Scotland to the fore for golf
For golfers, Scotland is about as close to heaven as you can get.
It can seem as though there's a golf course round every other corner and some of the smallest and remotest of communities have golfing facilities.
Last year golf was rarely out of the headlines, thanks to the determined, an ultimately successful, drive by Donald Trump to win planning permission for a £1b showpiece golfing development at Aberdeen.
And golf is at the sporting heart of the national Homecoming Scotland 2009 tourist initiative, a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the poet Robert Burns and all things Scottish.
Golfers are really spoilt for choice. There are over 550 golf courses across the country, tailored to suit all types of player from championship layouts to links courses, beautiful parklands and memorable hidden gems.
In the Scottish Borders you have 21 courses to choose from including the outstanding Roxburghe and Cardona courses.
Four golf courses have been named the friendliest in the Borders in the new regional Golf Guide for 2009. The new edition recognises the warm welcomes on offer at the 18-hole courses the Hirsel and Minto and the 9-hole courses St Boswells and Selkirk.
The courses are part of the Freedom of the Fairways Golf Pass which has become the most popular golf pass in Scotland and is available at many local hotels including the G&A at Melrose. The Freedom of the Fairways Golf Pass covers all of the courses in the region and offers the 3-Day Golf Passport entitling the golfer to up to six rounds of golf over three consecutive weekdays (weekends four rounds) at the cost of £88 per person (£44 for juniors).
The 5-Day Golf Passport allows up to ten rounds of golf over five consecutive weekdays (weekends eight rounds) at the cost of £120 per person (£70 for juniors).
‘'We are delighted to offer the golfers this fantastic product which represents great value for money considering the quality of the participating courses," said Sandi Hellowell, Regional Director at VisitScotland.
"The prices have been put on hold for 2009 which is an added incentive to come here to play. As golf is one of the key themes of the year of Homecoming Scotland 2009 we are looking forward to welcoming more golfers to this beautiful part of Scotland.''
Golf Passes are valid between 1 April and 31 October 2009. For more informaiton visit the online shop at www.visitscottishborders.com http://www.visitscottishborders.com/ or pop in to any of the Visitor Information Centre's in Borders.