THE Ailsa links at Turnberry has been acclaimed as the best in the British Isles, according to Golf World's latest survey of the country's top 100 courses. It's the second time in 20 years Turnberry has been voted by the magazine as the game's supreme test.
As the European Tour gathered at the Ayrshire hotel yesterday to publicise the Race to Dubai, David Spencer, the chief executive of Leisurecorp, the new owners of Turnberry, praised the links as an unrivalled combination of beauty and intrigue. He sa
id the company were custodians of "one of the finest golfing assets in the world".
He added: "The Ailsa is a masterpiece. With the Open coming up next summer we have a chance to meet and exceed the expectations of the Royal and Ancient, the world's best golfers and the spectators. We know that people will be very interested to see what we do with Turnberry."
Leisurecorp have already earmarked £30m to upgrade the facility with every room due to be refurbished by interior designer Mary Fox Linton when the hotel closes next month. There are also plans to improve the other courses in Turnberry's portfolio, which include the 18 hole Kintyre and nine hole Arran. Greg Norman, a past Open champion who once carded 63 on the Ailsa, will oversee any alterations.
Turnberry is one of five Scottish courses in the top ten along with the Old Course, Muirfield, Carnoustie and Loch Lomond. As always with 'best of' lists, there are plenty of talking points and controversies. Royal Birkdale is ranked two spots above Muirfield. Is there anyone in golf who truly believes the Lancashire links is a better links than the jewel in East Lothian?
Similarly North Berwick's ranking of 32nd compared to Gullane No 1's 56th place seems eccentric to this observer. As does the elevated new entry for the Castle Course in 67th place, while the ranking finds no spot for the enduringly delightful New Course in St Andrews.
The full article contains 336 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
