Golfing enthusiasts are travelling near and far to Scotland to play a new golf trail spanning Aberdeenshire, Moray and the Highlands to celebrate one of the sport’s greatest figures.
Aberdeen-based Bonnie Wee Golf launched the Old Tom Morris Trail three months ago and it has been well received by golf fans.
The managing director, Dave Harris, hopes the 18-course trail will become Scotland’s golfing equivalent of the North Coast 500.
Mr Harris said: “Within the next few years, I have no doubt we will be seeing thousands of players annually from all parts of the world making a pilgrimage to Scotland to experience the delights of the trail.
“I have been overwhelmed at the response Bonnie Wee Golf has had to date.
“We have already had dozens of booking inquiries from lovers of the sport from as far away as Australia and the US, with significant interest also coming from golfing enthusiasts closer to home in the UK and mainland Europe.
Who was Tom Morris?
Old Tom, also known as the Grand Old Man of Golf, was born in St Andrews 201 years ago tomorrow on June 16.
Widely acknowledged as one of the most important people in the history of golf, Mr Morris helped to spread the game all over Scotland and around the world.
Speaking on Good Morning Scotland (GMS) earlier today, US-based golf historian and author Stephen Proctor, said: “He was the fount of wisdom for golf in that age.
“If you had any questions about golf; how to grow your grass, what professional you needed for your club, anything at all, you went to Old Tom.”
A ‘dramatic’ trail of courses
The author is spending a month enjoying the various challenges of all the courses on the trail and is sure it will be a “smash hit” for Scotland.
The created trail allows players to retrace his steps playing on a few of the courses the golfing professional created. It includes some of Scotland’s most spectacular and challenging courses and has been backed by VistiScotland.
When asked what made the courses different, Mr Proctor added: “I think Tom’s style would be defined by drama.
“He loved to have really dramatic holes and really dramatic names for features even one of the holes at Crail is called Hell’s Hole.”
Its official starting point is Askernish on South Uist and ends in Machrihanish on the Mull of Kintyre. The courses offered allow players of all skill levels to play in any order they prefer.
Those taking part can collect a commemorative coin for each course they visit during the Old Tom Morris Trail.
‘Big backlog of golfers’ after Covid
Mr Harris, who set up Bonnie Wee Golf around 20 years ago, said that Scottish golf tourism has been booming since the relaxation of Covid rules.
He added: “Clients are finally getting to make trips which were put on hold by Covid.
“There is a big backlog of golfers wishing to make that ultimate trip to Scotland to play some of the finest courses. It’s great to have travel corridors open again and we are delighted to welcome clients from all around the world.”
For more information on the trail and courses included, visit the website here.
