Teeing off like Tom Watson: A weekend of golf, spa and fine food at Turnberry

By MATT FORTUNE

In the footsteps of giants... Matt tries his hand on Turnberry's famous Ailsa course


Only last year, a story both so warming to the spirit and then so gut-wrenchingly crushing for the millions who bore witness to it, reached a dramatic conclusion upon the very patch of grass on which I now stand. Strange, then, that with the cold chill of the Irish Sea bellowing around my exhausted, aching body, I feel such freedom and splendid isolation. It's perfect. It's just the way I planned it.

I am standing on the 18th green of one of the planet's finest links golf courses, Ailsa at Turnberry, having enjoyed a soul-cleansing morning playing a round in this simply breathtaking pocket of western Scotland.

The story to which I am referring is that of American Tom Watson, a then 59-year-old iconic figure in the world of golf. His achievement and subsequent failure is a tale which threatened for much of an astonishing four days in July 2009 to usurp 149 years of drama which had come before.

Turnberry, now part of Starwood's Luxury Collection, was playing host to golf's Open Championship, an event which post-dated a multi-million pound renovation of the century-old hotel overlooking the course. It was the fourth time golf's longest-running major tournament had been held here.

Watson, who triumphed at the first in 1977, produced the performance of his life, fighting himself into a position where only an eight-foot putt stood between him and a place in the history books as the oldest winner of a major. Inexplicably he missed by several inches before eventually being beaten in a play-off by Stewart Cink, his fellow countryman who would have been in nappies at the time of Watson's 'Duel in the Sun' victory 32 years earlier.


Hole in how many? After a gruelling but thrilling round, Matt makes his way back to Turnberry's more lavish quarters


My own performance on the course barely deserves mention alongside such monumental contests, despite the best efforts of tutor Michael during an hour-long clinic at the on-site Colin Montgomerie Golf Academy.
The Ryder Cup-winning captain has family ties nearby and attached himself officially to the resort in 2000. The state of the art learning centre boasts indoor and outdoor teaching areas, simulators and swing analysers, as well as a short game pitching spot and putting course. Michael's enthusiasm helps temper the sadness I feel at my need for almost total technique reconstruction. One day, I tell him, I'll come back and measure up perfectly with the video grab of Tiger Woods to which my swing was compared. His smile tells me that 'one day' is several years away!

Out on the course Watson's spirit still whistles through the long grass beside the beautifully kempt fairways, as does the emotion of his triumph several decades ago. In fact every corner of the resort offers some insight into time past. A run of tarmac dissecting two of the three golf courses, for example, was used in wartime as an RAF flying school while the hotel itself was a hospital for soldiers wounded in action during both major conflicts of the 20th century. That the strip is still there says much for how in touch Turnberry is with where it came from.

I take pleasure in ambling through one particular corridor showcasing the celebrities and dignitaries to have spent the night; Rod Stewart to Bill Clinton and back to Ronnie Corbett. So many famous faces, so many stories to tell. I now have my own... but how I performed on the course is not one I dare embarrass myself with by making public.

Even the huge pre-Open renovation hasn't scrubbed away at the past. I'm told the original blueprints which hang on the walls were extensively studied prior to any building work after they were found stashed in the attic.


Learn to tee off like Tiger: Guests can hone their skills with expert tuition at Turnberry's golf academy


And in a similar vein, my room is contemporary in its decor yet classic in its style. I am in one of 198 standard rooms - there are also four special suites, each named after one of the four Open winners from the past - many of which offer glorious views out across the Firth of Clyde waterway.

Peering out of my window, the eyes are instantly drawn west towards the first tee. There, the coast is dominated by the Ailsa Craig, a gigantic granite-rich island which intimidatingly rises almost 350-metres from beneath the waves between the lowlands of mainland Britain and Northern Ireland, some 10 miles from the Scottish coast.

For all Turnberry's rich historical tapestry, it is now a place bursting with modernity. Along with outdoor pursuits just a short shuttle from the main facility, the resort boasts one of the country's most widely acclaimed spas, opened as an attachment to the main building by Prince Edward in 1991.

Walking from the main body of the hotel to the adjoining complex throws me back to what was on offer before 2008's refurb - still 'luxurious' but uncomfortably dated and out of kilter with the rest of the resort. A rare, perhaps only, blotch on the copybook.

Once through it, though, those who want to tone (not me) can use the fully equipped gym, but others (me) who need retuning can totally wind down in one of 12 serene therapy rooms.

The pool, sided by a waterfall and illuminated by soothing underwater lights is small by conventional standards (less than 20 metres), but perfect for lazy lengths.

The vast windows which surround it offer panoramic sea views, and the accompanying jacuzzi, sauna and steam room allowed my mind to wander from the familiar stresses of home life. The whole afternoon teed me up perfectly for dinner.


It's not all windswept greens, Turnberry's softer side focuses on fine dining, comfortable rooms with wonderful views and a luxury spa, perfect for soothing golf aches


Ah, dinner. So often the maker or breaker in hotels which, such as these, shimmer on the surface. Having already been impressed by the authenticity of the resort - and by that I don't just mean the concierge in a kilt or the sound of bagpipes every evening - I was intent on staying Scottish in my choice of meal. Executive chef Ralph Porciani, once thanked in writing by Margaret Thatcher for the 'most perfect piece of salmon she ever had', has created a vibrant yet classical menu encompassing all the strengths of the locale. In the resort's signature restaurant, 1906, my oak smoked Scottish salmon - the Iron Lady was right - starter, the melt-in-the-mouth steak cooked at the table for main, and crepe suzette dessert were all of the highest standard. Unsurprisingly breakfast was the same.

The romantics among you can eat in the James Miller Room (named after the architect responsible for the original build in 1906), an intimate and contemporary fine dining experience priced at £65 a head, exclusive of drinks.


Perfectly placed: The view over the Irish Sea from Turnberry's courses is soul-stirring


A stay at Turnberry isn't cheap but I never felt short-changed. Affluence is all around but never overbearing. It is no more prevalent than on the whisky list where, grouped by region, prices soar as high as £395 for a double measure. Also, for those who shot a better round than me, cigars valued at approaching £50 are available. Maybe next time.

As I leave Turnberry behind, I remember a jibe aimed at me by a colleague when he heard of the trip. 'It will take you bloody hours to get round,' he said. In a place as beautiful as this, I'd happily have taken several days.


Travel facts
A winter (until end of March 2011) break at Turnberry starts from £195 (staying Mon/Sun) rising to £295 per person for a Fri/Sat stay.

Prices are based on two sharing a room and guests also get one of four Turnberry experiences included: a three-course dinner in 1906, round of golf on the Kintyre, ESPA spa experience or a tailored outdoor pursuit.

To book, or for more details, visit www.turnberryresort.co.uk/choice or call 01655 333 991.


source:dailymail