sev112
Tour Winner
Annual trip with guys from work from all over UK, this year convened in Dalmahoy. We were there 5 years ago, and my abiding memory was that on almost every hole i 3 putted cos even with a bloomin big mallet i coudlnt get a putt to teh hole ...
Nice early start Friday, with a very good quality free Gordon Ramsay continental breakfast with bacon rolls in Terminal 5 in exchange for signing up for a heathrow points card (that prob wont ever get used).
Nice long wait at Edniburgh for eth clubs to appear ... ... ... ... ... ... ... which they didnt, which was rather galling given that we were teeing off at 1pm. BA confirmed that mine were the only ones of us four that they decided to leave at Heathrow. So one P***d off me.
Should be no prob; BA said they would pay "reasonable" hire costs. Taxi to Dalmahoy, colleagues check in, i go to Pro Shop to hire some clubs, beg some shoes and an umbrella (it was P***ing down). Problem No2. Mr Pro says "sorry, no hire clubs left". To which i reply, "OK, please help me out, where can i get some clubs - you have a big hotel here full of golf clubs, and there must be golf shops or other clubs in the vicinity who will lend me some clubs?" : Response (note from the Head Pro of a big resort and hotel golf club) - "There's no-where around here will lend you clubs ............................" - At which point, astounded i stomped off to find the Hotel/Resort Manager to have a discussion about Customer Care.
While waiting at reception, and the blood pressure rising rapidly, i spotted a rather old gentleman with a "Concierge" badge on - and i remembered that Concierge's jobs in hotels often involve problem solving. This chap was a credit to Marriott. he couldnt believe the response i had got from the Pro Shop, got his notebook out, and phoned teh gofl course down the road (Ratho Park - for future reference) spoke to the Pro there, told him my story and persuaded them to lend me some clubs. (Wish i'd got his name - i went back several times and there was always a differnet concierge on there)
So i get a taxi there, £20 to hire an almost unused set of TM Burner irons and White woods, taxi back to Dalmahoy. manage to get the pro Shop to lend me some shoes, but they insist i spend £20 on an umbrella (!) even though the young assistant was doing his best to say "there's one back here he can use" !!!!!!!!! PLus £15 on balls. Plus £15 for an electric trolley.
Phoned BA back and had a bit of an arugument with them cos they didnt want to reimburse me for the 2 taxi trips to and from Ratho to pick up and take back their clubs. Got an agreement in the end.
Played the shorter West course, got soaking wet, shot 34 points. Quite liked the 3 and 5 woods, but had difficulty with the TM Burners, but can see why a lot of people like them. Pretty much had to take a full backswing on any putt longer than 6ft. Several of the holes get a bit boring - up and down, but a few nice views, and a few nice holes. 15, 16 and 17 introduce a bit of fun to the holes. Course in nice condition, fairways very nice, greens OK, but just sooooo slow. Why ??
Back in hotel, swimming pool, sauna and steam room quite nice and relaxing. Nice bars. Nice food. Excellent wine, if a teeny bit pricey.
Fanatstic buffet breakfast - really good quality food.
(very pretty waitresses too
)
Golf clubs arrived later that afternoon - hooray, at least they found them.
Saturday back out on the shorter West course. Even more rain than friday. Shot 29 points due to not great front 9 in seriously wet weather. Solid back 9. Course absolutely saturated with casual water all over the fairways and some of teh greens starting to flood.
Good food, excellent wine again.
Sunday - played the longer East course at 8.16. Turned up at pro Shop at 7.45 to hire an Elec trolley to be told that none of them had been charged since the previous evening because the Pro Shop shut before they all came back in the previous evening - do they not know what time it gets dark in Scotland, nor realise that people occasionally tee off on a Sunday morning at a golf resort / hotel ???? At least the nice lady in the Pro Shop that morning gave me a free pull trolley - charging me at that point woudl have got me back to the level of Friday's stress.
A bit boring for half a dozen holes, then a bit more interesting holes appear. PLayed ok for 29 points, but once again too many 3 putts due to leaving putts short. Longer holes than West, but in most cases you could smack a driver and even if you hit a wicked slice or hook you'll probably be on the next fairway. Had some really good holes, Watch out for the "ditch" on the 18th at driving length. I laid up over it from out of the rough with a wedge, to find out that it was a massive gaping chasm about 50ft wide (with my ball in the middle). My memory obviously doesnt stretch to the same hole 5 years ago !
Summary
It rained a lot
Not much you can do about BA leaving your clubs behind. Perhaps put your wet gear, golf shoes, balls in your hand luggage might mitigate the risk a bit.
BA were not bad - but not really great; having to negotiate what they woudl pay for when i was seething wasnt wonderful.
Dalmahoy - average quality golf course. On the whole really good staff, including the BRILLIANT concierge. Good food, wine, breakfast and service. Bedrooms fine/nice. Pro Shop not caring whether i got clubs to play on the Friday, making me buy an umbrella and not having elec buggies on a Sunday morning suggests, to me at least that they need to have a think about Customer Care.
Ratho Park golf club Professional - a gentleman who was willing to go out on a limb and lend some spanking new clubs to someone. Thanks v much Looks a pretty course an nice clubhouse too.
Nice early start Friday, with a very good quality free Gordon Ramsay continental breakfast with bacon rolls in Terminal 5 in exchange for signing up for a heathrow points card (that prob wont ever get used).
Nice long wait at Edniburgh for eth clubs to appear ... ... ... ... ... ... ... which they didnt, which was rather galling given that we were teeing off at 1pm. BA confirmed that mine were the only ones of us four that they decided to leave at Heathrow. So one P***d off me.
Should be no prob; BA said they would pay "reasonable" hire costs. Taxi to Dalmahoy, colleagues check in, i go to Pro Shop to hire some clubs, beg some shoes and an umbrella (it was P***ing down). Problem No2. Mr Pro says "sorry, no hire clubs left". To which i reply, "OK, please help me out, where can i get some clubs - you have a big hotel here full of golf clubs, and there must be golf shops or other clubs in the vicinity who will lend me some clubs?" : Response (note from the Head Pro of a big resort and hotel golf club) - "There's no-where around here will lend you clubs ............................" - At which point, astounded i stomped off to find the Hotel/Resort Manager to have a discussion about Customer Care.
While waiting at reception, and the blood pressure rising rapidly, i spotted a rather old gentleman with a "Concierge" badge on - and i remembered that Concierge's jobs in hotels often involve problem solving. This chap was a credit to Marriott. he couldnt believe the response i had got from the Pro Shop, got his notebook out, and phoned teh gofl course down the road (Ratho Park - for future reference) spoke to the Pro there, told him my story and persuaded them to lend me some clubs. (Wish i'd got his name - i went back several times and there was always a differnet concierge on there)
So i get a taxi there, £20 to hire an almost unused set of TM Burner irons and White woods, taxi back to Dalmahoy. manage to get the pro Shop to lend me some shoes, but they insist i spend £20 on an umbrella (!) even though the young assistant was doing his best to say "there's one back here he can use" !!!!!!!!! PLus £15 on balls. Plus £15 for an electric trolley.
Phoned BA back and had a bit of an arugument with them cos they didnt want to reimburse me for the 2 taxi trips to and from Ratho to pick up and take back their clubs. Got an agreement in the end.
Played the shorter West course, got soaking wet, shot 34 points. Quite liked the 3 and 5 woods, but had difficulty with the TM Burners, but can see why a lot of people like them. Pretty much had to take a full backswing on any putt longer than 6ft. Several of the holes get a bit boring - up and down, but a few nice views, and a few nice holes. 15, 16 and 17 introduce a bit of fun to the holes. Course in nice condition, fairways very nice, greens OK, but just sooooo slow. Why ??
Back in hotel, swimming pool, sauna and steam room quite nice and relaxing. Nice bars. Nice food. Excellent wine, if a teeny bit pricey.
Fanatstic buffet breakfast - really good quality food.
(very pretty waitresses too
)Golf clubs arrived later that afternoon - hooray, at least they found them.
Saturday back out on the shorter West course. Even more rain than friday. Shot 29 points due to not great front 9 in seriously wet weather. Solid back 9. Course absolutely saturated with casual water all over the fairways and some of teh greens starting to flood.
Good food, excellent wine again.
Sunday - played the longer East course at 8.16. Turned up at pro Shop at 7.45 to hire an Elec trolley to be told that none of them had been charged since the previous evening because the Pro Shop shut before they all came back in the previous evening - do they not know what time it gets dark in Scotland, nor realise that people occasionally tee off on a Sunday morning at a golf resort / hotel ???? At least the nice lady in the Pro Shop that morning gave me a free pull trolley - charging me at that point woudl have got me back to the level of Friday's stress.
A bit boring for half a dozen holes, then a bit more interesting holes appear. PLayed ok for 29 points, but once again too many 3 putts due to leaving putts short. Longer holes than West, but in most cases you could smack a driver and even if you hit a wicked slice or hook you'll probably be on the next fairway. Had some really good holes, Watch out for the "ditch" on the 18th at driving length. I laid up over it from out of the rough with a wedge, to find out that it was a massive gaping chasm about 50ft wide (with my ball in the middle). My memory obviously doesnt stretch to the same hole 5 years ago !
Summary
It rained a lot
Not much you can do about BA leaving your clubs behind. Perhaps put your wet gear, golf shoes, balls in your hand luggage might mitigate the risk a bit.
BA were not bad - but not really great; having to negotiate what they woudl pay for when i was seething wasnt wonderful.
Dalmahoy - average quality golf course. On the whole really good staff, including the BRILLIANT concierge. Good food, wine, breakfast and service. Bedrooms fine/nice. Pro Shop not caring whether i got clubs to play on the Friday, making me buy an umbrella and not having elec buggies on a Sunday morning suggests, to me at least that they need to have a think about Customer Care.
Ratho Park golf club Professional - a gentleman who was willing to go out on a limb and lend some spanking new clubs to someone. Thanks v much
Looks a pretty course an nice clubhouse too.
