The Torrance Course

If courses in Scotland were to be judged by scenery, course layout and quality of greens, then The Torrance Course at The 5* Fairmont Resort would be challenging for one of the top spots.

It may not share the history associated with one of it's close neighbours in the St Andrews area, but this is a serious contender among it's more contemporary peers. This was highlighted by it's selection to be one of the qualifying venues for The 2010 Open Championship at The Old Course. At 7230 yards, it's no pushover, and the scores at the Final Qualifying reflected this. Only a fifth of the players broke par over the 36 hole event, and Competition Standard Scratch was calculated at 75 (3 over par).

The Torrance also holds down a regular place on our screens each August when it hosts The Scottish Seniors Open sponsored by Cleveland Golf / Srixon. This year a four round total of -4 proved good enough for Barry Lane to capture the title.

The greens at The Torrance are magnificent. They run fast and true all 12 months of the year, but particularly in the summer season when they are undoubtedly amongst the best putting surfaces in Scotland. The course was re-routed a couple of years ago, and a multitude of Scottish revetted bunkers were added. It's a challenging but fair course from the tee. The par 5's are a classic blend of risk and reward, and the par 4's are an exciting mix of birdie opportunites and tight demanding holes.

It's definitely a course that should be added to any week long itinerary in Scotland. For corporate events, there is probably no better venue in Scotland. When you add a luxurious purpose built clubhouse to the adjacent 18 holes on The Kittocks Course (which is also a championship standard Fairmont course), you have all the ingredients for the perfect days golf.

Connoisseur Golf offer The Torrance Course and The Fairmont's 5* accommodation at preferred rates, and are also available to host corporate events of any size. For further details, visit our main website at http://www.connoisseurgolf.com/.

Drouthy Neebors, St Andrews

Many of our clients ask me where is the best bar and best place to eat is in St Andrews. The answer could well be under the same roof. Drouthy Neebors in St Andrews is owned by popular local golfer Kenneth Phillip, and is taking over as the place to be for a cold beer after your round on The Old Course.

He has created an atmosphere that attracts all three main components of the town - visiting golfers, locals and students. As with most of the main bars and restaurants in St Andrews it's standing room only during the major tournaments, but throughout the season Drouthy Neebors is one of the few bars that maintains a steady crowd. It's rare that you would walk in and not find yourself having a chat to the neighbouring table about how their golf went on that particular day.

Head chef Martin Reid has grabbed the town's attention with a reasonably priced menu boasting a selection of local dishes and themed specials, all created with locally sourced produce. Very popular among the golfing fraternity is his steakhouse offering. Here you can decide on the cut and weight of your steak, which is then chargrilled to your particular preference. Martin has previously worked as head chef at one of the prestigious golf clubs in St Andrews, and knows exactly what is needed by players, pre and post round.

Located under the ancient landmark of the Westport on South Street, Drouthy Neebors is only a few minutes walk from the course. After you sample one night here, I am sure it will soon become your local for the rest of your trip to The Auld Grey Toon.

White Tees at St Andrews

This was the first season that visiting golfers were permitted by The Links Trust to choose which tees they wished to play from. Any visitor could play from the white tees on The Jubilee, The New, The Eden and The Castle; while any single-figure handicapper could play from the whites on The Old Course.

Rangers had the authority to move golfers to the yellow tees should they lose their position on the course, but overall the new protocol seemed to work fine. One advantage of this new system was that wear was spread more evenly across the tee boxes, but most importantly it allowed golfers to experience more of The Old Course.

Playing it in excess of 7000 yards affords players more of the experience that a pro would encounter - i.e. having to avoid more bunkers from the tee, longer approach shots, and generally playing a tighter course. Some of the pin positions look a lot more tricky when you're standing with a four-iron in your hand!

For 2011 packages including guaranteed Old Course tee-times, contact us at info@connoisseurgolf.com.

5th at Royal Portrush

Aptly named 'White Rocks' after the stunning seaside cliffs, the 5th on the Dunluce Course at Royal Portrush is in my opinion one of the best holes in Ireland.

At 411 yards from the championship tees, the length of the hole is not overwhelming. But it's still one of those holes where you will be very happy to walk away with a par. The new tee box requires a carry on the ideal line of around 260 yards. There is a small strip of fairway running down the outside lane of this right-hand dogleg, but for those who possess the required length, it is definitely a hole you should consider shortening with an attacking drive. Both the contours and the downhill nature of this hole can make for some very long tee-shots.

From a good drive, the approach can be anything from 50 - 150 yards depending on your line off the tee. Most of the time the ball will kick across to the left edge of the fairway leaving you around 120 yards to the middle of the green. However, the green is divided into two distinct levels with a steep ridge dissecting top and bottom. It is imperative that you find the correct plateau, but one place you do not want to finish is short and right. A collection of humps and hills will send your ball into the adjacent area of thick rough, leaving a flop shot where not only are you short-sided but you must also hope for a playable lie. Even worse than short and right is overclubbing and going long. A couple of yards over the back fringe is out of bounds where your ball will most likely make it's way towards the sandy beach 100 yards below. A lot of seasoned links players prefer to 'feel' their yardage through experience, but this is one shot where you definitely need to know the pin position and your exact number.

Upon completing the hole, your are rewarded with one of the most beautiful views in the whole of Ireland - the White Rocks Beach, Dunluce Castle and the rugged North Antrim Coastline.

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.