Hosting event is a great honour
Glenn Campbell will tee-up with home advantage at Blairgowrie and he thinks stunning Rosemount (main) and Lansdowne will test Scotland’s best amateur players Brian Wesencraft Hosting the Scottish Amateur Championship is another feather in the cap of Blairgowrie.
That was the view of club captain Brian Wesencraft as the east Perthshire venue rolls out the welcome mat for the prestigious event next week.
Scotland’s finest amateur golfers will battle for supremacy over the Lansdowne and Rosemount courses from July 31 to August 5.
“It’s a feather in Blairgowrie’s cap as far as I am concerned,” Wesencraft said. “We all work hard to host these events.
“It’s a prestigious event and Blairgowrie has a long-standing relationship with Scottish Golf.
“We tend to work together to host these events and I reckon it’s a win-win.
“It’s a great venue for Scottish Golf to put these events on. We have great facilities and two great courses.
“The publicity is great for Blairgowrie and helps us market the club, while also promoting the visitor side of things.
“We’ve had nothing but positive feedback from hosting previous events. Golfers love coming to Blairgowrie for the courses and facilities.
“They always get a warm welcome, which is something we specialise in.”
Greenkeepers have been busy getting both courses in tip-top shape ahead of Tuesday’s start.
Wesencraft expects Rosemount and Lansdowne to offer up a unique challenge to competitors.
He said: “The courses are looking good. We had a very prolonged winter, one of the longest - if not severest winters we have ever had.
“More recently we have had the dry spell. Fortunately we have our own sources of water at the club. The tees and greens are beautiful.
“Like most courses in Scotland the fairways are a little brown, but I think it helps enhance the look of the place with the contrast of colours.
“They are two contrasting courses and, although both tree-lined, they have different characteristics.
“Rosemount is probably more generous and old-fashioned.
“The Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas designed Lansdowne course is longer, more challenging with the fairways narrower.
“Some golfers find it a bit more intimidating but I’m sure both courses will be a good challenge and enjoyable to the competitors.”
Blairgowrie member Gregor Graham is one of many youth players vying to impress when action tees-up on Tuesday.
“We have a great crop of juniors coming through with three or four of them featuring at both county and national level,” Wesencraft added.
“There is always room for more of them — and we do what we can to promote junior golf at Blairgowrie.
“Our two assistant pros go round the schools trying to get juniors to come along and try golf.”