Scottish Golf Tourism Week 2023
It was a long time coming, but I was finally able to attend my first Scottish Golf Tourism Week event in January of 2023. After a post-Covid hiatus, this terrific networking opportunity could not have come at a better time for Wisconsin Golf Trips. With 3 separate groups booked for a Scotland package in 2023, I had already communicated with many of the vendors (courses, hotels, transportation companies, etc) over the past couple of years. So to get to meet many of them face-to-face and make an even stronger connection was invaluable. As the outbound arm of the company continues to grow, Scotland will most certainly be one of our major areas of focus.
SGTW Day 1 – Arrival
There were about 90 tour operators who attended Scottish Golf Tourism Week. Prior to the convention starting, the operators were split up into a number of different areas of Scotland for the FAM Trips. My FAM (short for ‘familiarization’) was focused in the Fife area in and around St. Andrews. After flying into Edinburgh, I was directed to the shuttle taking me to our first hotel of the trip, the Dunblane Hydro. I made it just in time for the first dinner of the trip, where I got to meet the other operators on the Fife FAM, and also meet our hosts from the hotel. The highlight of the evening was a Whiskey Education given by a representative of the local distillery. His level of knowledge was OUTSTANDING and all of us learned a ton about the process!
SGTW Day 2 – Exploring Fife
Our first full day together was jam packed. Our first stop was one I was really looking forward to, Kingarrock Hickory Golf. This is a 9-hole course where are only allowed to play hickory clubs. As the only hickory golfer in the group, I was slightly enthusiastic to see the operation there. We then visited Dumbarnie Links and headed next to Lundin Golf Club for a great lunch of fish & chips. After lunch we made our way to the Golf Club at Elie which has one of the more famous starts in Scotland. They have a periscope salvaged from a decommissioned Navy submarine so you can see if the first fairway is clear! We were then given a tour of the Kingsbarns Distillery on our way to a tour of the Rufflet’s Hotel located just outside of St. Andrews. Next stop: The world-famous Rusack’s Hotel which overlooks the 18th hole of the Old Course. We got to the hotel, put our bags in our rooms, then immediately walked down to the R&A Golf Museum located right behind the first tee of the Old Course. This amazing night was capped off by a dinner that our group will not soon forget at the Rusacks.
SGTW Day 3 – Mixer
Day 3 saw another full day of touring before ending up at the host hotel for the convention, the lovely Fairmont St. Andrews. I started the day by walking the 18th and visiting the Swilcan Bridge at sunrise. After breakfast at Rusacks, our tour started with a visit to Scotscraig Golf Club where we started our driving tour of the course in sunshine and then were getting hit in the face with freezing rain just a few minutes later. Next was a visit to the Duke’s Course which I was really looking forward to. The Duke’s Course is owned and operated by the Kohler Corporation, so I got to meet some Kohler employees not from Wisconsin! We then had lunch at the Ardgowan Hotel and took a tour of another local restaurant and bar down the street. Next we visited the University of St. Andrews and learned how they transition some of their student housing into options for the golf groups that flood the area during the summer months. We then got a tour of a set of apartments in downtown St. Andrews which could be another great option for golf groups. At last we ended up at the Fairmont to check in and attend the opening night mixer. Great to see all the operators and suppliers in one room!
SGTW Day 4 – Appointments
Not many photos from the convention itself. Starting at 9:00am I had meetings every 14 minutes with various suppliers from all over Scotland. Imagine speed dating with a golf focus and that is Scottish Golf Tourism Week. It takes an intense focus to keep track of who you met with and what you want to remember. After an exhausting full day of appointments I opted out of the event at a local distillery to go back to downtown St. Andrews and do my own walking tour of some of the hotels and restaurants that I didn’t get to see as part of the FAM trip. It was very educational and it was nice to stop talking for a few hours!
SGTW Day 5 – Wrap Up
The last day of the event was another full morning of appointments. Just so many interesting people to meet and places to learn about. The afternoon was left open for everyone. Some played golf, some relaxed at the hotel. I decided to go on a little adventure which started at the St Andrews Golf Company. One of my good contacts in the area set up a private tour for me of the hickory golf club factory just outside of St. Andrews. My host, Hamish Steedman, gave me an unprecedented look at how they use vintage equipment to make replica hickory clubs. I was a kid in a candy store. Coincidentally, the two other locations I wanted to visit were both in the same general area, so I decided to take a nice little stroll in the Scottish countryside. I ended up at the Hawkswood Estates where I took a tour of an amazing property. 3 separate homes, 2 putting and chipping areas, and a private driving range. A golfer’s nirvana! My last stop was the Inn at Lathones, a small hotel which two of my groups are using as part of their trips this year! To top everything off was the SGTW Gala Awards Dinner.
