Glen Scotia Golf Club (4)

Glen Scotia tees up rescue of Scots golf club

Glen Scotia Distillery in Campbeltown has raised more than £10,000 for Machrihanish Golf Club.

One of the oldest and historic of its kind in Scotland, the landmark site suffered a devastating fire last year.

The blaze, which broke out on 19 December 2018, completely destroyed Machrihanish’s historic clubhouse. It is set to be replaced with a new purpose-built facility, subject to planning consent.

Glen Scotia, one of just three surviving distilleries in Campbeltown, formerly known as the whisky capital of the world, donated a single cask in aid of the golf club’s charity campaign. The bottlings have now sold out, raising over £10,000 for the fundraising drive.

Machrihanish Golf Club is set to build a new clubhouse with improved facilities, including a swing room, which can be used by professionals and members of the club for training purposes. The money raised by Glen Scotia’s donated cask will go towards equipment that will be used in the new room, including a simulator.

From the donated cask, Glen Scotia produced 196 bottles of single malt whisky, which were sold at the distillery’s visitor centre. The distillery commissioned a special bottle, which included the golf club’s logo, along with the cask number.

The liquid is showcases Glen Scotia’s style; smooth, sweet with real depth, with flavours of fresh tropical fruits, vanilla, malt and oak. Each bottle was sold, with some travelling as far as Sweden and America with their new owners.

Glen Scotia also donated two special bottles that were signed by Darren Clarke, 2011 Open Champion, to the club. The club intend to keep a bottle to display on the new bar, with the other to be included at an upcoming raffle.

Willie Ross, captain of Machrihanish Golf Club said: ‘We are very grateful for the support we have received from Glen Scotia. They were one of the first organisations to lend their helping hand and to have raised so much money is truly incredible.’

Iain McAlister, distillery manager, Glen Scotia, said: ‘Like everyone else in the local community, we were absolutely heartbroken by the fire at Machrihanish golf club. It is central to life here on the remote Kintyre peninsula, bringing visitors to the area and providing a much-loved social destination for locals.

‘It is highly rewarding to be able to support the campaign to rescue the club and I am looking to enjoying a dram of our single cask bottling at the club house when it eventually reopens.’

A classic links course, Machrihanish golf club is located just outside the village of Machrihanish, in Argyll. It was designed by Old Tom Morris in 1879 and attracts golfers from all over the world to play its renowned opening hole.

Its clubhouse was not a listed building and is being redesigned by G1 Architects. The Glasgow practice also redesigned the £10m St Andrews International Golf Club.

Glen Scotia’s sister brand, Loch Lomond Whiskies, is the official Spirit of The Open, golf’s oldest and most renowned championship.

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