WILMINGTON, N.C. (July 1, 2010) – The 150th anniversary of the Open Championship, which will be played July 15-18 at St. Andrews, undoubtedly will inspire a renewed commitment from golfers worldwide to play the Old Course. But before they can put a peg in the ground at the Home of Golf, golfers must secure one of the game’s most cherished tee times, no small feat according to someone who has helped thousands onto golf’s most hallowed grounds.
“Playing the Old Course completes many golfers’ personal bucket list, but getting to the first tee at St. Andrews takes careful planning and often a stroke of good fortune,” said Gordon Dalgleish, co-founder and president of PerryGolf, a travel firm that has managed tours to Scotland and many of golf’s most popular destinations since 1984.
There are several ways to get on what many consider the world’s most prestigious public course, Dalgleish says, including applying for a tee time directly through the St. Andrews Links Trust’s advanced reservation process. (The Trust was established in 1974 by an Act of Parliament to operate and maintain the courses and facilities in the St. Andrews area.) Applications for starting times are accepted at the start of September for play the following year.
Golfers can also enter the Old Course daily ballot, which is drawn daily for play the following day, or show up at the first tee as a single and hope the starter can work them in with another group.
Golfers who prefer not to take their chances on the daily ballot or whose travel plans have limited flexibility can book a tour with PerryGolf and receive a guaranteed Old Course starting time. PerryGolf has enjoyed a 25-year relationship with St. Andrews Links Trust and through a longstanding agreement is able to deliver excellent confirmed access to the Old Course.
PerryGolf recently announced early-booking incentives for travel between April 1 and Dec. 31, 2011 to a number of international destinations, including Scotland. The incentives include discounted air fares and travel credits up to $500 that golfers can apply to their airfare if they are successful in reserving a starting time directly with the St. Andrews Links Trust.
“Playing the Old Course is the holy grail for most golfers,” said Dalgleish. “It’s a rare treat that creates a lifelong memory.”
About PerryGolf
Established in 1984, Wilmington, N.C.-based PerryGolf offers the travel industry’s most prestigious and diverse selection of luxury golf tours and lifestyle experiences to the British Isles, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and China. PerryGolf offers customized golf tour itineraries as well as escorted programs featuring land tours, small-ship charters and luxury train travel. The company’s exclusive online trip calculator — Plan Your Own Tour™ — allows travelers to generate immediate quotations for trips they create entirely online. For more information on PerryGolf, please visit www.perrygolf.com or call a PerryGolf travel specialist at 800-344-5257 or e-mail Information@PerryGolf.com.
Contact:
Bill Bryant
Bryant Marketing Communications
bbryant@bryantmarcomm.com
678-366-3232
