Kingsbarns Golf Links scooped the overall best golf experience prize for the third year in succession at the 2016 Scottish Golf Tourism Awards.
It was the star performer at the prestigious occasion at St Andrews’ Fairmont Hotel in which entrants from Fife and Tayside won more than half of the 15 categories.
Receiving the accolade, Alan Hogg, chief executive of Kingsbarns, said: “It is all about giving our visitors the best possible experience when they come here.
“It starts with the warm reception, the bacon roll and cup of tea in the clubhouse to the welcome pack when they step on the first tee – we like to do that extra bit to make our guests’ experience enjoyable.
“That was recognised when we also won the best customer service prize at the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards.
“We receive a lot of overseas visitors at Kingsbarns but this award we have won for the third year is a row is from the votes of Scottish golfers.
“They can be critical, and we are delighted that they think so highly of us that they have voted for Kingsbarns to win this special prize again.”
The Red House Hotel in Coupar Angus was voted the best small hotel and the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews the best large hotel.
Strathmore Golf Centre in Alyth was acclaimed for offering the best value for money under £50, and Gleneagles was honoured for the best catering.
Blairgowrie Rosemount was the best course in the £50-£100 per round category, and Carnoustie Championship the best course over £100.
The awards were the culmination of the inaugural Scottish Golf Tourism Week, which VisitScotland, the country’s national tourism organisation, said will be a game-changer for golf tourism businesses in Scotland.
Scotland attracts 220,000 golf tourists generating turnover of £232 million for Scottish companies annually in an industry worth an estimated £1 billion to the economy.
Supported by VisitScotland and Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Golf Tourism Week brought the world’s leading buyers to Scotland to engage with golf tourism businesses from across the country.
Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, said: “Scotland has always been a land of golfing firsts.
“The Scottish Golf Tourism Week is another great example of that innovation and will change the way Scotland’s golf businesses engage with global buyers.
“We brought the buyers to Scotland and let the outstanding golfing product speak for itself when selling the country.”
Scottish Golf Tourism Week is seen as a signal of intent to grow the industry by capitalising on Scotland’s position as the Home of Golf and venue for many of its biggest and best competitions.
