th and ultimately ending the tournament with a heroic approach on the final hole. Equally impressive was the true sportsmanship and class displayed in defeat by the great champion Tiger Woods. Odds makers, analysts, experts and just about everyone gave no one a chance of passing Tiger in the final round, let alone the 110th ranked player in the world. But, that is “why they play the game”.
Tags: 138 Open Championship, 139 Open Championship, 2010 Open, 2010 Open Championship, 91 pga championship, British Open, british open packages, chaska, Golf, golf packages, golf tour, golf trip, hazeltine, hazeltine country club, minnesota, old course, open, open championship, pga, pga championship, saint andrews, Scotland, scotland golf, Scotland golf trip, St Andrews, tiger, tiger woods, Tom Watson, turnberry, Turnberry Ailsa, watson, y.e. yang, yang
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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
Four of St Andrews Links’ seven courses have been listed in the prestigious Golf Digest Top 100 Courses outside the USA ranking for the first time. The rankings were compiled from ballots submitted by over 900 U.S. and international golf course panelists, Golf Digest Editors and various other experts.
The Old Course (at #2) is the top course in Scotland according to the poll, finishing ahead of Muirfield in third position, the Ailsa Course at Turnberry (#5), Royal Dornoch (#6) and Carnoustie (#8). The often underrated New Course at St Andrews (opened in 1895) is listed as number 63 and the Jubilee Course (1897) has slipped in at 92nd. Entering only its second season in operation the new Castle Course has gone straight to number 65.
The poll was topped by Royal County Down in Northern Ireland. Overall, seventeen courses in Scotland populate the top 100, while the British Isles as a whole account for 42 places in the list.
Tags: ailsa, carnoustie, castle course, dornoch, exotic golf, Golf, golf digest, golf tour, golf trip, jubilee course, luxury golf, new course, royal county down, royal dornoch, saint andrews, St Andrews, turnberry
Posted in European Golf Tours, Ireland Golf Trips, Ireland Golf Vacations, Irish Golf Vacations, Scotland Golf Trips, Scottish Golf Holidays | No Comments »
Friday, April 10th, 2009
Musselburgh Links in Edinburgh has been certified by Guinness World Records as the “Oldest Golf Course in the World”. The official citation states: “Documentary evidence proves that golf was played on Musselburgh Links as early as 2 March 1672 although Mary, Queen of Scots reputedly played here in 1567.”
The 9-hole course was one of the original Open Championship venues, hosting the competition on six occasions between 1874 and 1889. Threatened in recent years by potential development of the surrounding racecourse, the course now appears to have secured not only its immediate future but also a place in history. But, the strange sounds you might be hearing is the wailing and gnashing of teeth from the residents of St Andrews, who believe their little piece of heaven should really have the accolades!
Musselburgh was also home to a number of famous golfers including Willie Park – winner of the first Open in 1860 – and members of the Dunn family. Willie Dunn, Jnr won the first professional golf tournament in the United States, at the Saint Andrew’s Golf Club in 1894.
Tags: Golf, golf tour, golf trip, guinness book, guinness world records, Mary Queen of Scots, Musselburgh, Musselburgh Old, oldest golf club, oldest golf course, oldest golf course in the world, open championship, saint andrews, St Andrews
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Wednesday, January 7th, 2009
Castle Course
St Andrews will have its seventh course available for a full season from 1st April 2009. The Castle Course is the first tournament quality course to be added to the St Andrews stable in 100 years. It stretches to 7200 yards from the back tees, but architect David MacLay Kidd (of Bandon Dunes fame) has endeavored to provide playability for golfers of all levels by providing five tees on each hole.
Initial feedback on the layout compliments the panoramic views to the town and sea, while the course’s routing and unusual clubhouse has also attracted plaudits. But, the use of rough mounding to add character to fairways has not met with universal approval and some will be cut back and reduced over this winter, while a few approaches to greens will also be altered to make them more playable. Nothing a little tinkering can’t fix … we would hope!
Tags: castle course, david Kidd, exotic, fife, Golf, golf travel, Golfing, guided tours, luxury, package, saint andrews, Scotland, St Andrews, tours, travel, Trip, united kingdom
Posted in Scotland Golf Trips, Scottish Golf Holidays | No Comments »
