Executive Traveler May 2006
© Dale Leatherman 2006
PerryGolf, a leading provider of luxury golf travel, was established in 1984 by Scottish brothers Gordon and Colin Dalgleish. The company specializes in golf outings to the British Isles, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Gordon Dalgleish, president of PerryGolf, comments on travel trends and golf hot spots.
ET: What prompted PerryGolf to add four new destinations last year?
GD: New Zealand, Australia and South Africa collectively boast 17 of the “100 Best Courses Outside the U.S.” (Golf Digest 2005) Most Americans know these courses only by reputation. The opportunity to play them while experiencing such desirable destinations makes these tours especially appealing. New Zealand has received much attention because of Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs. Barnboogle Dunes in Tasmania is another. South Africa has great potential because of the diversity of the experience. A safari makes for a golf trip different from anything you can do in the rest of the world. These countries have an entirely different feel from an Ireland or Scotland trip, which makes them a nice complement to our traditional portfolio.
ET: Do you think of Italy as an emerging golf destination, too?
GD: I don’t know that I’d put it in that category, but it’s a golf destination that is being presented in a better fashion than in the past. Italy has not added a lot of golf courses, so it cannot be a stand-alone golf destination in the way Ireland and Scotland can. But the Italians are coming up with novel ways to take what they are famous for and use it for a different golf experience. You can play golf in the morning, attend a cooking school in the afternoon and eat what you’ve prepared with good local wines at night. You can rent a Ferrari or Maserati or another sports car made in Italy to tour the countryside.
The traveling golfer is not making a decision based entirely on golf anymore. Golf is what pushes them over the hurdle, giving them the ultimate reason to make the trip.
ET: So the trophy mentality—playing the most famous courses in the world—is not a driving force in golf travel anymore?
GD: It is, but there are two distinct types of traveling golfers. One is the trophy hunter, as you say. In every study you look at, Scotland and Ireland remain the most desirable international golf destinations for the U.S. market. For many reasons—seeing the British Open on television is the principal one—we see this focus every year. Scotland is the home of golf, so that’s a constant draw. So there is a trophy hunter mentality, and there are still many people trying to play the top 100 in the world.
ET: And the other type?
GD: On the other side you have people who are more interested in the golf lifestyle than high-profile courses. They are generally 55 or older with a healthy discretionary income. They’re affluent, retired perhaps, or own their own businesses. Golf is an essential part of their lives. They have the opportunity to travel with the spouse and maybe another couple or two. The spouses may or may not play golf. They will go to Italy for nine days, play three rounds of golf, do some cooking schools, have some great wines, and enjoy the country and the culture. They will go to South Africa for 11 days, play four rounds of golf, go on a four-day safari, and spend a few days in the wine region. Golf is an important part of the trip, but it is the destination and lifestyle that are the draw.
ET: How is this trend affecting PerryGolf?
GD: Our new offerings—South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Italy—are targeted to them. The British Isles will always be a mainstay of our business, but as Baby Boomers get older, become empty nesters and have more time, we’re going to see more of them. Traditionally people think of a golf trip as four to eight guys who play as much golf and drink as much whisky as they can in a week, and then go home with presents for the spouses in hand. I’m not saying that doesn’t still happen, but the point is that golf travel has gotten a lot more diverse and a lot more sophisticated.
Contact me to read the rest of the article or discuss second rights or a rewrite. daleatherman@cs.com