Five north golf clubs are hoping their drive for quality will help them win a major award this week.
The prestigious Scottish Golf Tourism Awards celebrate the best courses and service to visitors.
The 11th annual awards are being staged on March 21 at the National Trust for Scotland’s five-star Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre.
Among the finalists are Royal Dornoch Golf Club and Askernish Golf Club who are up against each other in the best sustainability project category.
Clubhouse will have green benefits
Royal Dornoch plans to build a new £13.9 million clubhouse, with the environmental and cost-saving benefits of enhanced build techniques, ground source heat pump technology and contemporary insulation.
Other initiatives include cutting back rough on the Championship and Struie golf courses to take account of the bird nesting season.
Two ‘bug hotels’ have been created and bee hives have been introduced on the Struie course.
Greenkeepers also work with a fleet of 22 electrical vehicles.
Club general manager Neil Hampton said: “It’s great the awards are being held in Inverness and at such an iconic location.”
Askernish opened in 2008, with holes built around a design created in 1891 by Old Tom Morris.
The club says it recognises the importance of playing a part in protecting and restoring nature, conserving resources, taking climate action and strengthening communities.
Who else is shortlisted for an award?
Royal Dornoch has also been shortlisted in the best course over £250 category.
Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Links is a finalist in the best golf course under £100 category, while Nairn Golf Club is shortlisted for best course £100-£250.
Nairn also features in the best pro shop category, while Durness Golf Club is vying for the best 9-hole course title.
In addition, the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness is shortlisted for the best premium hotel – 4-star or equivalent.
The awards are part of Scottish Golf Tourism Week, which is being held in Inverness for the first time.
The event, held in association with Luxe Scot, was created with VisitScotland in partnership with the Press and Journal.
It is estimated golf tourism week, Scotland’s biggest golf industry conference, will be worth £3 million to the local economy.
It should also bring longer-term benefits to Inverness and the Highlands.
Thirty countries represented at event
Golf tour operators from more than 30 countries are meeting with Scottish businesses at the three-day event.
Over 100 Scottish golf businesses and 90 international tour operators are taking part.
It is estimated the tour operators in attendance bring approximately 50,000 golf tourists into Scotland each year.
Conversation