Kingsbarns Golf Links has, for the second successive year, been recognised with a major hospitality and tourism award.
The Fife venue retained the ‘Scotland’s Best Golf Experience’ title at the 2015 Scottish Golf Tourism Awards. It was one of three prizes won by the co-host of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at the glittering bash last Friday, 13th November.
The award, voted for by golfing visitors to Scotland’s courses, was presented at the Fairmont St Andrews Resort on a night celebrating the very best of the Scottish golf tourism industry.
Kingsbarns Golf Links held off stiff competition from other contenders for the biggest prize of the night, including Carnoustie Golf Links, the Gleneagles Hotel and Castle Stuart Golf Links.
“It’s humbling to win this award again,” said Alan Hogg, the chief executive of Kingbarns Golf Links. “This is the one we really wanted to win because what we’ve seen in Scotland over the last few years is that it’s not enough just to have great greens, or the best bacon roll, and so on. It’s about putting it all together.
“It’s a simple formula. We communicate, we’re there for our customers and we try to do everything we possibly can to make their experience the best one possible, so we’re thrilled to have been recognised in this way once again.”
Tom Lovering, the organiser of the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards, added: “Kingsbarns Golf Links clearly excels when it comes to delivering a quality experience that ticks all the boxes for its golfing visitors.
“To win this award once is a great achievement but to do it back-to-back really is testament to its staff’s ongoing commitment to excellence.”
The full list of winners on the night is as follows:
The Best Customer Service: Kingsbarns Golf Links
The Best Pro Shop: Gleneagles Hotel
The Best Clubhouse: The Carrick on Loch Lomond
The Best Catering: Machrihanish Dunes
The Best Value For Money Club (Under £50): Murrayshall
The Best Value For Money Club (£50 and £100): Macdonald Spey Valley
The Best Value For Money Club (Over £100): Kingsbarns Golf Links
The Best Golf Course (Under £50): Alyth
The Best Golf Course (£50-£100): Cruden Bay
The Best Golf Course (Over £100): Trump International Golf Links Scotland
The Best Small Hotel (20 Rooms Or Less): The Crusoe Hotel
The Best Hotel (21 to 50 Rooms): The Ugadale Hotel
The Best Large Hotel (50 Rooms Or More) : Fairmont St Andrews
Scotland’s Best Golf Experience: Kingsbarns Golf Links
A ‘Special Recognition Award’ was also presented to former Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup captain Colin Dalgleish for his services to the Scottish golf tourism industry through his company Perry Golf. The likes of Colin Montgomerie and Matt Kuchar were amongst those who paid tribute to the Helensburgh man.
Scottish Golf Tourism Awards www.scottishgolftourismawards.com