Gordon Sherry Comeback

Good to see that Gordon Sherry, the wonder kid of Ayrshire, indeed Scottish, golf in the early 1990s, is hitting the comeback trail at the age of 35.
The big man has made the cut after a second round, one-over-par 73 in the Northern Open at Spey Valley, Aviemore.
Although he was 11 shots off the pace set by Craig Lee on four-under-par 140, and said: "I need to keep working hard but at the moment I'm just glad to be back."
Sherry was four under after five holes of his second round but fell back with two bogeys and then a triple bogey at the ninth where he incurred a two-shot penalty for playing a wrong ball.

Nickalus Returns to Turnberry

According to The Ayr Advertiser, luckyyoung golfers enjoyed the experience of a lifetime when they had a coaching clinic with Jack Nicklaus.

The golfing legend was at the Colin Montgomerie Academy at Turnberry. The Royal Bank of Scotland event saw 30 youngsters from the Maybole and Prestwick areas being given some tips from The Golden Bear. All the young golfers have been involved in the Clubgolf initiative in South Ayrshire.

During the coaching sessions, Nicklaus learned of a new golf exhibition tracing the development and history of golf in South Ayrshire, opening at Rozelle House on June 1.

Called Whole in One, the exhibition boasts a range of rare and valuable artefacts, including a replica of the famous Open Championship Claret jug and the original Open Championship belt dating from the last century.

Running until August 31, the exhibition is free and is open to the public.

Tennant Cup at Glasgow Gailes

The Tennant Cup will take place on Saturday 20 June and Sunday 21 June 2009. This is the oldest Open Amateur Stroke Competition in the world.

The Competition will be played over 72 holes of stroke play, with the first 36 holes being played over Glasgow Golf Club’s links course at Glasgow Gailes on the Saturday, and the leading 40 players and those who have tied for fortieth place playing the final 36 holes over Glasgow Golf Club’s parkland course at Killermont in Glasgow on the Sunday.

The Tennant Cup Competition is open to Amateur Golfers who have handicaps of not more than 1. The winner will have his name inscribed upon the Cup, and will receive a suitably engraved silver medal plus a First Prize voucher of £500.

Entry Forms can be downloaded from the website www.glasgowgolfclub.com under Open Competitions.

Ayrshire golf is Open for business

West Coast Links Golf courses launch marketing initiative at tourism expo.

Ten of Scotland’s finest links golf courses today launched a new marketing initiative aimed at attracting more golfers from around the world to the Ayrshire Coast.

The group which embraces three Open Championship courses, including this year’s venue Turnberry, was launched officially by Jim Mather, the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism who unveiled both the printed materials and the new website http://www.scotlandswestscoastgolflinks.com/

Mr. Mather is pictured at VisitScotland’s showcase tourism industry event in Glasgow with the famous Claret Jug and the replica of the original Open Championship Belt first played for in 1860 at Prestwick. He said, “This is a great example of the golf industry working together in the current difficult economic times to attract visitors from across the world to our great country. Golf is a key theme of our Homecoming celebrations this year and the Open golf championship at Turnberry in July will bring thousands of golf fans to Scotland.

“Our Drive it Home initiative alone, which seeks to attract international golfers to Scotland for free rounds of golf at hundreds of courses across the country, has the potential to attract more than 8,000 golfers to Scotland, creating an additional £14.3 million in income for the Scottish economy. The Drive It Home campaign has already seen 3,200 potential tee times snapped up with golfers from across the world registering for a four-ball every five minutes.”

The golf course group have come together to promote the strength in depth of courses on the stretch of Ayrshire coastline between Irvine and Turnberry.

Ian Bunch, secretary of Prestwick Golf Club was delighted to see the group being launched, “The level of co-operation between the courses since the idea was first discussed has been excellent and simply by working together we are certain that we can improve the golf product on offer and the profile of Ayrshire as a golfing destination par excellence. It is already well known for hosting The Open at both Turnberry and Troon but by bringing together ten links courses of almost unmatchable quality in depth we hope to increase not only rounds played but see a clear increase in bed nights and secondary spends.”

To achieve this, the group has created a marketing plan that involves not only the courses but the accommodation and transport providers and food and drink providers across the area.
Hotelier Stuart Watt from Troon’s South Beach Hotel was equally delighted with the initiative, “The area needs this really badly and it’s such a positive move in an Open Championship year. Ayrshire needs to promote its quality golf offering and this collection of courses allows us as a hotel to really lift the golf product we offer quite dramatically.”

Whilst the group is focusing on marketing the quantity and quality of golf on offer within the 22 mile radius it is also looking forward to developing new collaborative product and using the internet to create a strong relationship with both the golf visitor and the travel trade. The message is not just being left to sit passively on its website, but is being supplemented by a host of add ons, with the group already having launched its own blog, newsfeeds and dynamic content.

Representatives of Scotland’s West Coast Golf Links were pictured not only with the Championship Trophy but also a replica of the original Belt which was first played for at Prestwick in 1860. 2010 sees the 150th anniversary of the first Open Championship played over the Ayrshire links and it is expected that the anniversary will act as the catalyst for a pilgrimage to the links golf courses of the West Coast of Scotland.