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Peter Craigon of Morton Golf’s favourite golf course is the King’s Course at Gleneagles. Five times Open Champion, James Braid was commissioned to build both the King’s and Queen’s courses to complement the Caledonian Railway Company’s idea for a ‘Georgian Hotel …to attract the British travelling class.’Although the First World War halted work on the hotel until 1922, the King’s Course was playable by 1919.
 In 1921, the King’s Course was the venue for an informal match between the cream of British and American professional golfers. In the British team was Abe Mitchell, who went on to coach a certain Samuel Ryder.
The scenery is spectacular and distinctively Scottish - mist-topped mountains in the distance - heather, broom, birch and Scots pine teeming with wildlife. But its really special quality is a result of the undulations of the ground. Unlike many courses, most of the holes are screened from each other. It has such a wonderful sense of privacy that you could be playing your own private piece of heaven. Of course, Gleneagles is a five star destination and an international draw. However, close by are two fine courses developed by local clubs dating back to the late 19th Century. Just a mile away is the lovely parkland course of Auchterarder. An easy walking course, it has a good variety of holes with 6 challenging par 3s. Nine miles north is the picturesque town of Crieff. Hugging the side of a gentle hill, the Ferntower course has a delightful open aspect southwards across the fertile valley of Strathearn. Both courses are great places to experience the warmth of a Scottish welcome. Crieff also has the distinction of being home to Scotland’s oldest distillery, Glenturret. Having survived a chequered history, Glenturret is now home to the Famous Grouse Experience. Another local distillery well worth a visit is Tullibardine. It nestles at the foot of the Ochil Hills, renowned for the crystal purity of their spring water. This water helps to make a fine malt considered to be ‘eminently quaffable’.  However, by far the most delightful way to sample Scotland’s national drink is to take part in one of Morton Golf’s Whisky Dinners.
As entertaining as he is informative, an evening spent in the company of world renowned whisky expert Iain Stothard is an unforgettable experience. Introducing a different malt with each course, Iain takes his audience on a tour of Scotland’s whiskies, demonstrating a diversity of flavours as
astonishing as the landscape that created them. If at first it seems strange to drink malt whisky with your dinner, Iain’s enthusiasm and uncanny ability to educate your palate soon has you wondering why you would drink anything else. Iain’s encyclopaedic knowledge allows him to choose exactly the right malt for each dish so that the flavours complement each other perfectly. Mr Jesse Bean of California described his experience at one of Iain’s dinners as ‘glorious and memorable … one of the highlights of our trip.’ First class golf and the finest malt whisky - a truly Scottish combination. |
