[Brian_Ewen]

http://www.perthshireadvertiser.co.uk/perthshire-news/local-news-perthshire/perthshire/2011/08/05/big-plans-earmarked-for-pitlochry-golf-course-73103-29179459/
 

Big plans earmarked for Pitlochry Golf Course
Aug 5 2011 by Greg Christison, Perthshire Advertiser

A BIG-MONEY overhaul is expected to secure Pitlochry Golf Course’s status as one of the sport’s best inland facilities in Scotland.

The £200,000 ‘centre of excellence’, which will create four new full-time jobs, will see the introduction of a new driving range, short game area and an academy course.

And there will also be further improvements to the existing course, with the introduction of two par five holes, new wildlife corridors and improved paths for local walkers.

Director Stephen Carruthers, who has been a member at the club for 38 years, said yesterday: “What we are developing here is a centre of excellence for golf.

“We will have practising and coaching facilities that will only be matched in this area by Gleneagles.

“There are a number of courses in the region but they don’t have practice facilities so we hope to be a centre for all golfers, even those who are not members here.

“The improvements will give us a facility where everyone will be welcome, whether they are playing for the first time or seeking top level coaching.”

At present, Gleneagles is the only facility in Perthshire to offer visitors a similar range of facilities to those being planned at Pitlochry.

The major development, which is one of the biggest projects in the club’s 102-year history, marks a milestone in the renaissance of a course which shaped the skills of Ryder Cup legend John Panton.

Serious doubts existed over its viability until businessmen Carruthers, Richard Drummond and Jon Erasmus secured the lease from Pitlochry Estates Trust in January last year.

Since then the trio have transformed the club, which currently accommodates 500 members, with Golf World Magazine recently listing it in its ‘14 Scottish hidden gems’ feature.

If granted permission by planning chiefs, the driving range will be operational by spring next year, the short game area in the summer and the academy course in spring 2013.

Perth and Kinross Council planning officials are expected to make a decision on the project within the next two months.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Brian

That’s interesting as I have only just received this article from Niall on Pitlochry taken from Golfing



Melvyn

[Tom_Doak]

I played Pitlochry 29 years ago when I first came to Scotland, and I still remember a lot of it pretty well today.  Beautiful setting.  First five holes are all up the hill and then you ski back down from there.

I do think it's a shame, though, that their idea of "improvement" is to add two par fives to the course.  I can't remember if there was one or none, but I do remember par was 69 or less.  And there was absolutely nothing wrong with that.  Adding a couple of par fives will make the course more "standard", but is not likely to make it any better, and might just make it worse.

[David_Tepper]

Tom Doak -

Funny you should mention changing par-4's to par-5's on courses in Scotland to move par up from 68 or 69 to to a "more standard" par-70.

Golspie GC lengthened holes #1 & #14 last year to convert them to par-5's and raise par for the course from 68 to 70. While I was apprehensive about the changes, I do think they have worked out well. I certainly think the course is now more playable for a mid-teen handicap such as myself.

I hope the changes at Pitlochry work out as well.

DT

[Gary Slatter]

IMHO the "investment" in the "centre of excellence academy" is a waste of money in that area.  The facilty just south of Dundee has been a white elephant regardless of whoever runs it.  The school in St Andrews is a hard fought success, probably all that is required in the area.

[Niall C]

I played the course in the last year and yet I'm struggling to think where you can make a couple of par 5's without making it a slog. The course is what it is, a fun short course with heaps of old time charm, and forcing a couple of par 5's into the course could be detrimental to the hole. And while I applaud efforts to improve better facilities I'm wondering where there going to fit in a driving range.

Anyway good luck to them, I hope it turns out well.

Niall 

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