Three New Scottish Courses

[David_Tepper]

Which have been discussed here before!
https://www.linksmagazine.com/three-new-golf-courses-coming-to-scotland/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=insider11.16

[Duncan Cheslett]

An exclusive private club on heavy clay outside St Andrews?


Are they mad?


 

[Tom_Doak]

To be accurate, so far it's one new course.


I do wonder whether the one near St. Andrews will ever come to be.  Mark Parsinen showed me that site back when he was starting Kingsbarns!  Neither of us really understood the appeal.

[Michael Graham]

I thought it would be moth-balled after they lost the legal battle to be called St. Andrews International Golf Club. Feddinch doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

[Adam Lawrence]

Ewan MacKay has been working very, very hard on Feddinch for a long time, but I do not believe it will ever get as far as opening. But I could always be wrong!

[Michael Graham]

Ewan MacKay has been working very, very hard on Feddinch for a long time, but I do not believe it will ever get as far as opening. But I could always be wrong!

What opens first Adam, Feddinch or gWest?

[Adam Lawrence]

Little birdies tell me that gWest might finally open next year...

[Brian_Ewen]

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/planned-golf-resort-near-st-21904580


Planned golf resort near St Andrews is up for sale
240-acre site includes half-built golf course designed by former Open champion Tom Weiskopf
ByHamish Burns
21:43, 21 APR 2020





Long-delayed plans for a golf resort near St Andrews could be resurrected after the half-built site was put up for sale.


Work began at Feddinch Mains in 2004 and an 18-hole course designed by 1973 Open champion Tom Weiskopf was partially constructed.


But Fife Council refused planning permission for a clubhouse-hotel that was seen as crucial to funding the £25 million project and the plan did not progress under previous owner Scotia Developments.


The 240 acres of former farmland on the A915 includes a semi-derelict B-listed farmhouse and steading two miles from the centre of St Andrews, is now on the market through Galbraith. The price is available on application.


George Lorimer, who is handling the sale, said: “This is an outstanding proposition, just minutes from the centre of St Andrews, the Home of Golf and one of the country’s most desirable locations.


“The original planning permission for the site included an 18-hole golf course, a clubhouse with 41 bedrooms and a shop, storage buildings, car parking and the establishment of a renewable energy source.


"Subject to planning there is potentially scope for a purchaser to continue with the development, and create a superb new course with some lovely coastal views with the benefit of a fantastic unrivalled location.


“The demand for premium and championship-standard golf courses increases year-on-year in Scotland.


“The site also has excellent potential for a variety of other commercial uses, subject to planning permission, and is only 10 minutes by car to St Andrews and the glorious Fife coast.


"The purchaser could potentially put their own stamp on the property and take advantage of its excellent location to create a premium tourism-related business.”

[Adam Lawrence]

I'd heard murmurings about this. A friend of mine who took a look at the project a while ago told me 'It might happen, but it won't do so under the current ownership'.


I wouldn't be totally surprised if there was interest from the Links Trust.

[David_Tepper]

Here is the offering listing for the property:

https://www.galbraithgroup.com/property/cup200006-feddinch-mains-st-andrews-fife-ky16-8nr

[Marty Bonnar]

Maybe interest from Kohler as a second 18 for the Dukes? That’s it right next door...
F.

[Tim Leahy]

Maybe Trump should buy it so he will have something to do next year.

[Jeff Schley]

I wouldn't be totally surprised if there was interest from the Links Trust.

Adam, interested what makes you say this other than proximity? Because they don't need the hotel etc. and just as another course to add to their portfolio?  What % of the course is actually finished and is it supposed to be a notable layout?

[Adam Lawrence]

I wouldn't be totally surprised if there was interest from the Links Trust.

Adam, interested what makes you say this other than proximity? Because they don't need the hotel etc. and just as another course to add to their portfolio?  What % of the course is actually finished and is it supposed to be a notable layout?

LT built the Castle because the six courses it already operated were full, and the same situation is coming again before too long. Somebody told me a while ago how many rounds the Castle did last year; I can't remember the number but it was a lot.


It's only a hunch but if the Trust decided that a chance to acquire an eighth course was too good to miss, I wouldn't be totally surprised. Any purchaser has to be able to get the clubhouse through planning; gotta figure the Trust would well able to do that.


And what other operator makes sense? The original business model, a high end private a la Loch Lomond or Skibo was always a fantasy. Yes, plenty of wealthy people come to St Andrews to play golf, but they aren't going to fork out a £200,000+ initiation fee to belong to a club with no priority access to the Old Course. Can a lower cost private club or a standalone resort wipe its feet? I suspect not, so an existing operator seems like the best bet. Marty's suggestion of Dukes II isn't a bad one either.

[Niall C]

Maybe interest from Kohler as a second 18 for the Dukes? That’s it right next door...
F.

Now that would be an interesting exercise to see how the two courses could be amalgamated to produce two separate courses starting and finishing at the Dukes clubhouse.

Niall

[Marty Bonnar]

Maybe interest from Kohler as a second 18 for the Dukes? That’s it right next door...
F.

Now that would be an interesting exercise to see how the two courses could be amalgamated to produce two separate courses starting and finishing at the Dukes clubhouse.

Niall

I just hope they don’t have to start any digging, cos I’m pretty sure Eleanor Cannon has been using the ground to bury the bodies...
F.

[Adam Lawrence]

I’m sure Eleanor would do no such thing!

[Marty Bonnar]

I’m sure Eleanor would do no such thing!

You have been following the (most) recent unpleasantness at Scottish Golf, haven’t you?

[Jon Wiggett]

Marty,


have you seen that the Andrew McKinlay has walked? Just when the sport was in its most urgent hour of need and he shows his mettle. I wonder if the organisation is sustainable any longer. Time to get rid and find a new plan.

[Marty Bonnar]

Walked and been replaced.
Cannon using Covid as an excuse was the final straw...

[Jon Wiggett]

It funny that a couple of years back SG made a big song and dance at their extra special AGM where they were going to super boost the game in Scotland and absolutely nothing has happened. I wonder if we have reached the point where they need replacing as an organisation?

[David_Tepper]

For those of us not up to speed on the coming and goings at Scottish Golf:

https://www.bunkered.co.uk/golf-news/scottish-golf-a-never-ending-disaster-that-must-end-now

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/golf/comment-scottish-golf-faces-rebellion-unless-eleanor-cannon-quits-2546692
 

[James Reader]

Maybe interest from Kohler as a second 18 for the Dukes? That’s it right next door...
F.

Now that would be an interesting exercise to see how the two courses could be amalgamated to produce two separate courses starting and finishing at the Dukes clubhouse.

Niall

I think that would be hard to do Niall. There’s not much room to get from the Duke’s clubhouse across to the Feddinch property - Craigtoun Park and the houses at Mount Melville (including mine!) are in the way.


I have to say that talk about building a new course anywhere in the UK seems a bit odd to me in the current circumstances, with so many clubs struggling to keep going.

[Adam Lawrence]

Maybe interest from Kohler as a second 18 for the Dukes? That’s it right next door...
F.

Now that would be an interesting exercise to see how the two courses could be amalgamated to produce two separate courses starting and finishing at the Dukes clubhouse.

Niall

I think that would be hard to do Niall. There’s not much room to get from the Duke’s clubhouse across to the Feddinch property - Craigtoun Park and the houses at Mount Melville (including mine!) are in the way.


I have to say that talk about building a new course anywhere in the UK seems a bit odd to me in the current circumstances, with so many clubs struggling to keep going.

That's capitalism innit? If you think you can make money from it...

[Marty Bonnar]

Maybe interest from Kohler as a second 18 for the Dukes? That’s it right next door...
F.

Now that would be an interesting exercise to see how the two courses could be amalgamated to produce two separate courses starting and finishing at the Dukes clubhouse.

Niall

I think that would be hard to do Niall. There’s not much room to get from the Duke’s clubhouse across to the Feddinch property - Craigtoun Park and the houses at Mount Melville (including mine!) are in the way.


I have to say that talk about building a new course anywhere in the UK seems a bit odd to me in the current circumstances, with so many clubs struggling to keep going.

That's capitalism innit? If you think you can make money from it...

This is PRECISELY the time a savvy developer with wedges of cash could pick up a failing enterprise for a song. A partially-built golf course adjacent to one of your existing properties might just be a temptation too far! Access issues would be the least of your problems. Hamilton Hall took a flippin age to pull together, but Mr K apparently never gives up!
F.