Escorted Tours with Wilkinson Travel Services

Gary Wilkinson of Wilkinson Travel Services has been offering and organising escorted golf tours for his clients for more than two decades and his latest offering features Steve Johnson from Pinehurst.

Steve has been a PGA of America member for over 35 years, has been making the trans-Atlantic trip to the UK for over 20 years to enjoy and test the greatest links courses in the world.

Steve, an accomplished player, has a real passion for playing the great links courses throughout the UK, and Steve puts Scotland at the top of his list of favourite places to visit.

Steve's love for the game of golf, along with and affection for the game's history and his knowledge of golf course architecture kindles his desire to continue making trips to Scotland the Home of Golf.

As well as having worked for the late legendary golfer Arnold Palmer for many years, Steve
has also worked with such renown golf course architects as Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, P.B. Dye, Bob Simmons, Bruce Charlton (RTJ,III), Chi Chi Rodriquez, among others.

Steve is very excited to be escorting another group of avid golfers to Scotland and share his broad knowledge of the history game and the courses that are included in this wonderful
golfing package.

Steve Johnson Escorted Tour to Scotland

Date of arrival - September 16th

• Day 1 Arrive Edinburgh Carnoustie Golf Hotel Sat 16th
• Day 2 Castle Course Carnoustie Golf Hotel Sun 17th
• Day 3 Carnoustie Radisson blu, Edinburgh Mon 18th
• Day 4 free day Radisson blu, Edinburgh Tue 19th
• Day 5 North Berwick Radisson blu, Edinburgh Wed 20th
• Day 6 Prestwick Marine Hotel, Troon Thu 21st
• Day 7 Western Gailes Marine Hotel, Troon Fri 22nd
• Day 8 Depart Glasgow Sat 23rd

Price inclusive of:

• 7 nights accommodation with breakfasts
• 5 rounds of golf
• Dedicated coach and driver throughout
• Welcome and farewell dinner
• Clubhouse lunch at Western Gailes
• Airport meet and greet 

You can read about the whole experience here

Download Full Tour PDF

Morton Golf Open Championship Packages 2017

As it happens The Open has to be played outside of Scotland occasionally!

In 2017 it's the turn of Royal Birkdale to host the annual week by the seaside. However that doesn't stop Scottish Incoming Golf Tour Operators spreading their wings and offering inclusive packages across the border!

Morton Golf Holidays have published their week long package for this summer and you can download it here.

Download PDF

Itinerary

Mon 17th : Arrive in Liverpool and stay in 4* Hotel for 7 nights

Tues 18th : Royal Liverpool

Wed 19th : : West Lancashire GC

Thur 20th : Formby Golf Club

Frid 21st : Open Championship

Sat 22nd : Open Championship

Sun 23rd : Open Championship Final Round

Mon 24th : Royal Lytham & St Annes GC

Included

• Accommodation for 7 nights at the 4* Staybridge Suites in Liverpool Bed & Breakfast basis. Very close to great bars and restaurants.
• Open Championship tickets for 3 days
• 4 x Games of golf
• Sightseeing information
• Restaurant list / Dinner reservations made if required Caddies requested if required
• Trip Information summary

Contact Morton Golf for further information

Gullane No 1 Course is one of the best links courses in the world

Feature from SIGTOA member Peter Craigon, Managing Director, Morton Golf Holidays. – 17th Feb 2017

Gullane No 1 Course on Scotland's East Coast is one of the best links courses in the world and yesterday I was delighted to play it as a guest of long time member and champion Lindsay Gordon.

Lindsay was partnered by another member of over 10 years standing, Alastair Taylor whilst my partner was my life-long golfing buddy and friend Iain (Giddy) Simpson who is the Managing Secretary at Crieff Golf Club.

Now Giddy and I did not play too badly but we were very soundly beaten by an onslaught of birdies especially from Lindsay who in the words of his partner “somebody should remind Lindsay what age he is.

In fact, he is actually 66 years old and in his round yesterday he beat his age scoring a sensational 65 ( 6 under par ) – and we were off the medal tees so the course was playing just under 6600 yards with an SSS of 72.

All I can say is that it was a privilege to witness such a fantastic round at such close quarters – having 8 birdies round the course which in 2015 hosted the Scottish Open won by Rickie Fowler was wonderful golf.

In fact Lindsay had 8 birdies in a 13 hole stretch from the 4th to the 16th – 5 of those coming in a row from the 12th!

It’s a long time since I have been in a match where I was rooting so much for my opponent – Iain and I having lost 5 and 3 on the 15th green.

When on 16 Lindsay knocked a 5 iron into 6 feet and holed it for two – that meant if he could birdie the last 2 holes it would be a 10 birdie round with 8 of those coming on the back 9 !!!

As it turned out both birdie putts on 17 and 18 missed narrowly but what a round – and from a golfer who is an OAP !

Yesterday we were blessed with the most fantastic Scottish winter weather – no wind, sunny all the way round and a temperature of around 10 degrees centigrade.

The views “up” the (Firth of) Forth to Edinburgh and beyond to the new Forth Bridge were nothing short of sensational.

I am delighted to say we have a number of clients playing at Gullane this year and I know they will have a wonderful golfing experience.

Thanks to Gullane for yesterday – the course was fantastic as was the revamped clubhouse and of course I will remember Lindsay’s round for many a year to come.

Gleaneagles part of Glasgow's 2018 European Championships

Gleneagles, the world-renowned luxury hotel, has today been unveiled as an Official Supporter of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships – an exciting new multi-sport event that will see Gleneagles make golfing history as host of the first ever European Golf Team Championships.

To be staged every four years, the European Championships will combine the existing European Championships of Athletics, Aquatics, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon. The first edition will be held in 2018 in a unique sporting partnership between Host Cities Glasgow and Berlin.

The European Golf Team Championships is the only new event being staged as part of Glasgow 2018 and will take place at the famous Jack Nicklaus-designed Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course – the same venue that hosted Europe’s memorable victory over the USA in the 2014 Ryder Cup.

The Championships promise to be a game changing moment for golf, with Europe’s elite men and women set to compete together for the first time. It is backed by the European Tour and Ladies European Tour and will include a men’s and women’s event along with a ground-breaking mixed competition.  

Host Venue and Official Supporter Gleneagles is home to some of the best golf facilities in the world including three championship courses and the PGA National Golf Academy. Gleneagles is a former long-standing European Tour and Ladies European Tour venue and has unrivalled experience of hosting international events such as The Ryder Cup.

The European Golf Team Championships will also build on Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for major events such as The Open, Scottish Open and Women’s British Open as well as major one-off events like The Ryder Cup and The Solheim Cup.

Aileen Campbell MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Sport, said: “Gleneagles has staged many prestigious golf tournaments through its history and was the home to what many regard as the best Ryder Cup ever in 2014. In 2018 Gleneagles will be the magnificent setting for European Championships and will see elite men and women golfers compete together for the first time.

“In 2014 the Ryder Cup players spoke about the top class facilities, an enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowd and left with good memories and we know it will be the same for those taking part in the inaugural European Championships in 2018.”

Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “The European Championships will be a new highlight on the global sporting calendar, set to be played out in front of a potential television audience of up to one billion people.

“Gleneagles is a world leader when it comes to golf and we are delighted that they will play such a crucial role in the delivery of the new European Golf Team Championships, which will be a real first for world sport.

“Glasgow is the gateway to Scotland and partnerships such as this with Gleneagles will help us bring one million more people to the city as part of Glasgow’s Tourism and Visitor Plan to 2023.”
 
Bernard Murphy, Gleneagles’ Managing Director, said: “We’re proud to be associated with what will be a ground-breaking moment in sporting history. The event will build on Gleneagles’ long history of raising the bar in golf and breaking cultural boundaries in sport – including the first match between British and American professionals in 1921.

“We look forward to continuing that tradition at the European Golf Team Championships, when Europe’s leading men and women compete together for the first time, in what will be a real historic moment for the sport.

“We are therefore delighted to be announced as an Official Supporter of Glasgow 2018, and look forward to delivering an inspiring event that will strengthen Gleneagles’ reputation as one of the foremost golfing venues in the world.”

Attendances across Glasgow 2018 are expected to be in the region of 250,000 with registration for priority access to tickets currently available at www.glasgow2018.com for all sports including golf.

As part of the inaugural European Championships in 2018 around 3,000 athletes will visit Scotland for six events (Aquatics, Cycling, Golf, Gymnastics, Rowing and Triathlon) while a further 1,500 athletes will compete in Berlin as part of the European Athletics Championships.