Golf: Turkey trip for Borders quartet

Peebles pair Gary French and Stuart Dickinson and Hawick duo Brian George and Iain Revel are among 40 club golfers from across Scotland who have booked dream spots for the showpiece final, staged at one of the European Tour’s most prestigious venues in Turkey.

It will be the first time Scottish Golf has staged one of its championships overseas, with the move part of the governing body’s ongoing campaign to provide exclusive benefits to its 222,000 member golfers.

Thanks to a ground-breaking new sponsorship deal that has boosted the nation’s most popular participation event, the luxurious Regnum Carya Golf & Spa Resort in Belek will host the 20 leading club pairings after they all battled through stiff competition from 280 other clubs in last August’s four Regional Finals.

“I’m really excited to be representing Peebles Golf Club in Turkey,” said French.

“It’s a fantastic competition and a chance to meet other club golfers playing competitive golf.

“I’ve golfed a lot in Spain, and I’ve heard the courses in Turkey are really good. Everyone has the chance of winning, it’s all on the day after all. It’s like winning anyway by making the trip, such is the prize we have won.”

The Borders quartet will be flown out to Turkey early next month courtesy of Turkish Airlines, another new official partner for the event, where they will enjoy four nights’ accommodation, a practice day on Friday, February 5, before the weekend 36-hole final from 6–7 February.