Inverlochy Castle

It takes something special to be a recipient of Travel and Leisure's 'Best European Hotel', but Inverlochy Castle is not your typical 5* accommodation.

Situated in the foothills of Ben Nevis, Inverlochy Castle is set against some of Scotland's most beautiful highland scenery. It was built in 1863, and ten years later hosted Queen Victoria, where she penned in her diary "I never saw a lovely or more romantic spot". The hotel boasts 17 wonderful individually styled rooms, and a Michelin Star restaurant.

The hotel's Rolls Royce parked adjacent to the main entrance immediately gives you a sense of the sophistication that is associated with Inverlochy. The warm personal welcome that follows is greatly appreciated, and your eyes begin to roam around the magnificent reception hall. The service is impeccable. On Sunday I dined with a couple of Connoisseur Golf clients in The Red Room, and it was without question one of the finest lunches I have experienced in Scotland. Looking out across the estate, the views were spectacular.

Although it may not be the most accessible address in Scotland, Inverlochy is worth every mile of the journey. It is the most serene and idyllic venue imaginable. This particular stretch of Scotland is not particularly blessed with world-renowned golf courses, but who cares.

Watson to play at St Andrews

Tom Watson has this week confirmed that he will be in St Andrews in July for the 150th staging of The Open Championship. Last year at Turnberry he came so close to becoming the oldest ever winner of The Claret Jug, but eventually lost in a play-off to fellow American Stewart Cink.

Watson is known as one of the all-time great wind and links players. He has won a staggering five Opens (four in Scotland), and almost made it 6 down on the Ayrshire coast last year. He has never won at St Andrews, and believes that his chances are a little slimer now that many of the holes on The Old Course have been lengthened. The 4th worries him in particular, because if it plays into the wind, he may not be able to reach the wide part of the fairway off the back tee. But if his game clicks into gear, he is still a wonderful ball-striker, and it would be great to see him involved come the back nine on Sunday.

One thing is for sure, there would be no more popular a champion at St Andrews than Tom Watson.

Caddies

The caddie fee in Scotland or Ireland is possibly a little higher than you would pay at your local country club (£60 GBP including tip is generally expected), but in return you will receive the advice which could define the overall enjoyment of your golf trip. Most of the top courses now have caddy programmes in place where only the best local caddies are bestowed on the visiting golfer. Some even impose exams and entrance criteria before admittance to the caddyshack is granted. It has become such a sought after profession by members of the local communities that the lazy and those without a keen golfing brain need not apply. The window of the caddyshack at St Andrews displays a large number which signifies the number of caddies sent out on that particular day. Demand is such that during the summer months, this number often reaches the 100 mark by lunchtime.

In the nearby bars, you will always hear the conversations of 'who is the best caddie in town'. In my experience, the true contenders never seem to enter these fiercely contested debates. Their slightly more reticent retort usually goes along the lines of, "...I've been walking this course for 40 years, but I'm still learning new things every day...". However, as a general rule across the links courses, you are more likely to receive one of the better caddies through a morning tee-time. An earlier start (and more importantly, an earlier finish) seems to be the reward for climbing the caddiemaster's ranking list.

There are some courses where I would say taking a caddie is almost compulsory. Not because the club force it upon you, but because of the difficulty of the course. Take Royal County Down for example. Even a scratch handicapper would have no chance of breaking 80 round here on his debut without the help of a caddie. Blind tee-shots, hidden bunkers, and severely sloping greens are something that a newcomer cannot overcome without the aid of some local knowledge. Another great example is the 12th hole on the Old Course at St Andrews. From the tee it looks like a wide open fairway. But the contours cleverly disguise half a dozen nasty bunkers that can easily turn a 4 into a 7.

But a caddie is so much more than a directional aid. Aside from reading greens, his most important job is course management. This is where a caddie can really set about lowering his employer's score. A great example of this is on the 14th of The Old Course. Many golfers go straight for the green with their second shot on this par 5 hole, without realising they are attempting a 200+ yard carry over the unseen Hell Bunker. Unless the caddie feels this shot is well within the golfer's capabilities, he will often suggest a lay-up down the 5th fairway. This leaves a longer approach, but it takes Hell Bunker out of the equation and provides the best angle into the green.

Although the stereotypical image of the drunk and dishevelled caddie is slowly changing, you only have to look to a request made by Old Tom Morris in 1864 asking for caddies to "...appear clean and moderately sober..." to realise that some things will never completely change.

The Balaka

St Andrews is famous for three things - golf, students, and The Balaka.

Over it's 28 year history this Bangladeshi restaurant has won countless awards, but it's owner - Mohammed Abdur Rouf - takes greater pleasure in personally welcoming all of his guests and ensuring they have a wonderful meal. He is extremely proud of his restaurant, and rightly so.

Over the last ten years in St Andrews, I've gotten to know a wide selection of people who call the 'Auld Grey Toon' home. But I could probably count on one hand those that wouldn't opt for The Balaka as their favourite restaurant. It really is that good. And it's not only the locals that savour this place, it is also a strong favourite with golfing pilgrims worldwide.

The mixture of it's clientele makes for a great ambience. Here you meet students, golfers, locals, tourists and even celebrities. The walls are adorned with pictures of famous diners including Sir Sean Connery, Chris O'Donnell, Colin Montgomerie and many of the world's top golfers.

The quality of the food can be accredited to three main factors. Firstly, many of the staff have been with the restaurant since in opened in 1981. The head chef, Pius, is one of the longest serving members of staff, and it makes a refreshing change in the restaurant business to see a top chef enjoying working in one kitchen for such an extended period of time. Secondly, The Balaka are proud to grow many of their own herbs in the adjacent garden - which in the warmer months also accommodates some outdoor tables. The freshness of such an important ingredient to Bengali cooking can make all the difference. But what stands out for me is the quality and preparation of the meats. Both the lamb and chicken dishes contain only the most tender, marinated cuts. And should you not be sure about exactly what to order, your knowledgeable waiter will be delighted to explain the different dishes or even offer something that's not on the menu.

The list of starters is wide and varied, so I often go with the mixed plate which includes a little of everything. Combining this with a few poppadoms and dips is the perfect way to start the evening.

My personal favourite - Chilli Chicken - is actually found on the last page of the menu, and introduces a touch of Thai cooking along with the Bengali techniques. However, I am also partial to Green Herb Chicken or a Lamb Madras. The nan bread is exceptional here, and the pilau rice is always fresh and authentic.

For refreshment, don't forget to go with a chilled Cobra beer. This was the first restaurant I ever tried Cobra, and wherever I've had it since reminds me of The Balaka.

For those of you that have visited the Balaka before, I'm sure it won't be long until you next return. But for those that have not, don't be afraid to give it a go. Many of the visiting golfers I see (especially from North America, where the quality of Indian style food is perhaps not as good) often turn their nose up at a curry evening. Believe me, this will be your favourite meal of the week.

The One-Armed Bandits

The Old Course at Ballybunion is perhaps the most famous of the championship links in the south west of Ireland, and it is without doubt one of the country's best layouts.

Unlike so many of the toughest coastal courses, The Old Course is relatively straight forward off the tee, but there is a very high premium on approach shots. Small, irregularly shaped greens that often hide devilish pin positions will decide the success of your round. Undulating fairways and a mixture of contour changes make club selection to these small greens even more difficult. It certainly tightened Stewart Cink's game up in the week preceding the Open Championship at Turnberry. He went over to the Ayrshire coast and played beautifully throughout the four days, finally overcoming Tom Watson in a playoff to lift the Claret Jug.

The second stands out as a particularly tough hole. Its 394 yards play more like 450 when you factor in the climb up to the green. The fairway is reasonably generous but finding the left half makes for a more favourable approach. The green slopes from back to front and must be found in regulation if you are to have any hope of making par. Penal bunkering and unforgiving run-off areas make it an almost impossible job to rescue a four after a stray approach. My good friend Tom Whelan recently invited me down to play during his visit over from Washington for the member guest. To say I was confident of victory in a one-off bout over 18 holes would be an understatement. But after he rolled in a 12 foot putt for the most textbook of birdies on this unmerciful hole, I knew I was in for a tough day. It proved to be very tough, and I was eating my words on the 16th green.

However this was a match within a match, because Tom and I were also playing betterball against the renowned 'One-Armed Bandits'. For those of you that have not yet lost money to this duo of sandbaggers, the pairing consists of Joe Guerin (past captain of Ballybunion) and Graeme Dawson (golf and leisure sales manager at the Fairmont St Andrews). Both play without the aid of a left arm, and use a combination of prosthetic and home-manufactured gadgets to devastating effect.

After an unlikely series of dove-tailing, Tom and I managed to find ourselves still in the game and only 1-down on the 14th tee. After a wayward 9-iron and a skulled chip I found myself in a not-so-pleasant spot in the first cut of rough to the left of the green. Somehow the ball found the bottom of the cup with my third shot, and Joe missed an eight foot birdie putt after a beautiful approach. This was to prove a turning point, and the One-Armed Bandits knew they still had a game on their hands.

After a few out-of-character holes where I almost resembled a 5 handicap golfer, we stood all square on the final hole. The 18th at Ballybunion is one of those holes that looks relatively straightforward, a medium length par four that doglegs uphill and to the left, but again the difficulty is in the approach. As I waded about in tangly rough for the next 360 yards, Tom and Graeme both played two fine shots to find themselves 30 feet from the hole. My partner shook off the yips to make par, leaving Graeme a birdie putt for the win. Bearing in mind this is a guy that in his prime held the amateur course record at Shinnecock Hills and reached the latter stages of matchplay at the Scottish Amateur, we would have been very content at this point to walk away with a halved match. However when the first putt came up a good four feet short, our eyebrows almost touched our fastly receeding hairlines. Joe gave a rye smile, knowing that his rock solid partner was merely toying with us wannabe hustlers. But with the clubhouse looking on, and the fear of spoiling their unblemished career record, the ball didn't even threaten the hole.

By all accounts, we finished celebrating this most unlikely of victories 12-18 hours later. Tom and I may not be scratch golfers, but we are major championship contenders when it comes to drinking Guinness. Ballybunion is full of fantastic bars, but be sure to have a bite to eat in McMunns and then walk around the corner for a few jars in Mikey Joes. You should also seek out a game with the One Armed Bandits, because they are smarting from their first ever defeat and are perhaps not the impregnable force of days gone by.

Killarney Park Hotel

Killarney is an excellent central base for playing the renowned golf courses of South West Ireland. Furthermore, the town itself is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the country outside Dublin. From May until September this place is thriving with an eclectic mix of travellers from all over the world. It would take you an entire week to fully enjoy the plethora of traditional Irish pubs, many boasting live music, but all experts in pouring that perfect pint of Guinness.

There are countless accommodation providers in the town and it's surroundings, but The 5* Killarney Park Hotel stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of facilities, service, and an overall aura of luxury.

Greeted by the wonderful aroma of a log fire, you will immediately feel comfortable and relaxed as the concierge welcomes you to the hotel. The deluxe rooms are spacious, with views of either the hotel gardens and the mountains beyond or the town itself with the Cathedral and church steeples in the background. Fresh linen and soft Irish blankets finish off a country house decor that also includes the required modern amenities such as air conditioning, plasma tvs, complimentary internet access and large marble bathrooms. Only one upgrade further are The Killarney Park suites, which take the comfort mentioned above to the next level. You may choose between classical splendour or comtemporary style. Opting for the latter, my only problem was prying myself away from the widescreen plasma - which rose majestically at the touch of a button from the end of the sumptious kingsize bed.

Breakfast is far from ordinary. Yes, there is a continental buffet and full cooked Irish breakfast, but the option of beef fillet with saute potatoes gives an indication of the luxurious treatment on offer here. Later in the day, The Park Restaurant arguably provides the best fine-dining in town, all complimented with an extensive winelist and knowledgable, attentive service.

Many hotels at the lower end of the 5* spectrum include a small pool or massage room to tick off another box on the discerning traveller's requirements, but The Spa at The Killarney Park is an attraction within itself. The perfect way to ease jetlag on the first day of arrival, or to refresh after a long afternoon on the fairways.

Connoisseur Golf regard The Killarney Park Hotel as the premier 5* accommodation in the area, and would be delighted should you wish to take advantage of our exclusive rates and add a stay here on to your Irish itinerary.

Road Hole Extended

Probably the most famous hole in golf, the 17th on The Old Course at St Andrews, is to be lengthened by 35 yards in preparation for the 2010 Open Championship.

The 150th staging of golf's oldest major will take place next July, and the course is a very different beast to that faced by professional golfers throughout the 20th century. Although many new tees had been added before the 2005 Open, this is surely the most controversial, and perhaps the most unnecessary. Currently the 17th plays 455 yards. With out of bounds on the right, thick rough on the left, an extremely narrow green complex, and the road hole bunker itself to contend with - you would've thought this hole was intimidating enough. But the powers that be are concerned many of the longer hitters can still tame this hole by hitting a long iron off the tee. They are adamant that it should be a driving hole, and that is most definitely what it will now be.

My argument is that golfers should have the right to select their own path of course management. Even in 2005, only the very longest hitters were choosing a hybrid or long iron from the tee. This choice made the second half of the hole even tougher, because they were now faced with another long iron to a treacherous green. Those brave enough to hit driver, and land it on the short stuff, were rewarded with a 150 yard approach to the same treacherous green. By adding this new tee, you alienate guys like Tom Watson who will now struggle to reach in two. Into the wind, shorter hitters may even have to face the humility of playing around the old railway shed, lay up to the tightest part of the fairway with a long iron, and hit a third shot from around 90 yards. This isn't great tv, and certainly not the way the hole was designed to be played.

The new tee in question is being built in the adjacent driving range which used to be part of the old Eden Course. This is the first time the hole will have been altered in more than a century. The R&A's reasoning is that by widening the fairway, the players will have a larger and fairer target to aim at with driver, with the hole playing as originally intended. If Tiger Woods had been sitting in on that meeting, he may have found it tough to hold back a smile.