Royal Dornoch Golf Club’s new clubhouse is creating new records – and more local jobs – since opening in December.
Graeme Twaddle, the food and beverage manager at the famous Highland venue, has revealed the level of use from members, their guests and golfing visitors from home and abroad has prompted additional investment behind the scenes to cater for the unprecedented demand.
“It has been a huge learning curve, and I’d like to thank our members for their understanding as we all settle in,” said Twaddle, with the eagerly awaited Carnegie Shield week beginning on Sunday. “Our top performing month historically is always August, which includes Shield week, but we were busier in May than we were last August, doubling the number of plates coming out of the kitchen compared with the same period last year.
“On the bar front, last year we poured 2,000 pints in May. This year it was up to 8,000. That translates to 74 kegs, as opposed to 25. It has been unprecedented. We have had to bring in five more freezers to cope with demand. The food and beverage team has been expanded by six – they are all local – and we are actively looking for more chefs and front of house staff.
He adds: “We anticipated a spike when we opened back in December, with locals curious to see what we had created here. Around 600 came through the doors on opening day alone. We had to hit the ground running, with 120 guests for a BID Dornoch function, but the building was designed to be multi-functional. We have also hosted member birthday parties and pre-wedding receptions, Scotland World Cup games, a July 4th US-style BBQ and private dining for members in our Donald Ross Room, along with welcoming various local groups.
“Naturally members are our priority and it’s great to see them using the clubhouse more regularly, bringing friends along for the experience, while our playing visitors are also keen to enjoy food and drink before and after their rounds.”
Twaddle, who moved to Inverness from Wishaw in 1991, became a Royal Dornoch member the following year and took up his current food and beverage role nearly four years ago, noted that the clubhouse could now host functions more than twice the size of the old building.
“The Captain’s Invitational guest weekend always has a full tee sheet of 180 and the old clubhouse could only cope with 86,” he noted. “That meant we required a ballot for places at the dinner. Not any longer. We welcomed 186, including the top table. To cope with these numbers, we invested in everything from top of the range deep fat fryers and ovens which handle 180 plates in 18 minutes to a high-tech dishwasher which recycles the steam produced.
“On the golf side, we report to The R&A for our GEO certification and all this technology improves our carbon footprint. It’s not just out on the golf courses that sustainability matters at Royal Dornoch. In terms of space and technology, it is night and day compared with the facilities within the old clubhouse.
“We were confident the new clubhouse would prove popular but even in our wildest dreams none of us were anticipating being quite so busy. That has created its own challenges, but the team has responded magnificently. It will be interesting to look back on the numbers at the end of the year to see where we are. But right now, we are well ahead of our targets in every shape or form.”