Tee-off time for new golf complex

Gordon Berry, The Courier, 26 August 2005

The multi-million pound plans for a golf and leisure complex at Feddinch, near St Andrews, have taken a massive step forward with news that the venture is to become part of one of the world’s exclusive membership organisations.

Yesterday Tayside business man Ewan McKay, who fought over a period of several years to gain planning consent for the site to the south-west of the town, announced that work would begin in a few weeks.

He said that an association has been formed with the American couple, Tim and Edra Blixseth, who own the world’s only private golf and ski community, the Yellowstone Club in Montana.

The involvement of the couple in what will become another major resort in Fife will bring added US influence to a local leisure industry which already includes the Old Course Hotel and St Andrews Bay complexes.

Mr McKay said that the complex, always intended as a destination for private members, will be developed under the name of Yellowstone Club World. It will have an 18-hole golf course, clubhouse and spa, and 40 accommodation suites.

He said that 55-year-old Mr Blixseth is the chief executive of the Blixseth Group, which has more than one million acres of forestry in the US.

Mr Blixseth lives in Porcupine Creek, Rancho Mirage, California and owns a 240-acre residence which includes his personal 6724-yard golf course with its own clubhouse in his “back garden.”

Mr McKay said, “Such is his love for golf, he successfully developed The Yellowstone Club, the world’s only private golf and ski community in Montana, and now plans to provide its members with a further nine top class resort and golfing facilities throughout the world.

“Members will be able to stay at The Yellowstone Club in Montana, a castle in England or Ireland, a villa in Tuscany, the new Feddinch private golf club at St Andrews, a golf club at Cabo San Lucas in Mexico, a fishing lodge in Alaska where members can fish for salmon on six remote rivers, and several other beach, spa and golfing facilities around the world.

“Tim aims to create the most exclusive resort club in the world, which will allow its members to enjoy the finest facilities available. Members will also benefit from entitlement to use the club’s luxurious yachts and fleet of private jets.”

Mr McKay said that the launch of the Yellowstone Club World adds a new dimension to the fast growing business of destination clubs.

He said the requirement for £7 million worth of advance memberships before work could be started at Feddinch has now been met. The Yellowstone Club, he said, already has around 800 members and a massive existing pot of membership fees.

Mr McKay said that former Open champion Tom Weiskopf, a personal friend of Mr Blixseth, had designed the course in Montana, and has been retained to design the course at Feddinch.

Mr Weiskopf, who has already spent time at the Feddinch site, is expected to make one more trip next month. It is intended that work will begin in late October, and the complex will be opened in 2008.

Mr McKay’s involvement will continue, as he is to be in charge of European developments, which will also include England, Ireland and Portugal.

He said that agreement in principle has already been reached to buy Humewood Castle and its estates in County Wicklow.