Norman Returns To Ayrshire

Greg Norman will make a sentimental return to the scene of his career-defining first Major Championship victory after confirming he will play in The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex at Turnberry from July 26-29.

The Australian finished five shots clear of English Ryder Cup player Gordon J Brand over the famous Ailsa Course to win The 1986 Open Championship, sealing his place in golfing history.

And I remember it well.

I was staying in Maidens at my mum's chalet and I can't remember whether the week started off dry and sunny or not but I'll never forget sitting in the stands to the right of the eighteenth green on the Saturday as the rain was blown off the sea horizontally. It was horrendous. It was also the first time I'd followed Norman around a golf course doing it again at Troon some years later when he lost the play off after birdieing the first six holes, finishing with a 64 and then thundering a ball into a previously unreachable fairway bunker on the eighteenth to lose the play off.

After his Turnberry victory, Norman went on to spend 331 weeks as World Number One and claim a second Claret Jug at Royal St George’s in 1993, but Turnberry will always hold a special place in his heart and he is relishing the opportunity to return to the renowned Scottish links next month when he will join fellow Turnberry champion Tom Watson in the field for the 26th Senior Open Championship

Discounted advance tickets to see Norman, Watson and a world class field including new US Senior PGA Champion Roger Chapman of England at The 2012 Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex at Turnberry can now be purchased online, with season passes now available at £60 and any one day tickets at £18 if booked before July 1. They can be booked online at  or call 0800 023 2557 where other discounts and offers can also be found.

Hospitality packages for each of the four Championship days are also now available at £95 per person inc VAT, which includes admittance to the course along with a three-course lunch and glass of champagne in Turnberry’s signature restaurant, 1906, reserved parking, a Championship programme and a draw sheet.

Downloads and Links

Book your Room DIRECT in Ayrshire for the Seniors Open
Find out more about golfing in and around Turnberry

Westerwood Hotel Summer Offer - Book Direct!

On the basis that our existence is aimed at increasing the number of people booking DIRECT with hotels, golf courses and attractions rather than paying inflated booking charges and commissions we're delighted to promote Q-Hotels Summer offer to Westerwood Hotel outside Cumbernauld.

Even before it was part of Grant Sword's Morton hotels group a decade and more back we always had a wee soft spot for Westerwood Hotel and golf course and still often use it for meetings and training in Central Scotland - it remain possibly one of the most centrally located hotels for both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports and for tourism Scotland and offers really high quality accommodation, wining, dining and leisure facilities at great value for money.

So here's the offer - click on the image to book direct with the hotel and see the range of Summer rates at Westerwood.

Why Book Direct?

It is our belief that we should be, wherever possible, highlighting the value of Booking Your Room Direct with Scottish accommodation providers.

In the current market place it is all too easy for the visitor to stick to their preferred booking site - you know them all! - and just make that booking. Well we believe that there are a whole host of reasons for going direct and cutting out the middle man.

That's not to say you should spend more on your trip but we do encourage you to have a look at the hotel's own website and check whether you are being offered the best available rate.

If you Book Your Room Direct the accommodation provider can save up to 25% on the booking cost (even more if you're booking from a coupon site) and that can make the difference between investing in the hotel and not.

We will continue to promote the Book Your Room Direct message wherever and whenever we can.

Carrbridge Tomatin Distillery Scottish Nine Hole Open

Sorry for the non golfers out there we're a wee bit on a roll with some great Scottish golf ideas today
Carrbridge Golf Club Tuesday 10 July 2012.

This was flagged up by Golf Tourism Scotland on their Facebook pages earlier and we thought we should publicise it a little bit more, just to highlight the variations and choices in Scottish Golf.

We used to run a four day 72 hole stableford event in the Speyside area and know this course and the area - just love Landmark - really well from living up there for a while and this is just such a great idea.

When some courses are taking more than five hours to play the ability to play a nine hole open in less than a couple of hours from check in to first beer is brilliant.

They also have Tomatin Distillery as the main sponsors of the 2012 event and the competition will be held on Tuesday 10 July with quite a healthy list of prizes too - although it's not about winning is it?

They ask "Why play a nine-hole open?" and answer, "After last year’s event many competitors commented that it was amazing how only playing nine holes concentrated the mind as you can’t afford to have a bad hole."

Tee times will be available all day from 7.30 am, allowing everyone to find a suitable time but please be aware that late afternoon/early evening slots are filling up fast. Catering will be available all day and there will be a beer tent for consolation or celebration after your round.

And as they quite rightly point out if you're travelling north on your way to watch the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart it's a great wee bonus.

If you're on holiday in the area or play locally but haven’t yet entered you're asked to telephone the clubhouse on 01479841623 or download and complete an application form to enter.

We genuinely hope this competition and others like it will go from strength to strength with bigger prizes and over the coming years.

For info, The Scottish Open will again be held at Castle Stuart from 12 - 15 July 2012 and Carrbridge Golf Club will host the next "Tomatin Distillery Scottish Nine Hole Open" on Tuesday 10 July to coincide with this event.

This makes us think that it would be great to run the Scottish Golf Classics again. All we need now is someone to replace Drambuie as our lead sponsors...

"Away and Take a Run and Jump Into The Clyde"

I seem to remember that phrase being used frequently as a kid (usually with some suffix like "Ya balloon". So what about modifying it slightly by tying a big elastic band around your waist and not actually hitting the water? Well actually not a hope in hell for me but if jumping off a 150 foot crane appeals to you then try it from the crane at Clydebank in Glasgow.

You can Bungee from the Titan from 23 June 2012 13:05 til 30 September 2012

Apparently it was the day the Battle of Bannockburn began and the Olympic Committee was formed but 23rd June, this year, will be the day bungee jumping reached the Clyde.

Thrill seekers from all over the UK will turn out for the launch of Scotland's second official bungee venue - the Titan Crane, Clydebank, on 23rd and 24th June. Celebrity guest jumpers and adventure seekers will take the 150 ft leap towards the River Clyde from the cantilever of the famous A-Listed crane. The first public jumpers will receive discounts to mark the occasion and tourism chiefs have hailed the innovation which is expected to net millions for the economy.

Nutters...

The development is a partnership between Highland Fling Bungee, who opened the UK's first permanent bungee jump last year at Killiecrankie, and Titan Crane Clydebank. Jumpers at the Titan site will hurl themselves on an elastic bungee cord from a movable platform fixed to the end of the cantilever. The participants will get a stunning view over Glasgow to the east and the Erskine Bridge to the west before plummeting from the crane at 50mph. "People in this part of Scotland are renowned for their have-a-go attitude to life and this is going to add something totally different to the adventure sport mix in the west of Scotland," said Highland Fling Bungee Managing Director, Murray Trail.

Fellow Director John Mason-Strang added: "Everyone knows how famous the site is and we've been amazed already at the amount of inquiries we've had from people wanting to be a part of history." Tourism chiefs have welcomed the new development and believe it will enhance Scotland's burgeoning international reputation for adventure sport. Since opening at Killiecrankie in Perthshire last May, Highland Fling Bungee has attracted over 5500 jumpers, a significant percentage from overseas.

VisitScotland Chairman Mike Cantlay said: "I'd like to congratulate Highland Fling Bungee on this new venture in Greater Glasgow. Scotland is the Adventure Capital of Europe and it is fantastic to have an activity provider within a city environment offering visitors a further chance to get active." In the initial months of the Titan Crane project, jumps will take place on the first weekend of every month but will be gradually increase through the season. As well as jumping, participants and their friends will be able to visit the exhibits at the crane summit or use the ground floor café and visitor centre.

Titan Crane Clydebank Operations Manager Claire McGinley said: "This puts Clydebank on the UK map for bungee jumping and we look forward to welcoming experienced and novice jumpers. "The people of Clydebank want to see more activity like this on the riverside and we are certain this new activity will do much to showcase what we do here to promote the town's proud shipbuilding heritage." Special discounted jumps at £60 are available for the month of June.

Those wanting to book for the launch weekend of June 23/24 can do so via www.bungeejumpscotland.co.uk or by calling 0845 366 5844.

Golf in Scotland? Yes But Where?

The choices facing the golfer to Scotland! Well there's a great selection of options open to you across the length and breadth of the country and loads of advice on which ones you should play.

The Scotland's For Me blog is constantly highlighting some of the best offers and events taking place across the country and throughout 2012 we'll be featuring some of the best courses to play and the best accommodation to stay in.

Anyone as a starter for ten we thought we'd collate some of the VisitScotland gold guides into the one blog - you can read them on line or download them. They don't cover all of the regions of Scotland as some areas didn't produce some - The Highlands is an obvious miss but we'll cover the others with private brochures and destination websites in future pages.

Anyway even if you just flick through the pictures it is sure to whet your appetite on what is another Major week with the US Open