Duke’s ranked first

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October 29, 2010

The Duke’s, ranked among the top100 courses in GB&Ire, can now boast of having
the No 1 clubhouse.

The Duke’s at St Andrews, having maintained its inclusion in Golf World Magazine’s Top 100 Courses in Great Britain and Ireland, has now been voted as also having the best clubhouse in the region.

This by the judges of the HSBC Premier Golf Network Awards.

Speaking first about the number one hundred ranking given the course by Golf World, who referred to The Dukes as a “nice alternative to the links courses in the area (of St Andrews), David Scott, manager of The Duke’s & Estates Landscape, said: “We are honoured to be included in the Top 100 again.

“This especially so as this has been an unusual year with several exceptional new courses such as Machrihanish Dunes, Lough Erne and Castle Stuart making dramatic entries into the rankings for the first time and thereby pushing out a number of courses that appeared last year.”

The Duke’s 7,512 yard, par 71 championship heathland course, which is owned by the iconic Old Course Hotel on the 17th fairway of the Old Course, first appeared in these influential rankings last year in 98th spot.

Over the last four years, The Duke’s has been transformed by the introduction of rough-edged, heathland-style bunkering, replacing the original revet-faced hazards and by improved drainage and turf conditioning.

The choice of five tees on each hole ensures that The Duke’s offers golfers of all levels an enjoyable, yet challenging experience.

In addition, The Duke’s has been voted the Best Clubhouse in the Ultimate Clubhouses category of the inaugural HSBC Premier Golf Network Awards.

This accolade was awarded by Golf World readers and HSBC Premier Golf Network members who were asked to nominate all the things that go into making up the Ultimate Golf Day such as favourite courses, clubhouses, playing partners view, holes and after-round venues.

“At The Duke’s we pride ourselves in ensuring that we give our guests the best possible experience by providing excellent facilities, great service and a warm Scottish welcome so we are particularly delighted to have been chosen by the Golf World readers and HSBC Premier Golf Network members as the Best Clubhouse in the Ultimate Clubhouses category,” adds Scott, who has been in charge at The Duke’s since late 2008.

The Jigger Inn, also owned by the Old Course Hotel, came out top alongside the Fishy Fishy restaurant in Kinsale, Cork, in the voters’ Ultimate Post-round Venue.

Established almost 30 years ago and now widely regarded as the most authoritative and definitive guide to first class golf in the UK, Golf World’s Top 100 is decided by a panel of nearly 100 experts in the industry including professionals (club and touring), commentators on the game (journalists, TV analysts and presenters), golf photographers and course architects.

Amongst its more famous panellists are pros Ian Poulter and Geoff Ogilvy, architects like David McLay Kidd and Donald Steel, commentators such as Peter Alliss and Ewen Murray, plus respected golf photographers like Dave Cannon and Matthew Harris.

Aesthetic appeal, routing, historical significance and conditioning were all factors that were taken into consideration during the judging process.

These awards come just weeks after The Old Course Hotel celebrated the honour of winning the accolade of ‘Scotland’s Leading Golf Resort’ at the World Travel Awards 2010.

NOTE:

In the most recent rankings, Ireland’s Royal County Down is ranked the Number One course in Great Britain and Ireland with the Ailsa Course at Turnberry in Scotland at Number Two.

Muirfield, another of the great Scottish links courses and the oldest club in the world, is third, with two more Irish Courses, the Old Course at Ballybunion and the Dunluce course at Royal Portrush, in fourth and fifth place respectively.

Royal Birkdale, an Open Championship favourite along with the great Scottish links courses, is the highest rated English club at Number six.

St Andrews, the ‘home of golf and headquarters of the R&A, is ranked Number Nine in Great Britain and Ireland and Number twenty on a World Ranking list topped by Pine Valley in Philadelphia followed by Cypress Point on the Monterey Peninsula in California with Royal Country Down, the Pride of Ireland, in third place.

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