'Grand' plan links iconic landmark with Kingsbarns

Rosemary Dewar, St Andrews Citizen, 4 November 2005

Developers of the former Hamilton Hall, overlooking the 18th green of the Old Course, now own a part-share in Kingsbarns Golf Course.

The deal will give preferential access and pricing at Kingsbarns to members of 'St Andrews Grand,' the exclusive membership club being developed in the former university residence.

No parking provision is being made at the development, on Golf Place.

However, a spokewoman for the developer told the Citizen that chauffeur-driven private cars and ''the wonderful community transportation provided throughout St Andrews'' would ferry golfers between the Home of Golf and Kingsbarns.

In August, Wasserman Real Estate Capital L.L.C., which owns Hamilton Hall, announced it had secured a co-controlling interest in the pay and play, £145-a-round, Kingsbarns links.

The course is leased, for 200 years, from local landowner, Peter Erskine, of Cambo Estate.

A spokesperson for the Rhode Island-based company said plans for the 'Grand' included an ''exclusive enclave of 23 luxury residences.''

Wasserman owns stakes in more than 24 retail, residential and office properties around the world.

"We are as much in awe of the Kingsbarns Golf Links course as we are of the future site of the 'St Andrews Grand','' said boss David Wasserman.

''Together, these two projects fulfill a unique sporting experience in St Andrews.''

Terms of the deal are not being disclosed, but Wasserman stressed the company would ''maintain the impeccable reputation of the course as well as its first-class management team.''

The spokeswoman said the co-controlling interest in Kingsbarns had been bought from Californian director, Mark Parsinen, who designed and built the course with fellow Californian Kyle Phillips.

She stressed the Hamilton Hall development was not a timeshare property, but an exclusive membership club where we've combined a private golf and sporting club with a residence club.

''The interest level has been outstanding, exactly what we anticipated.'' She said it was not yet decided whether there would be guaranteed tee times at Kingsbarns for people using the 'St Andrews Grand.'