Friday, 30 October 2015

More great news for Scotland's golfing calendar with the announcement that The Solheim Cup will be played at The Gleneagles Hotel in 2019 after the Ladies European Tour voted to stage the event in Scotland, the Home of Golf for the third time in its history.


The event is regarded as the biggest tournament in women’s golf and will pit the best female professional golfers in Europe against their United States counterparts, attracting a huge worldwide audience and media profile for the host country.

And now, just five years on from hosting what was dubbed the “best-ever” Ryder Cup in September 2014, The PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles will be the venue for the biggest event in women’s golf following Scotland’s successful bid.

Commenting on the news that the Ladies European Tour’s Board voted in favour of Scotland, The Right Honourable Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland MSP, said: “This is tremendous news, not only for golf tourism and events in Scotland but for Scotland as a whole. As a nation we take a huge amount of pride in welcoming major events to our country and in women’s golf they don’t come any bigger than The Solheim Cup.

“The outstanding success of 2014 still looms large in the memory and I am delighted that Gleneagles and Scotland will once again play host to a major international team golf event. It will help cement Scotland’s reputation as the Home of Golf and the perfect stage for major golf events and help inspire a new generation of children to take up the game invented in their home country.”

Ronnie Pook from Scotland's Incoming Golf Tour Operators added, "The hosting of events such as The Solheim Cup certainly help us in promoting Scotland as a premier golf destination and the Solheim reinforces that Scotland is the very best destination for golfer of both sexes. SIGTOA members look forward to not only inviting visitors to watch the event but also to continue to build the number of femalse golfers visiting and playing golf in Scotland"
Scotland’s bid, which was led by the EventScotland team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate and backed by The Scottish Government, was submitted in August and received huge support from stars across the golfing, sporting and media spectrum.

Following the initial submission, a delegation from the Ladies European Tour visited Gleneagles as part of an official site inspection, where they met key partners who will be involved in the staging of the event including VisitScotland, The Scottish Government, Gleneagles, Perth & Kinross Council, Transport Scotland and Police Scotland. To show the nation’s support for the bid, they were also welcomed at The Scottish Parliament by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health Jamie Hepburn.

Bernard Murphy, Managing Director of The Gleneagles Hotel, said: “We are extremely proud to be chosen as the host venue for The 2019 Solheim Cup. Gleneagles has a great history of holding major international events and we are delighted to be able to add The Solheim Cup to that list. We look forward to welcoming the teams and spectators from both sides in 2019 to take part in what we are sure will be yet another memorable event.”

The Solheim Cup has grown in stature since it was last held in Scotland at Loch Lomond in 2000. The event at Gleneagles is expected to attract more than 100,000 spectators as well as being screened to hundreds of millions of homes across the globe.

Much like The Ryder Cup in 2014, Scotland will look to capitalise on the legacy associated with hosting such a major international sporting event. A key focus will be looking to drive participation in the game, with a particular emphasis on junior and family participation.

The event will also add to Scotland’s already impressive portfolio of world-class golf events lined up in future years, which includes The Open Championship in 2016 and 2018, the Senior Open Championship in 2016 and the Ricoh Women’s British Open in 2017 in addition to the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and Ladies Scottish Open on an annual basis.

It will also take place just a year after the recently-announced inaugural European Golf Team Championships at Gleneagles in 2018, which will see professional men and women golfers compete for the first time in the same competition.

Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, added: “Hosting major international sporting events is a key strand in our National Events Strategy, The Perfect Stage, and the fact that we can now add The 2019 Solheim Cup to an already envied list is fantastic news for Scotland.

“Golf is one of our key drivers for inbound tourism and hosting The Solheim Cup in 2019 will ensure that we continue to play on the world stage when it comes to major golf events. We are looking forward to once again welcoming spectators from Europe and the US and showing the world how Scotland embraces major events.”

Thursday, 29 October 2015

Solheim Cup Returns to Scotland

More good news for Scotland - The Home of Golf with the announcement today that The Solheim Cup will be played at The Gleneagles Hotel in 2019 after the Ladies European Tour voted to stage the event in Scotland for the third time in its history.

The event is regarded as the biggest tournament in women’s golf and will pit the best female professional golfers in Europe against their United States counterparts, attracting a huge worldwide audience and media profile for the host country.

And now, just five years on from hosting what was dubbed the “best-ever” Ryder Cup in September 2014, The PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles will be the venue for the biggest event in women’s golf following Scotland’s successful bid.

Commenting on the news that the Ladies European Tour’s Board voted in favour of Scotland, The Right Honourable Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland MSP, said: “This is tremendous news, not only for golf tourism and events in Scotland but for Scotland as a whole. As a nation we take a huge amount of pride in welcoming major events to our country and in women’s golf they don’t come any bigger than The Solheim Cup.

“The outstanding success of 2014 still looms large in the memory and I am delighted that Gleneagles and Scotland will once again play host to a major international team golf event. It will help cement Scotland’s reputation as the Home of Golf and the perfect stage for major golf events and help inspire a new generation of children to take up the game invented in their home country.”

Scotland’s bid, which was led by the EventScotland team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate and backed by The Scottish Government, was submitted in August and received huge support from stars across the golfing, sporting and media spectrum.

Following the initial submission, a delegation from the Ladies European Tour visited Gleneagles as part of an official site inspection, where they met key partners who will be involved in the staging of the event including VisitScotland, The Scottish Government, Gleneagles, Perth & Kinross Council, Transport Scotland and Police Scotland. To show the nation’s support for the bid, they were also welcomed at The Scottish Parliament by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health Jamie Hepburn.

Ronnie Pook, Chair of the Scottish Incoming Golf Tour Operators' Association, said: 
It's great new that another major event of this calibre is coming to Scotland. All the coverage that goes with hosting tournaments like this one, The Ryder Cup, Scottish Open and of course The Open itself all add to the mystique of Scotland as a must place to visit. As Tour Operators we are all very aware of the increased number of women golfers playing in Scotland whether with partners and family, in mixed groups or all female parties. It is great that the Ladies game is going to take centre stage in Scotland.
The Solheim Cup has grown in stature since it was last held in Scotland at Loch Lomond in 2000. The event at Gleneagles is expected to attract more than 100,000 spectators as well as being screened to hundreds of millions of homes across the globe.

Much like The Ryder Cup in 2014, Scotland will look to capitalise on the legacy associated with hosting such a major international sporting event. A key focus will be looking to drive participation in the game, with a particular emphasis on junior and family participation.

The event will also add to Scotland’s already impressive portfolio of world-class golf events lined up in future years, which includes The Open Championship in 2016 and 2018, the Senior Open Championship in 2016 and the Ricoh Women’s British Open in 2017 in addition to the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and Ladies Scottish Open on an annual basis.

It will also take place just a year after the recently-announced inaugural European Golf Team Championships at Gleneagles in 2018, which will see professional men and women golfers compete for the first time in the same competition.

Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, added: “Hosting major international sporting events is a key strand in our National Events Strategy, The Perfect Stage, and the fact that we can now add The 2019 Solheim Cup to an already envied list is fantastic news for Scotland.

“Golf is one of our key drivers for inbound tourism and hosting The Solheim Cup in 2019 will ensure that we continue to play on the world stage when it comes to major golf events. We are looking forward to once again welcoming spectators from Europe and the US and showing the world how Scotland embraces major events.”

Monday, 12 October 2015

Visit the Open Championship with Best of Scotland Holidays

Fife based SIGTOA members Best of Scotland Holidays have shared this 2016 Royal Troon Open Championship package with us. 


  • Royal Troon Golf Club, Troon, Ayrshire  
  • 14th-17th July 2016
  • 5 nights Accom; Full Breakfasts;
  • 3 Dinners; 4 Packed Lunches; All
  • Travel from Glasgow to Troon;
  • Open Golf Season Ticket & VAT


Price: £1399 per person


The Open will return to the Ayrshire coast in 2016 when the 145th Championship is played at Royal Troon and it will be the ninth time that the Championship has been held over the famous links, most recently in 2004 when veteran American Todd Hamilton overcame three-time major champion Ernie Els in a play-off.

For the first sixty years of The Open’s history, the Championship’s visits to south west Scotland were confined to Prestwick, Troon’s next-door neighbour. In 1923, all that changed: The Open came to Troon for the first time, and since then it has become a regular venue having hosted the Championship on eight occasions - 1923, 1950, 1962, 1973, 1982, 1989, 1997 and 2004.

Best of Scotland Holiday's package is based in Glasgow, not far from Royal Troon, and you will travel by Golflink train to Troon. Your hotel stay will be in the Glasgow Jury’s Inn Hotel, a few minutes’ walk from Central Station.

The four star Glasgow hotel is also a stone’s throw away from a plethora of restaurants and bars, a three minute walk from St Enoch shopping centre and just around the corner from The Arches, a unique bar, club and arts venue located beneath Glasgow’s Central Station.

All of the 321 rooms are en-suite and come with complimentary toiletries, a flat screen TV, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and room service available 24 hours. To ensure a comfortable night’s sleep, the rooms are equipped with large soft beds, with extra pillows and linen available on request.

Enjoy the best of both worlds - staying in Scotland's vibrant city of Glasgow and experiencing the greatest golf spectacle in the world, The Open at Royal Troon!

Included in your package price is:

  • 5 nights’ accommodation sharing a twin/double room in the 4 star Jury’s Inn Hotel, Glasgow (13th - 17th July)
  • Full Scottish Breakfast daily
  • 3 dinners in your hotel (simply advise the hotel which nights you would like to dine)
  • Packed lunches for the four championship days (14th - 17th July)
  • Return standard class rail tickets (Glasgow Central station to Troon, approx. 55mins on the four championship days (14th - 17th July)
  • Season ticket for the 2016 Open Championship (14th - 17th July)
  • VAT @ 20%

Best of Scotland Holidays cane can change any of the above, except the dates/hotel, and custom build a package to suit your needs. Why not play on some of the great golf courses in the west of Scotland while you are there? We will book your tee-times for you. Prefer to have a rental car instead of the train? No bother, we will organise this for you.

Find out more about Best of Scotland Holidays

2016 Troon Open Packages from Morton Golf

With the majority of the golf season now over for most Scottish visitors it might be time to take a look at what's going on in 2016.


The Open Championship return to Scotland again, this time to the Ayrshire coast and the wonderful Royal Troon Golf Club.

Most if not all of the members of the Scottish Incoming Golf Tour Operators will be offering packages and bespoke solutions to the Open Championship. Here's a sample of what's available from Morton Golf

British Open at Royal Troon / 2016


Four night package includes:

  • 4 x nights' accommodation in a 4* Glasgow hotel 
  • Full Scottish breakfast
  • Official tickets for 4 championship days of the British Open 
  • Transport by private coach to and from the British Open ( Thursday to Sunday ) 
  • Trip Information summary including sightseeing guide to Glasgow 
  • All bookings subject to availability
  • Deposits required to confirm bookings
  • We recommend all clients take Travel Insurance

Seven night package includes :

  • 7 x nights' accommodation in a 4* Glasgow hotel 
  • Full Scottish breakfast
  • Official tickets for 2 championship days of the British Open 
  • 3 x rounds of golf ( courses may be selected from Prestwick, Dundonald Links, Kilmarnock Barassie, Western Gailes ) 
  • Transport by private coach to and from the British Open ( Thursday to Sunday ) - airport transfers not included
  • Trip Information summary including sightseeing guide to Glasgow
  • All bookings subject to availability
  • Deposits required to confirm bookings
  • We recommend all clients take Travel Insurance

Find out more about Morton Golf Holidays