newsletter draft - Askernish Golf Club

ASKERNISH GOLF CLUB NEWSLETTER

# 001 - SUMMER 2011

Ralph Thompson’s

THIS ISSUE

Club Chairman’s Message

FRONT • Chairman’s Message • New Development Manager PAGE 2 • Golf Course Update • Sports Illustrated Magazine PAGE 3 • Askernish Online • 2011 Marketing • R&A Student Week BACK • Getting to Askernish • 120th Anniversary Open Championship

Welcome to the first ever Askernish Golf Club newsletter. It has taken the club 116 years to get around to informing its members, visitors and friends about goings-on but, as I am sure you will agree, it has been worth the wait!

Since we re-opened the course in August 2008 the improvements have been ongoing and in the case of the greens in particular, very rapid. Our visitors comment on the difference in the playing surface each year and we will endeavor to ensure this will continue to be the case. “Finishing touches” to the course were carried out early this year thanks to the generous contributions of Mike Keiser and Tom Doak. We must acknowledge the excellent work done by our greenkeeping staff of Allan AC and Nollie and assistance from the Club Captain

Donald MacInnes and member Iain MacLaren. The appointment of John Kemp as Askernish Development Manager is an extremely important step in trying to raise the profile of the course and attempting to get as many players as possible to visit the island. John is very accessible at the Storas Uibhist Office and welcomes your emails & enquiries. We are hopeful for a large entry for the Askernish Open that is now a full weekend of competitions for a bargain entry-fee. If you haven't already sent in your booking form then please do so as quickly as possible to ensure your place. I look forward to raising a glass with you all here during the weekend. See you on the links! Ralph

Askernish Development Manager Askernish Golf Club has a new Development Manager in a position jointfunded by HIE and Leader Innse Gall. John Kemp will work directly for Stòras Uibhist, the community estate-owners of the 93,000 acre South Uist Estate, which includes Askernish Golf Course. The course is licensed by Stòras Uibhist to Askernish Golf Club CIC who manage and operate the course. John’s remit as Development Manager is to capitalise upon the potential for golf tourism, commerce, and community growth created by the restored golf course as well as working with other clubs to develop golf tourism in the Outer Hebrides. John says;

“The potential at Askernish is near-unrivalled in the world of golf; I really was taken aback when I first visited. There are few other courses that can boast the history, course, setting and scenery found here. All the work we are doing is to provide an unforgettable experience for those who play golf. Those who have visited have been delighted by the course, amazed with the environment, and well-catered for by the local hospitality.” You can contact John via email on : [email protected]

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INVESTOR NEWSLETTER ASKERNISH GOLF CLUB NEWSLETTER

ISSUE N°3

# 001 - SUMMER FALL 2011 2009

GOLF COURSE UPDATE : RESTORATION WORK CONTINUES WITH KEISER & DOAK INPUT Top Right : Erik Iverson was onsite with his ‘wee’ excavator for two weeks. Bottom Right : Erik (right) discusses the 7th green with restoration architect Martin Ebert. With support provided by Bandon Dunes owner/ developer Mike Keiser and the ongoing input from restoration architect Martin Ebert, US golf architect Tom Doak has visited Askernish and made recommendations for future works to improve the restoration work on Askernish. Doak and his associate Eric Iverson visited the course, along with Ebert, last year, and during a period of mild weather in January, a return visit by Iverson has seen some subtle reshaping to the course. Iverson has spent two weeks onsite, building or enlarging twelve tees and making alterations to three greens; on the seventh, eleventh and sixteenth holes. Iverson has worked hard to improve the playability of some of Askernish’s toughest holes, notably the brutal par four seventh, and the par three eleventh. “You’d be hard-pressed to notice the differences by looking at the greens, but the improvement in how they play is huge,” said Club Chairman Ralph Thompson. “The seventh in particular is far more open for traditional running shots. Eric has done an amazing job.” Iverson has also built two completely new greens on the course. The par three seventeenth is now played towards a green settled into the dunes, and the par five sixth, known as ‘Runway’, now has a new tee overlooking the Atlantic, and a new green that was created using no earthworks whatsoever!

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USA’s Sports Illustrated Magazine : 5-part series on Askernish! Askernish has always garnered considerable interest from the golfing media and 2011 is no different as we see a 5-part series of articles in US magazine Sport’s Illustrated covering the recent course work. The articles written by John Garrity, and photography by Thomas Loverock, are part of their award-winning decennial “This Old Course” series, and are being run in the magazine’s GolfPlus section, as well as featured on SI’s www.golf.com website. The first article was featured in the February Issue of the magazine and follows Renaissance Golf Design’s Erik Iverson as he arrives in South Uist and begins work on the golf course. Whilst the second article follows the unfolding story and features Askernish’s “Liar in Chief ” Ralph Thompson! Keep an eye on the newstands for subsequent issues of SI through the summer which will continue the series. You can also view PDFs of the articles in the Media section of the Askernish website.


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INVESTOR NEWSLETTER ASKERNISH GOLF CLUB NEWSLETTER

ISSUE N°3

# 001 - SUMMER FALL 2011 2009

Gordon Irvine (left) leads a practical workshop on bunker repair

STUDENTS VISIT ASKERNISH...

A p r i l saw R & A sc h ol ar sh i p greenkeeping students travel to Askernish to take part in the twice-annual Askernish Student Sustainability project. The students from Elmwood and Myerscough Colleges were treated to lectures and outdoor workshops on sustainable golf from leading golf industry experts; Dr Keith Duff (ecologist), Martin Ebert (golf architect), and Gordon Irvine (Master Greenkeeper). Askernish is proud to have a role in the development of the next generation of golf industr y professionals and looks forward to hosting another group of students later this year.

NEW ASKERNISH WEBSITE!

2011 Promotional Materials

Over the winter the new and improved Askernish Golf Club website has been designed and launched! The new website will allow you to keep up with everything that’s happening at the club via the News Blog; view photos, videos, and download magazine articles in the Media section; plan your trip to South Uist or download fixture lists & membership forms. As we move forward this season and beyond, we will see continued refinements to the site and features added. We will soon be launching an online tee-time reservation tool so you can book your game, and Winter 2011 will see an online shop launched where you can buy Askernish merchandise direct from the club! Visit the new site at : W W W. A S K E R N I S H G O L F C L U B . C O M

This year with the support of the Community Estate of South Uist - Storas Uibhist - and VisitScotland, we are producing a wide range of promotional materials to spread the word about Askernish Golf Club. We have produced 20,000 Askernish brochures that are being distributed to golf clubs and points of interest throughout Scotland, as well as at golf events. This is complimented by an Hebrides Outdoor Tourism brochure that also features Askernish. Later this year we will be launching our souvenir golf course guide booklet that will be a brilliant guide to your golfing trip in the Outer Hebrides, as well as a fine gift! A brand new course scorecard is also in the pipeline courtesy of a new club sponsor! If you would like to receive copies of the promotional materials being produced, please contact our Development Manager John Kemp via email on [email protected]

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ASKERNISH GOLF CLUB NEWSLETTER

# 001 - SUMMER 2011

120th ANNIVERSARY ASKERNISH OPEN GOLF WEEKEND Since the restored course opened in 2008, Askernish’s flagship event of the annual golfing calendar has been the Askernish Open. This event has been well-attended with as many as 100 golfers competing for the coveted 1st prize. The field is regularly made up of an international cohort, coming from as far afield as the mainland Europe, Scandinavia, the Americas & Africa. With 2011 marking 120 years since ‘Old’ Tom Morris laid out his course at Askernish we are celebrating this special year by expanding the event to offer additional competitions on the Friday and Sunday as well as giving competitors the chance to have a go of Hickory golf clubs, and, as usual, the ½-way house that has quickly made its way into Askernish folklore will be present.

2011 Askernish Open Golf Weekend - Friday 26th August Inaugural Mackenzie & Ebert Quaich 18-hole Stableford - Saturday 27th August Askernish Open Championship 18-holes Strokeplay - Sunday 28th August International Team Competition 18-holes Texas Scramble, upto 4-person teams. The entry fee for all 3-days of golf is just £25! To find out more about the Askernish Open Golf Weekend visit: www.askernishgolfclub.com where you can download the promotional poster and entry form.

Photos courtesy of :

Aiden Bradley ( www.golfcoursephotography.com ) John Garrity ( http://jgarrity2.wordpress.com/ ) Gordon Irvine ( www.gordonirvinemg.com ) Storas Uibhist ( www.storasuibhist.com )

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