The Pro
On our travels, we were staggered by the kindness of the people we met along the way, and none more so than the head professional at Shiskine Golf Club, Mr Dougie Bell. Not only did he supply us with some delicious local Arran Dairies Ice Cream before we went out onto the golf course, he drove out to us to deliver us some more local produce as we were halfway round, but this time it was something special. Does it get any better!
The Greenkeeper
Long-time head greenkeeper at the prestigious Shiskine Golf and Tennis Club in Arran, Stuart has overseen the development of Shiskine over the years as it has become one of the best courses in Scotland. Stuart had so many stories to tell, and it was fantastic to see someone that truly loved both the island of Arran, and the responsibility of being a greenkeeper at Shiskine Golf (and Tennis!) Club.
The Host
One of the people instrumental to the transformation of Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club and the Ugadale Hotel to the increasingly popular holiday location it is today, Peter has become a central figure at both the golf club and hotel, welcoming visitors from all over the world on a regular basis. On this occasion, he provided an insight into the Japanese golfers visiting Machrihanish Dunes, and they sure do know how to pack their schedules while on holiday!
The Tractor Renovator
A bus driver for decades, if you take the bus from Glasgow to Campbeltown you may well run into this warm hearted man. His passion is renovating vintage tractors to their former beauty, and we were privileged enough to get a look at his large collection. A prize winner on many occasions with an impressive collection of medals, there is nothing more pleasing to Jackie than taking tractors to local shows and taking the top prize.
The Chef
A chef who had not cooked much before stepping foot in the kitchen of a restaurant, JP fell in love with his newfound passion instantly, and detailed his journey of living on a number of other Scottish islands such as the Isle of Skye, finishing at the position he now holds, as Head Chef at The Kinloch Hotel's prestigious restaurant on Arran. JP told us about the abundance of ingredients available to him from nearby farms, and the creativity that the chefs are encouraged to show on the lunch and dinner menu at the hotel. But, there was only one option when choosing his favourite dinner to eat at home for JP!
The Photographer
A popular figure at The Shiskine Golf and Tennis Club on Arran, Hamish has spent his years on the island honing his photography skills on the breathtaking local surroundings on the island of Arran, taking some of the best photos we have ever seen. We spoke to him about his photography tips, lockdown, and the clear air on Arran.
The Farmer
David, a dairy farmer since leaving school embodies all that is good about rural Scotland. Generous, kind, gentle and caring, he’s in that rare breed of people that have time for each other. Not a golfer but when we needed an extra cameraman – he was up to the challenge.
The Drone Pilot
After a chance encounter with Richard at the dinner table on a special first night at the Machrie, and over two hours chatting away whilst dining in the fantastic restaurant, we were very thrilled to interview him on camera in our first location of the series. In this snippet of the interview, we spoke to Richard about his road to being a drone pilot, why his favourite flying experiences are filming trains, and what is was like working with Gordon Ramsay, Gino D'Acampo, and Fred Sirieix on their latest television show.
The Mountain Rescue Volunteer
The wonderful thing about our journey is we meet people along the way and they share their amazing life stories with us. Ewan is the head greenkeeper at Corrie Golf Club, a delightful nine hole course that runs up to the base of Goat Fell – the 1000m mountain that towers over the whole of the island. Gus is the only person looking after the course, and what a fantastic job he’s doing. But this isn’t his only job. He leads the mountain rescue team, for the many who every year fall foul of conditions on what can be a treacherous mountain.
The Distillery Founder
Anthony, the founder and owner of Kilchoman Distillery on Islay, has overseen the Kilchoman Range of whiskies as they have become a huge success, even in the highly competitive whisky market, especially on Islay itself, with eight other distilleries on the island. He speaks about this and more in this snippet of the interview with the man himself.
The Greenkeeper
Gus and Machrihanish Dunes go hand in hand, and he has been tending to the golf course ever since its inception in 2009. With an emphasis on keeping fertilizers off the golf course, Gus and his team always ensure that mother nature is their guide as they prepare the course, tackling often brutal climates in varying seasons.
The Greenkeeper
Head greenkeeper at Machrihanish is quite some responsibility. Tending to these ancient links, he is the custodian of a course that’s a kind of holy grail golfing venue. And what a job he’s doing. We’ve played this course a few times over the years and I have to say it’s never looked better. Craig is one of those men who could sit and chat to for hours. Knowledgeable, modest and enthusiastic he gives an insight into what this great course is all about.