AD | Strathmore Golf Centre to Stage the First National PGA Fourball Championship Event in Scotland for 36 Years
Strathmore Golf Centre, set in the Vale of Strathmore, and one of Perthshire and Tayside’s best known golf courses, is celebrating the news that it's to host its first ever UK wide National PGA event.
With its two golf courses, the Par 72, multi-award-winning 18-Hole Rannaleroch Golf Course, and the Par 27, 9-Hole Leitfie Links Course, Strathmore Golf Centre is one of the most popular golfing locations in the area, also offering a 10-bay floodlit driving range and additional practice facilities.
With a £35k prize pot, the PGA National Fourball Championship, to be staged at Strathmore Golf Centre, 19th to 21st August, is one of the most popular events for club professionals who enjoy the more relaxed atmosphere of the fourball format. Contested over 54 holes of stroke play, with 18 holes being played each day, the golf professionals taking part will have come through seven Regional Finals, to decide the 72-team field for the Grand Final. With its significant prize fund, the event carries a keen competitive edge.
The first ever staging of the championship in 1984 saw two of the North west of England’s finest clubs finish in a tie with Royal Birkdale's Philip Posnett and PGA Captain Peter Hanna both taking part. Rarely held in Scotland, it was last staged in 1989 at Gullane Golf Club.
Owner & Director of Operations, David Norman said, “We are thrilled to have secured our first ever National PGA event. For the last four years we've hosted the Scottish PGA’s 36-Hole Order of Merit Challenge, supported by Arnold Clark, whilst the last two years has seen us host a Scottish PGA Pro-Am event. The Scottish professionals attending these contests, many of whom had neither played nor heard of Strathmore previously, have been wholly impressed by what we have to offer; the award winning course itself, the practice facilities, the great catering, the beautiful location, and, of course, not forgetting our friendly and welcoming staff and members who really make all the difference. They are the heart and soul of this business.”
Pointing to the very positive feedback that Scottish golf professionals, such as Alan Tait, Craig Lee, Stephen Gray and many more, had relayed back to the Scottish PGA, about Strathmore Golf Centre, David Norman went on to say: “The kind words and recommendations from these and other professionals has been of huge value to us in building the golf centre as a PGA venue, and we have really appreciated them taking the time to relay their positive comments to the PGA directly.
“Hosting highly successful events for the Scottish PGA has been the stepping stone to being selected to host this, the first National PGA Fourball Championship to be held in Scotland for 36 years. To say that we feel honoured, proud, and extremely grateful, would be a total understatement.”
Scottish PGA Professional Alan Tait, a massive fan and regular visitor to Strathmore, was quick to pass on his congratulations on the Centre securing the National PGA Fourball. He commented: “I can’t tell you how pleased I am that Strathmore has secured a PGA National Event. It’s so well deserved and long overdue. Everything about the place just ticks all the boxes to host such a prestigious and high-profile tournament. A wonderful golf course which is always in fantastic condition with superb facilities, great food and beverage, and you always get a warm and very friendly Strathmore welcome from David Norman and all his team. To cap it all off, the venue is located in a stunning area of beautiful Perthshire.
“David and Strathmore are huge supporters of Scottish golf and have hosted many amateur and professional events, so it’s only fitting they are rewarded with the accolade of welcoming PGA Professionals from all over the UK in this national championship. For those players who have yet to visit Strathmore, they are in for an absolute treat and won’t be disappointed.”
David Longmuir, the Manager of the PGA in Scotland, said: “The award-winning Strathmore Golf Centre has become a firm favourite of the PGA in Scotland, and we are indebted to David and his team for the way our Professionals are welcomed and looked after at all the events we have had there in recent years. The clubhouse itself is a hugely popular destination with an established reputation for great food and the best service. It is described as the friendly place to play golf, and this is such an apt description.
“The course itself is a real gem and is always presented beautifully by the green staff with a stunning Perthshire backdrop and superb greens. It will offer the perfect challenge for the PGA National Four Ball Final, and we would encourage members and visitors to come along and witness some great golf from Professionals from all over the UK.”
David Norman finished by paying tribute to his green-keeping team, whom he said, were to be “commended for presenting our course in the most magnificent condition consistently. Head Green-keeper, Ben Anderson, was promoted from first assistant a year ago. In the relatively short time that he has been in charge he, and his team, have stamped their own mark on the extremely high standards that were already enjoyed by all golfers. We have enjoyed numerous comments and compliments alluding to the course being in ‘its best condition ever’.”
https://www.strathmoregolf.com/
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Photos by David J Whyte
