Dunvegan in St. Andrews Has Been Sold

With the sale of the Dunvegan Hotel in St. Andrews, here's hoping it doesn't change too much. 

Cheers Y'all!

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/business/business-news/345912/famous-st-andrews-golf-hotel-dunvegan-sold-uscanadian-consortium/

Fun Things to Do in St. Andrews, Scotland

One of the great things about playing golf in St. Andrews is the wonderful, quaint village lifestyle. Beyond the phenomenal golf courses, there's a wealth of great activities to enjoy.

To extend your golf enjoyment away from the fairways, here are five activities to enhance your experience:

British Golf Museum-Conveniently located a 5-minute walk from the town center and across the street from The Royal and Ancient Clubhouse, this well organized, recently renovated museum will immerse you in the history of golf. There are thousands of items detailing more than 500 years of history with exhibitions, hands on activities and extracts from the R&A’s film archive. You’ll see clubs, balls, clothing, trophies, medals, films, photographs, artwork and books on display. 

Himalayas Putting Course—Home to the St. Andrews Ladies’ Putting Club since 1867, this roller coaster-like course, adjacent to the Old Course, allows you to practice uphill, downhill and sidehill putts. All you need is a putter and a willingness to have fun. The course is open from April to the end of September (7 days a week) and there is a slight fee with discounts for senior citizens and under 16s.

Tom Morris Golf Shop—Originally opened in 1866, the Tom Morris Golf Shop, facing the Old Course, is the oldest golf shop in the world. In addition to a wide selection of golf clothing, there’s a display area that celebrates the shop’s namesake, Tom Morris, the legendary four-time Open champion who is widely regarded as the father of the modern game. Among the items on display are his original workbench where he made golf clubs and balls, his locker where he stored his clubs and the fireplace he used to heat and shape gutta percha balls.

Official Old Course Walking Tour—Staged from early April to late September, the 50-minute guided tour of the Old Course is the next best thing to playing the celebrated course. Walks are scheduled for everyday of the week except Monday during July and August. Tours start at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at. Longer tours start at 10 a.m.

Jigger Inn-It’s one of golf’s most famous 19^th holes. Set adjacent to the Old Course Hotel in an historic building that dates back to the 1850s, this traditional Scottish pub is brimming with golf memorabilia. It’s a great place to grab a pint and sit near an open-hearth fire and listen to golf stories from other patrons or spin a few yourself. When it’s time to dine, a golfer’s favorite is the Jigger Burger with Mull Cheddar, Ayshire Bacon and Fries.

On Location: The Dunvegan Hotel Golfer's Corner Lounge Bar in St. Andrews, Scotland

The ambience is a unique combination of a traditional Scottish pub, college bar and Texas roadhouse.

I've been extremely fortunate to have enjoyed a pint or two and lunch at the Golfer's Corner Lounge Bar at the Dunvegan Hotel in the village of St. Andrews in Scotland.

Dubbed "The Dunny" by locals, the bar is set just 112 yards from the 18th green of the Old Course, this warm and welcoming pub is a must stop if you're teeing up anywhere in the area.

The owners are Jack and Sheena Willoughby, a married couple who know a little bit about pubs and roadhouses. Jack, a fourth generation Texan from Liberty, Texas, is a former salesman for a Houston drilling equipment company. Sheena hails from Forfar in the county of Angus in Scotland. They acquired the Dunvegan Hotel in 1994.

My most recent visit was during Ryder Cup 2014 week. On the Tuesday before the matches at Gleneagles, I took a train from Edinburgh. 

Following some sightseeing, I sat on the steps overlooking the 18th green and first tee watching the moveable feast of golfers playing the Old Course. If Disney is the "happiest place on earth" for kids, make no mistake, the Old Course is the same for devoted golfers.

A couple of hours later (one can only watch so many bad tee shots on the opening hole and long putts racing by the hole on No. 18 green) I headed to the Dunvegan Hotel for a frosty one.

I sauntered up the bar, took a seat, and ordered a Tenants.

The guy drinking next to me was a caddie at the Old Course.

For the next hour or so, Bruce, a looper for more than three decades at golf's most legendary course, detailed great stories about nervous Americans dribbling tee shots, big tippers and celebrities.

Lots of caddies hang out at "The Dunny" and I learned from the bartender that Bruce was one of their best regulars. In fact, they start pouring his pint the instant they see him walking by the large window on Golf Place street from the Old Course.

THE SCENE

The walls and ceiling are covered with more than 150 prints chronicling the Open Championship and countless photos of celebrity golfers and as well as regular customers who love the place. Among the celebs with pictures on the wall are LPGA star Paula Creamer and basketball coach icon Bobby Knight.

There are also five flat screen televisions positioned strategically so you can watch sports events in between sips.

THE FOOD AND DRINK

The menu is eclectic with local favorites like fish n' chips and steak pie and American classics like chili, nachos, chicken wings and burgers. My favorite is the fish n' chips, which are made from fresh fish that's delivered every morning.

If you've just played golf on a cold, windy, rainy day and you need something warm to lift your spirits, order the bowl of chili, which is prepared in a classic American style.

Whether you sauntered into "The Dunny" to celebrate the greatest round of your life or you want to drown your sorrows after countless three putts, you'll find lots of beers, ales, spirits and more than 50 whiskies to do the job. 

THE VERDICT

There are thousands of pubs in Scotland, but only one "Dunny". The unique background of the owners and their desire to incorporate both Scottish and Texas influences makes this place a must stop on your visit to St. Andrews. 

5 Amazing Upcoming New Golf Courses

Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon by Mike Keiser

You can thank golf enthusiasts Donald Trump and Mike Keiser for almost singlehandedly expanding the international new golf course menu.

Despite a worldwide economic slowdown the past few years, these two golf course visionaries have been busy building some of the most dynamic layouts in the world.

Here's a look at some coming attractions from Trump and Keiser and a new layout in St. Andrews, Scotland:

Cabot Cliffs--Slated to open in 2014 on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada, this Bill Coore/Ben Crenshaw design is part of a phenomenal golf complex developed by Mike Keiser, who brought us Bandon Dunes in Oregon. Cabot Cliffs will be the sister course to Cabot Links, which has received rave reviews from golfers and golf tour operators since its debut in 2012.

Trump International Golf Club Dubai--The Trumpster is planning a new course in Dubai. It will be on the same site where Tiger Woods was supposed to design a course. Unfortunately, Tiger's project "Dubailand" never got off the ground for economic and other reasons. Trump already has 14 golf courses around the world.

St. Andrews International--The golf menu in St. Andrews is growing again. Scheduled to open in spring 2015, this Tom Weiskopf design will be the only "member only" golf club in St. Andrews. Named "The Freddinch", the course and facilities will available to members and their guests.

Bandon Dunes Muni--Mike Keiser has a preliminary agreement with state and local officials to build a 27-hole municipal layout on a site six miles south of the town of Bandon. Commissioned to design the course is Gil Hanse, the designer of the 2016 Olympics course in Rio.

Mary MacLeod--Donald Trump has plans to build a second course in Aberdeen, Scotland. To be named after his Scottish born mother (Mary MacLeod), the course will be on the southern end of Trump's 1,400 acre Menie Estate, 10 miles north of Aberdeen. Martin Hawtree, who designed Trump's first course in Aberdeen, has been commissioned to design the second.

Top 10 Golf Travel Trends 2012

Albatross Golf Resort, Prague, Czech Republic

Travel agents are increasingly popular—The poor, lonely travel agent is coming back. Many golf travelers are overwhelmed by the choices and options available on the Internet and don’t have the time or inclination to travel on the information highway. Golf packaging companies and veteran travel agents can suggest destinations and develop itineraries that include fun and interesting activities beyond golf.

Rising airfare prices—There just aren’t that many major carriers anymore and less competition, soaring fuel prices and fewer flights mean higher ticket prices. Bargains are difficult to find, which means more golfers are opting to stay closer to home and travel by car. Nowadays, golfers will drive up to five hours away for a golf resort vacation if they can save a substantial sum versus airfare.

Earlier bookings—As the recession starts to subside, albeit slowly, golf travelers are showing increasing confidence and booking further in advance than waiting to the last minute, which has been the standard the since the economy hit the skids in 2008.

Couples-oriented trips—Empty nester Baby Boomers-- a demographic that plays lots of golf--are taking more couples golf vacations. Their itineraries include as many shopping excursions, spa sessions and candlelight dining nights as golf rounds.

Multi-generation excursions—Like other segments of the travel market, the multi-generation trend is increasingly popular with golf trips. Grandfathers want to introduce their sons and grandsons to some of the great destinations and courses they’ve played around the world. Multi-generation pilgrimages to golf meccas like St. Andrews and Pinehurst are among the more popular along with the Monterey Peninsula in California, Orlando, Florida, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, San Diego, California and Scottsdale, Arizona.

Sports themed trips—Americans, in particular, are huge sports fans. An increasingly popular trip is to schedule a golf resort visit to coincide with other sports events such as Major League baseball, NFL football or NBA basketball games.  Vacationing golfers play a round or two during the day, and then enjoy a sports event in the evening.

New Europe destinations—Italy and France have increased their golf course inventories in recent years. Golfers are attracted by the new courses and the plethora of off-the-course activities such as gourmet dining, winery tours, cooking schools and other pursuits that aren’t as prevalent in traditional destinations like Scotland and Ireland. Wales is another up and coming destination attracting more golfers following the exposure it received after the 2010 Ryder Cup matches at Celtic Manor Resort in Newport. Eastern Europe destinations like Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Russia have debuted new courses recently and are increasingly popular to golf vacationers.

Italy is becoming a popular golf destination.

Emerging destinations—While Scotland and Ireland are at the top of most lists, well-traveled golfers, who’ve played those destinations numerous times, are seeking other, more adventurous spots.  In South America, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia are entertaining more linksters.  Top destinations in Asia are China, Malaysia, South Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia.   In the U.S., destinations with high-profile courses like Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon and Kohler, Wisconsin will continue their rise in popularity as will newcomers like Branson, Missouri, Mississippi Gulf Coast (Biloxi and Gulfport) and Gulf Shores, Alabama, which promote golf heavily. Value-priced destinations such as Myrtle Beach, Northern Michigan and San Antonio, Texas are strong because of their course inventories and exceptional golf packages.  Luxury golf destinations like Naples, Florida and Palm Springs, California remain strong. In the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico are golf-happy destinations with exciting golf courses fashioned by big-name designers. [Below, see the 2012 International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) Award Winners.]

Golf and wellness—Empty nester older golfers are increasingly opting for resorts with spas, fitness centers and nature trails. Many major golf resort spas now offer golf muscle specific massages and invigorating treatments designed to rejuvenate golfers and prepare them for their next round of golf.

The spa has become the new 19th hole.

Fewer new resorts, more renovations—The worldwide recession stunted the growth of new golf courses and resorts being built. Consequently, major resort companies are pumping millions into existing properties to enhance and renovate golf courses, add expansive practice and teaching facilities and amenities such as infinity pools and spas.

2012 IAGTO Golf Travel Awards

Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year-Bulgaria

Golf Destination of the Year-Africa, Indian Ocean and Gulf States—Abu Dhabi

Golf Destination of the Year-Asia and Australia—Pattaya, Thailand

Golf Destination of the Year-Europe—Fife, Scotland

Golf Destination of the Year-Latin America & The Caribbean-Los Cabos, Mexico

Golf Destination of the Year-North America—Palm Springs, California

Golf Resort of the Year-Europe—Fairmont St. Andrews, Scotland

Golf Resort of the Year-North America—Turnberry Isle, Miami, Florida

Golf Resort of the Year-Rest of the World—Mission Hills, Hainan, China

Finally Some Good News

Hey, this might not equate with the “Cash for Clunkers” deal or the expanded $1 menu at Wendy’s, but at least St. Andrews Links Trust courses aren’t raising their prices.

Green fees for 2010 will stay at 2009 levels.  The high season green free for the Old Course will stay at $211; the new Castle Course  $195; New and Jubilee courses $105; Eden Course $65; Strathtyrum Course $40; and the 9-hole Balgove $19. (Prices quoted are based on Sept. 3rd exchange rate and are subject to fluctuate slightly)

Ready to tee it up in windy ol’ Scotland? You can make tee times at the Trust courses at www.standrews.org.uk

Oh yeah, don’t delay, either, the Advanced Reservations process for play on the Old Course and the Castle Courses opened on September 2^nd and within 15 minutes more than 800 email applications had been received.