[Brian_Ewen]

From yesterdays  Press and Journal :



MILLIONAIRE PLANS NEW GOLF COURSE AT DALCROSS

PETER DOYLE

09:00 - 10 December 2003

A Californian millionaire wants to build a championship golf course - modelled on the Dunhill Cup venue, Kingsbarns - close to Inverness Airport.

The American entrepreneur, who made his millions in Silicon Glen and is a regular visitor to Nairn, predicted his new venture could inject millions every year into the Highland economy, with spin-offs for local residents.

The Kingsbarns links course, near St Andrews, burst on to the Scottish golf scene when it opened three years ago

The course has enjoyed a rapid rise since then and has already established itself as one of only three venues of the prestigious Dunhill Cup.

It was also recently ranked 13th in a survey of 100 courses throughout Britain and Ireland by Golf World magazine.

Multi-millionaire Mark Parsinen hopes to repeat the Kingsbarns success story in the Highlands and has hired world-renowned golf-course architect, Tom Doak to design his new project on ear-marked links land near to Arderseir.

Mr Parsinen, who is an avid golfer, has said he is close to agreement with the Earl of Moray, who owns the 400acre site, which the electronics millionaire said he wants to become the new Kingsbarns.

He said: "When I saw Kingsbarns for the first time, I knew it would make a fantastic golf course. I feel the same way about the land up by Inverness. But I need to keep those emotions in check until we can move forward."

The avid golfer admitted plans are still at an early stage. But he revealed he had already met with local council officials to discuss his plans.

Last night, factor for the Earl of Moray, Andrew Howard, confirmed he was scheduled to meet with Mr Parsinen to discuss his interest in the links land.

Mr Parsinen, who is a member of Royal Dornoch, added: "There would be a core staffing of 25-30 plus seasonals and everyone who works at Kingsbarns is local to the area."

[SPDB]

A little off topic, but please somebody tell me that Silicon Glen is an area populated by Scottish tech companies, a la Silicon Valley (CA), Silicon Alley (NY), Silicon Hills (TX).

[ForkaB]

SPBD

Parsinen is an American who made his money in California, although I thought it was more real estate than high tech.

There is a place called "Silicon Glen" in Scotland, but it is and almost always has been a figment of the (lack of) imagination of the Scottish government and about as easy to find as Brigadoon.  Most of the companies that were highly incented to come "there" have up and gone over the past 5 years, leaving lots of nice modern factories with no people in them.  There is a huge Hyundai chip factory 10 miles from me which the governemnt put $150 million into but was mothballed before it produced anything or hired anybody!  The guy responsible got promoted, of course.......

As for the Doak project, this is good for both golf and the Highland economy.  I can't wait to watch it unfold over the next few years on my various trips up and back to Dornoch.

[Steve Okula]

With all due respect to Tom, If Parsinen wants to duplicate Kingsbarns why doesn't he get Kyle Philipps?

[George Pazin]

I should probably just check Mapquest, but is this the area in coastal northwest Scotland that TD mentioned on here maybe 3-4 years ago?

[ForkaB]

I doubt it, George.  The site is 5-10 miles east of Inverness.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I too would welcome another strong course to this golf rich part of Scotland. there are times I wish one could pick Cruden Bay up and drop it down there.

[Jonathan Cummings]

So this is the job Tom told us he couldn't talk about!  Can't wait!  

I've talked to Mark Parsinen on the phone and know his partner Art Dunkley - both are true lovers of the game of golf.  I once asked Art if he was going to be around and be able to play golf with me at Kingsbarns when I was there a year ago.  I am completely telling you the truth when he told me sincerely that he could not play that day because he had a round planned with Prince Edward!!!  I almost dropped the phone!

Anyway if Mark and Art (not sure if Art will be involved with this project) team with the Doak clan you can bet the product will be first rate.

JC

[Joel_Stewart]

I wonder how much the land is going to cost and what is the site like.  Kingsbarn was a terrible site and completely man made so I am hoping this site is more like Pacific Dunes than Kingsbarn.

The point being is they need more affordable golf than another Kingsbarn.

[Tom_Doak]

Whomever is writing the headlines this week should get their facts straight first!  Doesn't anyone even bother to call me to check out their rumors?

I know Mark Parsinen has been in Scotland for a few months working on getting a new project going.  But, I haven't seen the land, I haven't seen a map of it, and we haven't even talked about whether I would be involved if he does get it going.

The project I looked at in Scotland is somewhere else, and it's not moving forward with any speed as far as I know.

[David_Tepper]

Joel Stewart-

Somehow, I don't think providing "affordable golf" is a high priority with Mr. Parsinen. There is plenty of afforable golf in Scotland, for the locals at least, and if Kingsbarns (which I have not played) has established anything, it is that there seems to be a market for a high-end, country-club-for-a-day facility catering primarily to visitors/tourists in Scotland.  I imagine he would be going after the same market with this course.

I have played Nairn and am a bit familiar with the Dalcross area around the Inverness Airport. The coastline there is pretty tame stuff. Only a small portion of the course at Nairn is really linksland/dunesland and I understand that the Nairn Dunbar course is even flatter.

It would not surprise me at all if the architect who does design this course is encouraged to "enhance" the underlying topography ala Kingsbarns.

As always, time will tell.

DT    

[ForkaB]

Joel

David is very right.  One thing that Scotland does NOT need is more "affordable" golf courses, particularly in the Highlands.  Not when memberships at places like Dornoch, Brora, Golspie, Tain, etc. are in the $300-400/year range.  What they need is more tourism, to help the local economies, which have a declning industrial base.  CCFAD's (a la Kingsbarns) are a good way of increasing the length of visitor stays in the area (as St. Andrews has found out).

I also agree with the general topography of the land.  Nothing to get excited about, and the general area is a basically an industrial one (oil platform faabrication yard, lumber mill, airport).  More like North Ayrshire than the Dornoch Firth, but they've built some pretty good courses in North Ayrshire!

[Andrew Summerell]

Every developer wants to talk up their project & say it's going to be the best thing for the area. Quite often they have to do that. It's just a matter of waiting & seeing what really happens.

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