Bid for golf course funding

The Courier, 27 February 1999

Funding is being sought to complete an ambitious golf course development in Perthshire.

Work first began on Tullybannocher Golf Club near Comrie in the early 1990s but the plan to establish a course on a par with the country’s top names ran into difficulties and the work was never completed.

Now a drive to get the necessary funding into place has been launched to finish the course, which lies 19 miles from Gleneagles Hotel.

“With the much publicised success of Loch Lomond and Skibo Castle, the demand for exclusive golf clubs is set to continue and increase,” said marketing consultant Blane Dodds.

“Tullybannocher offers a unique opportunity to enter this market.

“All the relevant golf personnel that have viewed the site at first hand are agreed on this point.

“Tullybannocher has the potential to be ranked amongst the very best courses in the United Kingdom. Certainly, as far as the scenery is concerned, it is unsurpassed.”

The present owners of the development have put in around £1.2 million to date and the course is 35% to 40% complete, he said.

With full planning consent for an 18-hole golf course, driving range and clubhouse set in 165k acres, investors are being sought to ensure the plan - which was originally launched with Japanese backing - becomes a reality.

“We are examining bringing in external finance to fund the completion of the development,” said Mr Dodds. “We have an open book in terms of how this can be achieved, from selling shares to recruitment of investment in part from a number of sources or in whole from one investor.”

To attract funding a detailed business plan has been prepared and a marketing team engaged.

A website has also been prepared which could attract foreign interest in Tullybannocher.