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Fife club wins prestigious title
Award was presented at Scottish Golf Tourism Awards
We try to look after customers to best of our abilities”

2014 SCOTTISH GOLF TOURISM AWARDS

Kingsbarns Golf Links has won the prestigious accolade of ‘Scotland’s Best Golf Experience’ at the inaugural Scottish Golf Tourism Awards.

The Fife venue, which was recently confirmed as the host of the 2017 RICOH Women’s British Open, received the prize during a glittering bash at the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews on Friday evening.

The award, voted for by Scottish golfers in an exclusive online poll, was one of 14 gongs handed out on the night, which celebrated the crème-de-la-crème of the Scottish golf tourism industry.

Collecting the award, Alan Hogg, the chief executive of Kingsbarns Golf Links, commented: “This is fantastic, I’m genuinely shocked. I have to say a massive thanks to everyone who voted for us and well done to all of my staff for all of their efforts. What we do isn’t rocket science: we just try to look after our customers to the very best of our abilities, so I’m very proud to accept this award on behalf of everybody at Kingsbarns Golf Links.”

The director of the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards, Tom Lovering, added: “Kingsbarns Golf Links is a fully deserving winner of this lofty accolade. Having visited myself many times in the past, I can vouch for the quality it delivers across the board. From the customer service to the friendliness of the staff, the quality of the course and the superb catering, it epitomises everything that makes the experience of playing golf in Scotland not just good but truly great.”

Organised in conjunction with VisitScotland, bunkered magazine, the PGA in Scotland and the Scottish Golf Union, the evening was hosted by top broadcaster Alison Walker and was the culmination of a summer-long campaign which attracted over 21,000 votes.

“There is no doubt that 2014 was a momentous year for golf tourism in Scotland.” Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland

As well as Kingsbarns’ victory in the top award on the night, another of the highlights was the Special Recognition Award handed out to Peter Lederer, the chairman of 2014 Ryder Cup host venue, Gleneagles Hotel. Europe’s victorious captain Paul McGinley and 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus were amongst those to pay tribute to Lederer via video-link on the evening.

The ceremony brought the curtain down on what has been an unforgettable year for Scottish golf, highlighted by the hugely successful return of the Ryder Cup to Scotland in September – the first time that the match was contested in the game’s home country in over 40 years.

Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said: “Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists at the inaugural Scottish Golf Tourism Awards. It was fantastic to see such a great turnout and the quality of golf businesses nominated is indicative of the wealth of world-class courses and accommodation providers we have here. I was also delighted to see a spread of winners from across the country, showing that wherever you go in Scotland, golf is at the heart of the tourism industry.

“We have our history to thank for our position as Scotland, the Home of Golf but it is the hard work and dedication of the entire golf tourism industry which helps to maintain this reputation across the world.

“There is no doubt that 2014 was a momentous year for golf tourism in Scotland but it is incumbent upon us all to continue that momentum and continue to welcome the world into 2015 and beyond.”

 

2014 SCOTTISH GOLF TOURISM AWARDS

WINNERS IN FULL

PGA in Scotland ‘Coach of the Year’

Alan McCloskey

SGU & SLGA ‘Commitment to Customer Focus’

Aberdour GC

Best Hotel (under 20 rooms)
Old Loans Inn

Best Hotel (over 20 rooms)
Fairmont St Andrews

Best Customer Service
Dundonald Links

Best Pro Shop
Blairgowrie GC

Best Clubhouse
Trump Turnberry Resort

Best Catering
Gleneagles Hotel

Value for Money (Under £50)
Glenisla GC

Value for Money (Over £50)
Trump Turnberry Resort

Best Course (Under £50)
Boat of Garten GC

Best Course (Over £50)
Kingsbarns Golf Links

Special Recognition Award
Peter Lederer

Scotland’s Best Golf Experience
Kingsbarns Golf Links

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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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