Murrayshall Country Estate has appointed two highly qualified golf professionals, bringing a huge wealth of talent and experience with them.
Robin Smith is a member of the British PGA with 35 years coaching experience and is a qualified professional club fitter, originally from Edinburgh. The 56-year-old returns to Scotland after 20 years of international experience in New Zealand, Qatar as well as the pro at the prestigious Royal Selangor Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur and more recently, as the Head Pro at the Jinji Lakes International Golf Club in Suzhou, near to Shanghai. He will become part of the pro shop team at Murrayshall, developing junior coaching and classes for all levels of player.
Originally from Aberdeen, Nicola Melville is the new Head Professional and comes directly from the PGA at The Belfry where for the last seven years she has worked as Tournament Director for the PGA National Department, officiating at The Open Championship, Women’s Open and the Dunhill Links Championship.
Before that the 36-year-old has worked at the Old Course Hotel and Duke’s Course in St Andrews. She has a passion for developing ladies golf and will also work on junior coaching and lessons.
The recruitment of Nicola and Robin forms part of a wider plan following successfully securing the go-ahead last week to build a new 17-bay driving range, Pro Shop and Teaching Academy, locating it closer to the hotel than originally planned.
Work on the £1 million project is due to start immediately so that it will be ready later in the year with breath-taking views out across the Perthshire countryside. The improved golf academy facilities will benefit existing members and hotel guests who come to play the 27-holes within the 365-acre estate.
The team has already invested heavily in the main golf course, reshaping greens whilst also improving the draining and enhancing the bunkers. At the end of this month, the hotel will host a Scottish PGA Order of Merit event featuring 80 of the best PGA professionals, followed swiftly by a Pro-Am tournament on July 30.
Gary Silcock, General Manager said, “Murrayshall is going through a very exciting transition as part of a multi-million investment and is one of the most exciting projects currently underway in Scotland. Securing the planning permission for the driving range is part of the next stage of development and builds towards our aspiration of becoming a Top 25 UK golf resort.
“Bringing two such high calibre golf professionals to the team such as Nicola and Robin will enhance the golf experience for our members and guests and support the re-development of the hotel and golf course. After our fine dining restaurant was recently awarded two Red Rosettes, we are now upgrading some guest bedrooms and bathrooms and will continue to shape the direction of Murrayshall as we reposition it into one of Scotland’s leading hotel and golf resorts.”