Another Ayrshire Hotel Back on Track

Ayr's Belleisle House Hotel has re-opened following a major refurbishment. The stunning 18th century mansion has recently welcomed back its first guests just in time for the Open championship at Turnberry. The Belleisle is one of several places opening up just in time for The Open beside Turnberry itself and a new property south of Girvan, Woodland Bay Hotel
John Stirrat, Area manager for McKeever Hotels, who now operate Belleisle, insists that the hotel is ready to resume its place as one of Ayr’s top venues.
He said: “The sleeping giant has awakened. It’s time to get beautiful Belleisle back to where it was, the first choice locally for accommodation, dining, weddings and conferences.”
“The Belleisle is an Ayrshire gem and we’ve spent a lot of money to upgrade it and provide top-class facilities. We have 15 newly-refurbished bedrooms, with lovely wee touches like top of the range TVs, luxury toiletries, complimentary wifi and nightcaps."
“In addition, we have a gorgeous drawing room, a golfers bar, a lounge bar with fifty different malt whiskies, and big conference rooms and function suites which can handle up to 300 people.”
The improvements in accommodation offerings in Ayrshire can only be a positive and with the increase in visitors for The Open it gives the area a great opportunity to attract repeat business back in the autumn and spring and through the media showcase the attractions of the area.
You can check availability in Ayrshire now

First in Fife Google Earth Golf Tour

Looking for a wee golf break this year? Well how about searching out something just a little bit different? First in Fife Golf is a group of affordable golf clubs in Fife offering tremendous value for money with their three and five day golf passes.
The group's website has all the information you'd need not only about the golf courses but also prices, accommodation and travel - you can even purchase and manage your tee times online.
Their web company The Edge in Ayrshire have just uploaded a wee fly through to First in Fife's YouTube site which shows you just how easy it is to play these courses. Have a look - just a wee bit of fun.

Glasgow Gailes to co host 2012 British Amateur

The Royal & Ancient has confirmed that Royal Troon and Glasgow
Gailes will host the 2012 Amateur Championship. The two rounds
of stokeplay qualifying will be held at both venues with Royal
Troon hosting the matchplay stages of the event.

PGA Pro Championship at Dundonald Links

Looking for something to do this week?
Well, the £78,000 Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship takes place at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, the first time it has been staged in Scotland since 2003.
The top competition for club professionals in the UK carries a first prize of £10,000 while places are also up for grabs in the PGA Cup team, this year's match against the Americans being played at The Carrick on Loch Lomond in September.
The Dundonalod Links course is a magnificent addition to the golf portfolio of the west of Scotland and comes a few weeks ahead of The Open Championship returning to Troon.
Nearly 160 of the best players from across Britain and Ireland will battle it out over 72 holes at Dundonald Links for the PGA's flagship event which is being defended by West Berkshire's Paul Simpson.
An added incentive for the field is one of the 10 places available for the Great Britain & Ireland PGA Cup team to face America later in the year at The Carrick on Loch Lomond.
Guy Redford, director of golf operations at the spectacular Dundonald Links near Troon in Ayrshire, is predicting an exciting week's golf which he believes will favour the brave and bold.
"It's a great risk and reward course and good players from tee to green will be rewarded on this course," said Redford.
You can view live scoring online from the event or find out more about golf and accommodation on Scotland's West Coast Golf Links

Turnberry Moves Closer

It's only a few weeks until The Open Championship returns to perhaps the most spectacularly beautiful of all the venues - Turnberry.

Located on the west coast of Scotland, Turnberry has it all - magnificent links course, iconic landmarks and world class hotel. It's also pretty damned easy to get to too!

And just in time for the championship there's a new website featuring not only Turnberry's Ailsa but nine more of the West Coast most famous golf links.

Scotland's West Coast Golf Links brings together ten world class links golf courses under one marketing umbrella for the first time and offers the golfer a tempting taster of what could be theirs.

The website gives a glimpse of the history of the area and offers links to each of the courses, latest green fee offers and live hotel availability.

If you're looking for a room for The Open there's still late availability in a number of properties.

Edinburgh Has New Level of Cool!

If you've got a few aspiraional moments available this lunchtime sit back and relax and click on the website for new Edinburgh luxury property Hotel Missonni
Not had the pleasure yet of a visit but the website design is quite awesome and inspiring albeit more than lacking in some important details like location and other destination information ; completely different take on accommodation marketing and really most impressive and shows what can be achieved online for this particular marketplace. Does seem churlish to complain about the detail but there you go it's all about opinions.
In the current climate a positive note to chime ahead of The Festival and you can check availability and book online quite easily.


PS: Just in case you need the details after you've visited the website - the hotel's located on the George IV Bridge on the Royal Mile.

Scottish Open Golf Tickets

Tickets are available for purchase for the 2009 Barclays Scottish Open and if you book before 30th of June you can save £15 on season tickets and £5 on day tickets.

To purchase your tickets you can go to the European Tour Ticket Pages or call 0800 023 2557.
Hospitality packages are also still available from only £225 + vat, for further information and information is also available through the link above. Organisers are also offering the visitor to upgrade their package by adding a champagne lunch or afternoon tea to their tickets!

There's nothing to beat The Open for atmosphere and buzz but having been at Loch Lomond on a few occasions it's a great place for the day out. I could certainly see the benefits of a wee champagne lunch if my budget could have extended to it. I guess my RBS Corporate Hospitality invitation is still in the post!

Anyway it's a great venue and worth visiting - and if you're looking for something just a little different afterwards you could head north and stop off for a bite to eat and perhspa some live music at one of Scotland's most unique inns - The Drovers Inn at Inverarnan. According to their website they still have some availability for The Scottish Open so give it a wee visit.
Enjoy!