Rowallan News

Please check here regularly for course development updates.

12-11-09 COURSE DESIGNER DELIGHTED WITH ROWALLAN

Following his final visit to Rowallan before the winter, Ross McMurray, the lead architect for Colin Montgomerie and European Golf Design, said: “I am absolutely delighted with the way the golf course has developed. Much of the site was designated as Historic Landscape so we had to adopt a highly sensitive approach to the golf course design to ensure that it blended sympathetically with its surroundings.

“By using a traditional design style and concentrating much of the feature shaping on green complexes and bunker formations we have created a golf course with a strong sense of character which responds to this wonderful setting. It is pleasing to the eye and I’m sure it will be fun to play. It has certainly exceeded my expectations.”
 
And what will the course be like to play? According to Ross the course has the potential to provide a real challenge. “First and foremost we’ve designed this course for the members,” he continued. “But there’s enough of a test for the professional golfer as well if needed. The course measures 7000 yards from the back tees, but we’ve provided a good variety of hole lengths so it won’t feel desperately long from the forward tees.

“There are even a couple of very short par 4’s which, although offering the opportunity for birdies, have the potential for some very high scores indeed. The idea is that the course will provide a real strategic test and the secret to achieving a good score will be to manage your shot selection carefully according to your own ability. And obviously you need to stay out of those bunkers!”

06-11-09 – GREENS REPORT

As we near the end of another year and take time to reflect on the progress made there is a great deal of satisfaction to be taken from the sight of players on the course.
The weather has been reasonably kind through the autumn and has allowed for the maintenance programme to run without to many headaches.

The feedback we have received since the course opened has proved invaluable and also helps us to plan and prioritise for the future

As I write we are busy carrying out some hollow coring to the fine turf areas removing the fibre that has built up at the base of the plant through the grow-in period.
It’s hard to believe that some of our greens are now over 2 years old!
It’s also hard to believe how the change in the weather patterns is having an effect on the way we manage the golf course.

I’ve already made a note in my 2010 diary for the 1st of August ` Monsoon season! ‘
The wetter summers over the last few years have certainly increased the build up of fibrous material at the base of the plant. Left to its own devices this will quickly become thatch and lead to soft, slow putting surfaces which will not sustain the finer grasses that we endeavour to maintain. Consequently we have to adjust our maintenance programmes to combat this anomaly by increasing the frequency of our aeration practises and introducing regular sand dressings to dilute and reduce this build up and maintain good air movement through to the rootzone.

Towards the end of May a deal to provide us with the necessary course machinery was arranged with the local Toro dealer and gradually the fleet has been built up to an extent where we are now able to maintain and mow the golf course to an excellent standard. Ross McMurray the golf course architect has suggested a few changes to the mowing patterns and heights of cut which we would hope to implement next spring and will make some of the holes more interesting.

During this summer it was decided to carry out the final shaping and sand installation to the bunkers in house. The shape of the bunkers was duly marked out by Ross and work began on the 1st July in glorious sunshine and 25 degrees.

My 4 guys John, Martin, Jamie and Lee obviously deserve some well deserved praise not only for their effort on the bunker programme but throughout the year.
This programme continued right through until August 28th when the last grains of sand were deposited in a fairway bunker on the 3rd. At the end of the project 1000 tonnes of sand had been moved and finally we had a golf course.

Now that we have moved away from the construction period we are now challenged with the development and progress of this truly amazing design to establish the course as one of the best in the country. We are under no illusions that there is still a great deal to be done as the course evolves to bring it to maturity and create playing conditions that can compete with the best.

The emphasis through this winter will be to keep the fine turf areas healthy and disease free and work on improving the drainage especially on the approaches and fairways which will benefit the course in terms of playability and quality.

We now have six guys on the greens team having appointed John Breignan at the beginning of September and all of them are eager and enjoying the challenge that lies ahead of us. Three of them are expectant fathers so maybe I should review their workload as they are obviously days when they are not tired enough when they get home!

Robert Johnston
Course Superintendent


23-10-09 – ROWALLAN LOOKING FANTASTIC IN THE AUTUMN SUN
Members have been enjoying something of an Indian summer over the last few weeks at Rowallan Castle.
The course has been open for just over two months now and those lucky enough to play recently have caught it at its very best. As the pictures shot this week show, the course and estate are in breathtaking condition just as the colours have mellowed to autumnal golds, oranges and reds.
Owner Niall Campbell said: “The course has been stunning over recent weeks and members and guests have been taking full advantage of the good spell of weather we have enjoyed. “I can’t be more pleased with the way the course is holding up as we head deep into autumn and I’m delighted that the feedback from some first class golfers is that the condition is excellent.
“This all augurs well for next season when the hard work that our ground staff have been putting in will really pay off.”
For more information on memberships at Rowallan Castle contact Director of Golf James Bunch on 01563 525440 or by email on james@rowallancastle.com


17.08.09 – COURSE NOW OPEN!
Rowallan Castle Golf Club is delighted to announce that the course opened for play on Monday 17th August 2009.


28.01.09 – CONGRATULATIONS MONTY
ROWALLAN Castle Golf Club is proud to have newly appointed Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie as its course designer. All involved at the club were delighted when news broke in Dubai that Monty will spearhead Europe's attempt to win the Ryder Cup back from the USA at Celtic Manor next year.
Estate owner Niall Campbell said:"Monty's appointment as Ryder Cup Captain is great news for Scotland and Scottish golf. He will be an inspirational captain drawing on his amazing record in the Ryder Cup as a player to bring the Ryder Cup back home."
"Of course this is also great news for Rowallan Castle Golf Club and its members. We are al really proud to have one of our founder members as Ryder Cup Captain."


30.07.08 – COURSE NOW IN "GROW-IN"
THE Championship course at Rowallan Castle Golf Club is growing in well thanks to the hot, humid summer weather, and is set to officially open in spring 2009. Owner Niall Campbell said he is extremely pleased with the progress of the course. He said: "Everyone who has seen our golf course and the way it is growing-in has said they can't wait to get out and play it.
"The way the course is developing has exceeded our expectations. We always knew we had the most fantastic setting, now we have a course to match."


04.10.07 – COURSE CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED
CONSTRUCTION work on Rowallan Castle, Colin Montgomerie’s first UK course design, is now finished, and those fortunate enough to have had a sneak preview have declared it a ‘classic’.”
All holes, including the famous 19th – otherwise know as “The Money Hole”, are now seeded and being lovingly nurtured and maintained by course superintendent Robert Johnston and his team.
Owner Niall Campbell said he was delighted to see the course completed, and said the official opening will be in spring 2009.
Said Niall: “I was always confident that we were building a genuinely world class golf course. Now that there is grass on tees, fairways and greens we can see just how good it is.
“The greens have some very challenging slopes on them, and approach shots will need to be very accurate to avoid Monty’s trademark guarding pot bunkers.
“First class golfers that have walked the course tell me they can’t wait to get out there and test it for themselves. And more mortal golfers will be stunned by the setting and views of Arran and Ailsa Craig that they will get on the back nine.
“This is a course that will complement the existing classic courses that we are blessed with in Ayrshire and the rest of Scotland.”


HOTEL CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT GOES TO TENDER
THE contract to build the extension to the five star Rowallan Castle hotel goes out to tender in October.
The expected opening date for the hotel will be mid 2010.
The extension will include 50 luxurious bedrooms to complement the existing suites in the A-listed Lorimer-designed “New Castle”, state of the art conference and banqueting facilities and a world-class spa.
The hotel, which will be operated by award winning hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray, will have two restaurants, which will be serve the best of locally produced Scottish food.
Glaswegian Campbell Gray is renowned in the hospitality industry for operating hotels including One Aldwych in London’s Covent Garden and Carlisle Bay in Antigua.
Estate owner said Niall Campbell said: “Rowallan Castle Golf Club will provide a five star experience for golfers, and the hotel will mirror that excellence.
“The “New” Castle will be a stunning hotel that will set new standards in luxury, dining and service.
“In Gordon Campbell Gray we have an operator who is among the best in the world, and who will make Rowallan a destination that discerning travellers and diners will want to come to again and again."

 


07.08.07 – SEEDING ALMOST COMPLETE
SOMETHING spectacular has been happening on the rolling hills of the historic Rowallan Castle Estate over the last few weeks.
Visitors to the course and those travelling on the road between Fenwick and Kilmaurs have been watching a championship golf course appear before their very eyes as grass grows on the fairways and greens in the summer heat and humidity.
Irrigation sprinklers are now fully operational and seeding is now complete on the greens and fairways of holes nine through to the now famous 19th.
Our contractors Delta Golf are about to start seeding fairways and greens on the front eight holes.
Rowallan Castle owner Niall Campbell has pronounced himself “delighted” to see grass growing on Colin Montgomerie’s first UK course design.
Said Niall: “I could not be happier with the shape that the course is taking, and it is just wonderful to see how the fairways and greens look with grass on them.
“It now looks like it is going to be an amazing test of golf, and I really can’t praise the contractors highly enough for their skill and artistry.
“I’m confident we are creating a golf course that all of Scotland can be proud of. I just can’t wait to see golf being played on it next year.”
Niall said that the seeding progress so far should mean that the course will be completed by September 2008.

ROWALLAN COURSE SUPERINTENDENT JOINS THE TEAM
GRASS is growing at Rowallan Castle under the expert supervision of new course superintendent Robert Johnston.
Robert has a wealth of experience working on some of the best golf courses in the Course Superintendent Robert Johnstoncountry, most recently Williamwood Golf Club in Glasgow.
He is to be joined by four more greenkeepers by the end of August.
For native Ayrshireman Robert coming to work on Monty’s first UK course design was a “no-brainer”.
Said Robert: “Someone in my line of work doesn’t often get the chance to come into a project like this at this stage. The potential at Rowallan is huge. I just couldn’t turn down the opportunity to take up the post.
“It’s a massive challenge, but then it’s a massive development. I’ve no doubt there’s world class course in the making here.”
Robert explained that the humid weather means that it won’t be long before the virgin grass on both fairways and greens will need their first careful cut.
Over the next few weeks Robert will take delivery of the specialist machinery needed to maintain a top class course, including work buggies and specialist fairway and greens mowers.

PLANNING CONSENT FOR BEDROOM AND SPA EXTENSION GRANTED
EAST Ayrshire Council have given the green light for the extension to Rowallan “New” Castle allowing work to go ahead on the five star hotel overlooking the 18th and 19th holes.
That is good news for award winning hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray who is now fully signed up to be the hotel operator.
The Glaswegian hospitality guru brings expertise from operating some of the finest hotels in the world, including One Aldwych in London’s Covent Garden, and its chic sister hotel Carlisle Bay in Antigua.
A main contractor will be appointed in Autumn, with work on the extension to the A-listed building expected to start in early winter.
Said estate owner Niall Campbell: “I am delighted that the planning process is now complete, meaning we can get on the extension that will house the majority of our bedrooms, banqueting centre and what I expect to be one of the finest spa facilities in the country.”
Niall explained that the “New Castle” is already available for functions, and has recently hosted weddings.
He said: “Over the coming months Monty will make a few a series of visits to Rowallan, and I look forward to showing him the progress on the hotel as well as the course. We will be hosting functions in the already completed main rooms for potential members and those who have already joined the club.