Royal Dornoch Golf Club‘s members have enjoyed the first look inside their spectacular new clubhouse following the completion of its construction.
Three of the Scottish club’s longest-serving members – 89-year olds Christine Murray and Sander MacDonald, and 92-year-old former professional Willie Skinner – were invited by captain Gary Bethune to step inside the building overlooking the world-famous Championship Course.
Two years after the ambitious £13.9 million project was given the green light, they were joined by dozens of fellow members eager to view the three-storey clubhouse which replaces a building which had been the club’s home 116 years.
While it a formal opening ceremony will take place in the spring, Bethune declared it “one of the most historic days in the 148 years of Royal Dornoch.”
He said: “This is our amazing new home, and one to be enjoyed by generations to come. A little over a week ago many of us got together to bid a fond farewell to a clubhouse which has served us so well in various guises since 1909. Our Championship Course is among the finest to be found anywhere in the golf world, enticing golfers from far and wide to make the pilgrimage to our historic wee town here in the Scottish Highlands. Now, I truly believe we have a clubhouse to match the reputation of our beloved links.”
While the revered Championship Course, which bears the imprint of Old Tom Morris, attracts international golfers from all over the world – over 700 of the club’s 2,000-plus members are based outside of the UK – the captain stressed Royal Dornoch would retain its distinctive Highland charm.
“This is, and always will be, a clubhouse for our members and townsfolk to gather for a meal, a cuppa or a dram, to chat and share tales of our golfing exploits,” he said. “From the days of our first pro, the legendary golf course architect Donald Ross, our long-time secretary John Sutherland and the countless men and women who have nurtured our club through times good and bad, one thing has never changed. Royal Dornoch and our members have always been eager to welcome visitors to share the legacy crafted on the links behind us, and to forge new and enduring friendships during their stay.”
General manager Neil Hampton said: “We are delivering on the dream. Everyone involved in this milestone development should be proud of what they have delivered. This is a statement of intent. In many ways, it is a new beginning for Royal Dornoch as we look to develop the Struie and create a third course here to enhance the town’s reputation as a golfing destination.
“Our old clubhouse had served us well for more than a century, but it was showing signs of its age, especially behind the scenes. It might have been homely and even quirky, but I believe people will want to linger much longer here to enjoy the ambience and the fabulous views across the links.
“I know some members, wherever they call home, were worried that we might lose the intimacy and atmosphere of what is still a proud local golf club, along with being this icon of world golf. But everything about the interior design in terms of the colour palate, fabrics, textiles and furnishings has taken this into account.
“The rich history and heritage of the club is reflected in the exhibition space and spectacular entrance hall stairway, with our archivists Christine Callingham and Eileen Macrae doing a splendid job in tandem with exhibition specialists from Mather and Co.
Rest assured the new building will continue to play an integral role in the year-round social life of the town. The Rotary, Bridge and Speakers clubs, and many others, will enjoy the warm and comfortable spaces here for their meetings. It’s going to be a huge asset to Dornoch.”
During the final stages of the contract, around 100 workers, including local sub-contractors, were on-site.
“This must rank among the more substantial private sector investments in the area and it is certainly a show of faith in Dornoch as we look to the future,” Neil noted. “Everyone involved in getting us to this stage deserves enormous credit. Our architects, Keppie Design, have impressed us from the outset and Inverness-based main contractors Morrison’s have gone the extra yard where required to deliver something truly special. What the club now has to offer members and visitors has surpassed all our expectations.”