Club Profile: Turnberry Golf Club

Seamus Rotherick
By Seamus Rotherick October 12, 2011 16:26

World renowned for hosting one of the most famous final round shootouts in Open history, Turnberry Golf Club is a unique entity in golf today. The club has become part of a modern hotel and resort, but its bond with the past remains as strong as ever.

The ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry in 1977 made it a household name and the club with the famous lighthouse has gone from strength to strength since that day.

Unlike other Open venues, Turnberry Golf Club is part of a resort, having been known as the Westin Turnberry since 1998. Up until that year the club and its famous hotel had gone through a number of owners including British Transport Hotels, Sea Containers and the Japanese company Nitto Kogyo.

The golf club was formed in 1901 and was joined by the hotel in 1906. The membership structure has changed little in the past 104 years and the club still retains a healthy membership. As well as the famous three-time Open-hosting Ailsa course, with its stunning lighthouse and views of the Ailsa Craig, the club also boasts the highly rated Kintyre course and the nine-hole Arran course.

Spokesman Paul Burley explained that little has changed at the club and members are still as important as they always have been.

“The club is run along similar lines to years gone by, however the current members enjoy far greater privileges than at any time in the past in terms of when they can book tee times, having pre-booked members’ competitions and members’ only tee times at the weekends,” he said.

He also pointed out that the resort was a lot more of a year-round business than it used to be and that it generally is a busier place than in years gone by, but it was conscious to ensure that any disruption to members was minimised.

Paul came to the resort with years of experience in high-ranking positions in the golf industry. Previous jobs included being managing director of Prodigy Golf, serving as director of international operations for IMG’s golf course management division, and most impressively, nine years managing golf operations at the famous Sun City in South Africa, one of the world’s leading luxury golf resorts.

In his role as director of golf, Paul directs and oversees all aspects of golf operations at Turnberry including its activities and relationships between members, guests and associates. He has ultimate responsibility for maximum guest satisfaction and financial performance and he manages department members including the head golf professional, tournament coordinator, golf academy manager, all golf professionals, all outside golf services and the hotel shop.

The men’s and ladies’ sections of Turnberry Golf Club each has its own captain, secretary and committee that runs the affairs of the golf club. The club organises its own competitions, handicaps and social functions but works closely with the hotel in establishing the rules and regulations of how the club is run.

Subscription fees are mutually agreed between the golf club and the hotel on an annual basis. ‘Members only’ tee times are reserved at the weekends on both courses and the golf club has an impressive fixture list of club competitions for men and ladies. The golf club and the hotel enjoy a very good relationship and have co-existed for 100 years.

The resort is very proud of the service and facilities it offers to members and Paul is especially keen to point them out.

“The advantage the golf club members have is the quality of the facilities and service levels are always of the very highest order. The members have access to 45 holes of world-class golf and unlimited access to the golf academy that entitles them to complimentary range balls all year round,” he said.

“Members can book tee times 16 days in advance and are allowed to bring a number of guests free of charge throughout the year. Golf club members received significant discounts in the resort’s restaurants and the golf shop.

“Membership at a resort course always brings the challenge of tee time availability for the members, particularly in the high season where the prime tee times are always in high demand. It is a constant challenge to balance the demand for members’ tee times with that from hotel guests and visitors.”

Especially impressive is the Colin Montgomerie Links Golf Academy, which opened in 2000. Focusing on teaching the intricacies of links golf, the academy is a major drawcard for visitors from all over the world.

“It is a state of the art teaching and practice facility that is without doubt the finest in Europe,” Paul said proudly.

“Turnberry is blessed with wonderful golf courses, but it lacked a world class practice and teaching facility. Starwood built the academy and formed an association with Scotland’s legendary golfer, Colin Montgomerie, to help promote and market the facility.

“The ethos of the academy focuses on links golf and how to play the different types of shot associated with links golf. Our team of PGA-qualified instructors have all spent time with Colin to understand his philosophy on the golf swing and links golf in particular.”

Seamus Rotherick
By Seamus Rotherick October 12, 2011 16:26
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1 Comment

  1. A-J August 27, 17:15

    This has to be the best golf course in UK. Quality, services, just not a bad hole on the whole estate and there are 45 holes . Can only say if you have not played here before , book a time you will not be disappointed .

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