Driving up quality in Aberdeen

A golf centre in Aberdeen established by former Open champion and Ryder Cup player Paul Lawrie is celebrating after receiving a VisitScotland 5* Quality Assurance Activity Centre award.

Set within beautiful Royal Deeside, the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre caters for the needs of all golfers. Boasting  a nine hole par three golf course, a 27-bay driving range and a world class short game area, the Centre also offers a physiotherapy service and has three PGA Teaching Professionals on hand to provide instruction in fully-equipped private teaching bays. 

The Centre experience is further enhanced by the bespoke custom fitting bay, well equipped shop and friendly coffee shop with views over the golf course and beyond.

The VisitScotland Quality Assurance report, following a visit to the Centre, said:
“The facility itself is of outstanding quality, with high quality décor, top quality facilities, excellent, carefully-sourced products in the shop and a very pleasant café.

“The golf bays themselves are presented in pristine condition, with the automated tees of the highest spec. Most importantly by far however, outstanding quality customer care is offered in all areas, from reception to tuition, through to the retail and catering offerings.

“Without this outstanding customer care, there is no way that a 5* award could have been achieved, regardless of the quality of the facility itself. Undoubtedly, it was the quality of customer care that pushed the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre into the 5* band.” 

Paul Lawrie said:

“We are delighted to receive the 5* Activity Centre award from VisitScotland for our golf centre. The standards they set are, rightly, high and we are very proud of all the members of staff who have worked so hard to achieve this accolade.
“Our priority at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre is to ensure that our customers have the best possible experience from the moment they arrive here until they leave. My wife, Marian, and I, as well as our fellow directors, understand the need to continually invest in the facility in order to improve what we offer. We are very proud of all of our staff who work hard to deliver excellent service and help to make the centre first-rate. VisitScotland’s 5* Activity Centre award is recognition of this.”

VisitScotland’s world-leading Quality Assurance schemes are highly regarded by consumers as a decision-making tool when planning their breaks. QA provides consumer reassurance as an official rating by the national tourism organisation – a testimonial to what a business provides – and helps them reach their full potential and truly shine.

VisitScotland Regional Director, Philip Smith, said:
“Scotland is the home of golf and as such, we are hugely proud of its golfing heritage. Golf tourism is incredibly important, not only to Aberdeen City and Shire but to the country as a whole.
“I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to Paul and his team at the Centre on this fantastic achievement. Five-star status shows visitors that they can expect a fantastic and enjoyable golfing experience right here in Aberdeen.
“Developed and improved over the past 25 years, VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance schemes are world leading and provide a trusted, independent and impartial source of information for visitors. It allows businesses not to just meet visitor experiences, but exceed them.”

Paul Lawrie was born in Aberdeen and brought up in Kemnay and started his professional career as an assistant to Doug Smart at Banchory Golf Club in 1986. It soon became evident that Paul was set to be a player and after a few years on the Tartan tour he got his European Tour Card in 1991 and the first of his eight European tour victories came at the Catalonia Masters in 1996. Paul’s most memorable win came at the Open at Carnoustie in 1999, coming from 10 shots back in the final round to eventually win in a playoff.

After two Ryder cup appearances, three Seve Trophy, a Royal Trophy and over 500 events on the European tour, Paul knows a thing or two about the game of golf and he wants the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre to be the best facility in the country.

Lawrie has also thrown his name behind Scotland’s newest European Tour event, The Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay, which is supported by VisitScotland and takes place at Murcar Links Golf Club, in Aberdeen, from July 30 to August 2.

VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance Scheme currently boasts over 7,000 participants and has been used as an example of best practice with countries all over the world, including Sweden and Namibia.

Caption: Pictured (L-R) are: Paul Lawrie; Philip Smith, VisitScotland Regional Director; Marian Lawrie and Craig Dempster, Director of Golf at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre.