Lundin Golf Club awarded "Golf Clubhouse of the Year"
The following article was published in the March 2008 edition of 'Golf Monthly' under a sub-heading "Room with a View":
"Straight off the 18th and into the welcoming warmth of a luxury power shower. Ten minutes later and you're snuggled into a high-back leather chair, with a pint of finest in hand, a plate of freshly-caught local lobster on the way and the small matter of views across the Firth of Forth spread out in front of you. Welcome to Lundin GC, GM's Clubhouse of the Year.
"We are absolutely delighted, it's a real tribute to the club as a whole," says Secretary Alistair Macdonald. "The club has been in existence since 1868 and the clubhouse has stood nearly as long so it was decided in 2004 that it deserved an upgrade!"
So not only is Lundin blessed with that ageless traditional feel of all great 19th holes but it also has facilities to boot. "The outline of the building hasn't changed for a century or more but we've completely overhauled the members' locker-room, put in brand new ladies' and visitors' facilities and given the lounge and dining areas a bit of a sprucing," Macdonald reports.
It's proved to be a hugely successful move with you the readers, the GM team and the local members all being seduced by the serene mix of old and new at Lundin. The votes flooded in and this Scottish gem was a clear winner with all.
It helps that this Open Qualifying links is of such a high standard, making the post-round ale that much more enjoyable. Not only that but the chance to sit back and watch your fellow golfers hit into and then putt out at the 18th is a real privilege. The final cherry is revelling in the glory of your sticky toffee pudding as you cast your eye over those hardy souls teeing off at the 1st.
"My office overlooks it all," laughs the very lucky secretary.
Royal Troon - Golf Course History 5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Royal Troon 1. Royal Troon was founded in 1878 (without the Royal Title) as a five-hole golf course. 2. Charlie Hunter laid out the original course and a few of his greens are still in play today. 3. George Strath extended the course to twelve holes and then to eighteen by 1884. 4. Willie Fernie improved the eighteen-hole layout continuously until after WW1 including what some consider Royal Troon’s two greatest holes – The Postage Stamp and Railway. 5. James Braid would toughen the layout by adding length and building formidable bunkers in the early 1920's. Royal Troon & Open Trivia The 6th is the longest par five in Open Championship golf measuring 623 yards and the 8th, known better as the “Postage Stamp”, is the shortest par three on the Open rota that can play from as little as 99 to 123 yards. Royal Ascent In 1978, during Royal Troon’s centenary year, royal patronage was bestowed. Royal Troon Golf Club remains the first and last golf club in Great Britain to have been granted Royal status. The Postage Stamp Of note, James Braid altered the bunkering to the 8th or Postage Stamp – creating one of golf’s greatest short par 3’s of only 123 yards. The hole can also be played from a forward tee that tops out at just 99 yards. "The course at Troon is perhaps a little overshadowed by its more famous neighbour," wrote Bernard Darwin in his 1910 book, The Golf Courses of the British Isles, "but it is a very fine course nevertheless, especially since it has been lengthened of late years. It has, moreover, one of the finest short holes to be found anywhere." Surprisingly, it wasn’t golf’s greatest writer who named the hole but rather it was Willie Park Jr, quoted in Golf Illustrated, who said the putting green was ‘skimmed down to the size of a postage stamp.’ The Postage Stamp has played a role in many of the Opens. Hermann Tissies carded a 15 in 1950 and Tiger Woods triple bogeyed the hole in 1997 which derailed his chances to lift the Claret Jug. Perhaps less known are Gene Sarazen and Ernie Els hole-in-one’s in 1973 and 2004 respectively. Preparing Royal Troon for The Open Mackenzie & Ebert made minor adjustments to every hole for the 145th Open in 2016, along with more major changes to the 9th, 10th and 15th holes. A backdrop of trees behind the 9th green was replaced with dunes, the former bunker in the carry of the 10th was restored, and both tees and the early portion of the 15th fairway were moved to the left of the 14th hole, reinstating the old line of the hole. There are only three new bunkers for the 152nd Open Championship, two of which are on the 6th hole with the other added to the 1st fairway. Martin Ebert wasn’t done with the 6th hole. He also added 22 yards, stretching the back tees to 623 yards. This makes it the longest hole in Open history. There are new tees on nine of the hole but the new tee on the 10th hole introduces a completely blind shot to the Open venue. Never popular with Tour Pros, it may be exactly what is needed to unnerve the world’s best. Time will tell but a subtle change might just prove that the cerebral side of golf championed by Tom Simpson in the past still has a place in the modern game. The Open Championship tees add just 77 yards to the golf club’s medal tees. Bunkers are everywhere, most of which are not visible from the tees. We wait to see if the flat-bottomed bunkers that lasted one round at Hoylake last year make an appearance again... The stretch of holes from the 7th to the 13th provides an interesting and varied challenge. Some would consider it one of the best stretches of golf to be found anywhere. The 11th is a brutal 490-yard par four for The Open and was rated the most difficult hole of the 1997 Open Championship – out-of-bounds and the railway line runs along the right-hand side. It is one of the greatest strategic golf holes in the world. Open Championship History at Royal Troon 3 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Royal Troon & The Open 1. In 1923, Royal Troon Golf Club hosted its first Open Championship and finally moved out of the shadow of its famous neighbour, Prestwick. By 1923, Prestwick had already hosted 23 Open Championships before Royal Troon received its first. 2. Ten times an Open Championship venue, Royal Troon Golf Club was the fifth Scottish course after Prestwick, St Andrews, Musselburgh and Muirfield to host The Open. 3. Americans have fared very well with six of the former Champion Golfers of the Year being from the USA. Only one British man has so far been crowned, Arthur Havers in 1923.
The Machrie launches the ultimate internship for golf enthusiasts The Machrie, set in the Scottish dunes of Islay, is pleased to announce the launch of its ‘Golf Internship Programme, 2022’ for any individuals with a passion for golf and a desire to experience the workings of one of the best golf resorts in the UK and Ireland. Launching this November, The Machrie’s once-in-a-lifetime paid internship programme will provide a hands-on insight into the golf and leisure industry and a unique learning experience for young talent considering this career path. Throughout the three- to six-month internship, golf enthusiasts will have the opportunity to live on a beautiful, remote Scottish island, play on the hotel’s Championship 18-hole golf links and gain invaluable training with practical skills as well as career advice, CV development and interview techniques. Work During their time at The Machrie, Scotland’s Hotel of the Year 2020, interns will work across various departments throughout the facility for a well-rounded experience. The Golf & Hotel Operations Internship covers everything from marketing initiatives and retail management to running and planning golf days and events, and food and beverage operations, with the opportunity to work with different Department Heads and attend Executive Management meetings, ensuring interns gain a thorough understanding of the inner workings of a successful golf hotel. Meanwhile, the Championship Links Maintenance Internship delves deeper into the practicalities behind maintaining a golf links such as learning how to preserve the perfect grass, correct usage of machinery, bunker maintenance, and the budget process. The programme includes a period of induction to each department, as well as thorough training and, following this, designated tasks and duties. Ongoing support, with regular feedback, will be provided throughout as part of the mentor programme. Additionally, independent training assessments will be issued, as well as frequent access to industry ‘gurus’. Play Whilst enrolled on the internship programme, students will frequently spend days playing casual and competitive golf on the world renowned 18-hole The Machrie Links. Designed by Willie Campbell and recently modernised by course architect DJ Russell, it is ranked in Britain & Ireland's Top 100 courses by Top100GolfCourses.com. Interns will have access to the hotel’s impressive range of golf facilities including a six-hole Par 3 Wee Course, the all-season, five-bay driving range, golf simulator room, trackman and short game area. The internship will also provide an opportunity to play one other of the best courses in the vicinity. Rest During the programme, there will be organised social events and interns will be encouraged to explore Islay, including the seven miles of rugged beach outside the hotel, walk or cycle the 70 trails available on the island, as well as try wild kayaking in search of bottlenose dolphins, minke whales, basking sharks and orcas. Spending time on Islay offers the opportunity for young people to gain an appreciation for the environment and the great outdoors. Paul Lawrie, winner of The Open in 1999 and founder of the Paul Lawrie Foundation spoke of The Machrie’s continued focus on and support of promoting golf to young people: “Following on from The Race to The Machrie, which my Foundation is involved with annually, this is another very exciting development from The Machrie and a further commitment to developing the game and golf industry from the team. The development of an intern programme is an extraordinary opportunity for anyone wishing to have new experiences in an exceptional golf environment, enter the golf industry or enjoy a Summer on Islay playing golf and developing transferable skills for any walk of life.” Applicants are encouraged to sign up on www.campbellgrayhotels.com. The deadline for submissions is 12pm on 9 January 2022, with internships running between April 2022 to October 2022. For more information, visit: www.themachrie.com
Luffenham Heath awarded Open Championship Qualifying Upgraded Luffenham Heath course awarded Open Championship Qualifying for the 2013 Open The Luffenham Heath Golf Club, near Stamford, Lincolnshire, will host Regional Qualifying for the 2013 Open Championship, it has been announced. The course, widely regarded as one of the finest in the Midlands, has recently been upgraded and extended, and joins an elite list of 14 courses in Great Britain and Ireland to be selected by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews as venues for the first step towards qualification for the Open Championship at Muirfield, Scotland. The return of top-flight professional and amateur golf to Luffenham Heath follows extensive investment in the course, which has been extended to 6,550 yards from the new Championship blue tees, with the addition of two new greens, six new tees, plus six new bunkers to catch longer-hitting players. All 70 original bunkers have also been renovated, with extensive upgrading and a new maintenance regime overseen by recently appointed Head Greenkeeper Nick Nottingham, bringing the course’s greens, green surrounds, fairways and tees to the highest professional standards. Club Captain Michael Pring said: “To be awarded Regional Qualifying for the Open Championship is a great honour and underlines the outstanding quality of this historic golf course and the successful implementation of the changes we have made. “The Luffenham Heath has hosted major amateur events in the past and has also welcomed some of the greatest professionals, including five-times Open Champions Harry Vardon and James Braid. Now the course, which has never looked or played better, is ready to be part of the world’s oldest and most important major professional championship, the Open Championship.” Renowned golf course architect Harry Colt, also responsible for Top 100 courses including Wentworth, Sunningdale, Rye and Swinley Forest, designed the Luffenham Heath Golf Club, which opened in 1911. Past captains of the Club include The Prince of Wales (1928), later to become the uncrowned Edward VIII. Golfers from across the Midlands will have the opportunity to play the enhanced course this season as part of the club’s annual Pro-Am on Friday September 3, 2010. For more information and entries, call Club Secretary John Ingleby on tel 01780 720205 or visit: www.luffenhamheath.co.uk MEDIA CONTACTS Gary Firkins Landmark Media International Ltd Mobile 07961 481908 gary@landmark-media.com Steve Carr Gold Flag Golf Ltd Mobile 07941 348728 stevecarr@mashie.co.uk
