Ogston's on North St

At Connoisseur Golf we don't normally dip below 5* accommodation. Our clients demand the finest hotels combined with excellent service. Occasionally though, these pre-requisites can be achieved elsewhere and I am delighted to add Ogston's on North Street to our preferred list of hotels in St Andrews.

The rooms give a fresh, clean take on modern Scottish design and the character of the building has not been sacrificed during the recent make-over. The public areas, bars and restaurant have been sympathetically refurbished to a high specification but the general atmosphere remains homely with all the comforts you would expect from a high-end hotel.

Owner and local entrpreneur, Fraser Ogston, must be delighted to have added North St as his flagship venue. Where it impresses as a hotel, it excels when it comes to location. Situated a mere 300 yards from the 18th green of the Old Course, it doesn't get much more central when it comes to finding a great base in St Andrews.

Manager, Ali Knight, is one of the bright young lights of the hospitality sector in Scotland. Having played cricket and rugby at international level and also being a keen golfer, he knows exactly how to cater for the golfing fraternity. Ali is always on hand to ensure you get the most from your stay at Ogston's, and is especially happy to go that extra mile for Connoisseur Golf clients.

If you require any further information on Ogston's on North Street, don't hesitate to e-mail or give me a call.

1916 Rebellion Tour

I am delighted to introduce a guest blog from one of our clients currently on tour - Nancy Carpenter:

One of the best tours Connoisseur Golf suggested for a day off from golf was The 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour in Dublin. We met Lorcan Collins, our guide, at The International Bar on Wicklow Street where he greeted us at the door, handed out a brochure about the tour and then invited us downstairs for a pre-tour briefing. The dark, mysterious basement pub set the scene for the tour. Lorcan related tales that made you feel the urgency of the secret meetings and coded messages between various rebel groups who came together to fight for Irish Independence. For two hours we walked through the streets of Dublin as Lorcan, an exceptional storyteller, pointed out historical landmarks while introducing us to the men and women who led the struggle for independence -- and adding his own brand of humor to their stories. When he ended the tour at the Post Office where much of the action had taken place, the columns with bullet holes almost a century old spoke solemnly of the failed rebellion and the execution of the leaders which ultimately lead to Irish independence. The website for this "Simply Must Do" walking tour is www.1916rising.com. July 14, 2010 --- Nancy Carpenter

Seafood in Kilkee

The next time you're at Doonbeg, don't be afraid to venture outside the resort. Only 10 minutes away, the seaside town of Kilkee offers an outstanding selection of gastropubs and restaurants. Naughton's, in particular, is a little gem of a pub. I say pub, but the food is outstanding. If the seafood was any fresher you would be eating it underwater. Alhough it's usually packed, there's a very laid back, relaxing feel about the place. Because they do such a great trade during the summer months, no bookings are taken. So simply arrive at your leisure and browse the menu with a nice pint of Guinness (one of the best I've had in the south west of Ireland incidentally). The jumbo tiger prawns certainly live up to their name. Each one of the beasts needed cutting into three...

Kilkee, you may remember, was the starting point for Tom Coyne's mammoth walk around Ireland in which he played every decent course the Emerland Isle has to offer... on foot. "A Course Called Ireland" is well worth a read, and although I may not agree with his ranking of Irish bars (my specialist subject), the book provides a very humourous commentary of his golfing heroics.

Just around the corner from Naughton's is The Strand - a fantastic hotel/bar/restaurant. Importantly, this place ticks my no.1 box - being allowed to eat from the restaurant menu while sitting at the bar and not feel out of place. There was even a widescreen plasma showing live PGA tour golf, so everything was all set for my perfect evening of post-round entertainment. The food didn't disappoint either. A strong fish menu was dotted with a couple of alternate choices, but why would anyone not order seafood when you can see the boats coming in 100 yards away from the window? The Strand is first-class and I will be certain to return next time I arrive in Doonbeg.

The Turnberry Suite

Connoisseur Golf were delighted to accept an invitation on Friday evening to celebrate the launch of Turnberry's new flagship reception space - The Turnberry Suite.

With far reaching sea views, The Turnberry Suite is a unique gathering space where floor-to-ceiling windows open up to an extensive terrace - perfect for summer barbecues or evening drinks. With a capacity of 200 banquet-style, this fresh, spacious room is ideally suited for wedding receptions, corporate dinners and social events. The adjacent kitchen allows for full catering while staging and dance floor alike can be easily accommodated. With its location by The Spa at Turnberry, guests can have exclusive use of the 14 Spa bedrooms, perhaps for the wedding party or conference speakers.

The reception night itself was everything we have come to expect from Turnberry - lavish, professional, fun and delivered with an incredible attention to detail. Expertly prepared gin cocktails were on offer from the Hendricks bar, with the 'Ailsa Breeze' in particular going down a treat. The casual barbeque and finger buffet format worked perfectly for this particular occasion. The wide range of summery offerings included scallop ceviche, lemon sole, lamb cutlets, caesar salad and foie gras. Amongst the desserts, the tiramisu was a fine finish to a great evening of gourmet food.

It was a showcase of what can be achieved by hosting your event at Turnberry, and the reception only served to cement their place at the top of the very best five star establishments in Scotland. An exceptional evening!

Rathmore in full swing as McDowell wins US Open

As Graeme McDowell kept his composure coming down the stretch at Pebble Beach... Jim Blee, the barman at Rathmore Golf Club in Portrush, was busy chilling the champagne. That was of course in between all the Guinness, Bushmills, Gin, Vodka and Rum he was being asked to serve at an alarming rate by the club members...

This would be the mother of all parties. Graeme is idolized at Rathmore Golf Club, and rightly so. From the year he almost made a clean sweep of Irish amateur events, to representing GB&I in The Walker Cup, to winning his first professional tourney, to playing in The Ryder Cup... but a Major Championship? Was he destined to go down in history as the first European golfer to win the US Open in 40 years?

When Havret missed from eight feet at the last, Graeme knew he needed a five to win. Under normal circumstances he would've had a pop at the green in two, but this situation could not be remotely described as 'normal'. After laying up, an approach shot from 99 yards found the middle of the green and left him with the old chestnut of two putts to win. It was cool, controlled golf and decision-making from start to finish.

Back in Rathmore, the drink was going down quicker than it could be bought and poor old Jim was having to translate orders that were being delivered in a very broken, slurred form of the English language. Not that it mattered though because the sense of taste usually disappears around the same time as speech, balance and sight. The roar from this tiny golf club in Portrush may have been heard on the Monterey Peninsula itself.

Graeme was US Open champion, and it was great that his dad Kenny was there to share in the moment with him.  'You're something kid' was the line to his son, and who could disagree. I'm sure Rathmore will enjoy looking after that little silver trinket for the next twelve months, my only worry is that it may be returned to the USGA smelling a little of alcohol (cleaning products of course).

Oh and at Rathmore, the party is still going. It will most likely hit fifth gear when Graeme arrives with his new shiny toy. Does anyone know the number for the Guinness man?

CONGRATULATIONS GRAEME McDOWELL!

Fairmont right on cue

Some of snooker's top stars took part in the 2010 Scottish Snooker Golf Day held on 6th June in association with Connoisseur Golf and The Fairmont St Andrews. The Torrance Course, which will be used by The R&A as a final qualifying venue for The Open Championship, proved a huge hit with all the players. Marcus Campbell's team won the overall scramble event with Alan McManus' team coming in second. Three time world champion - John Higgins - showed a glimpse of his golfing prowess on the eighth hole by hitting his tee-shot to within inches of the cup and claiming the nearest-the-pin prize. Almost £2000 was raised for the development of junior snooker in Scotland, and a fantastic day was had by all who supported the event!

Scottish Snooker Golf Day

Sunday 6th June is your opportunity to play alongside some of the world's top snooker stars at The 2010 Scottish Snooker Golf Day. The event is being organised by Connoisseur Golf in association with Scottish Snooker and The 5* Fairmont St Andrews. Three times World Champion - John Higgins, Alan McManus, Graeme Dott and Marcus Campbell are among the confirmed entrants.

The format is a 4 man team Texas Scramble over the fabulous Torrance Course in St Andrews. This is one of the toughest and most beautiful links tests in Scotland, backed up by the fact that it plays host to Final Qualifying for The 2010 Open Championship.

The event also includes a two course lunch and the opportunity to bid in a silent auction consisting of snooker memorabilia and golfing merchandise. All proceeds from the day will be invested in junior snooker across Scotland.

To find out further information and details on how to enter, visit http://www.scottishsnookergolfday.com/