St. Andrews Golf Festival
View the 2012 St. Andrews Golf Festival film
The St. Andrews Golf Festival official film of the inaugural Festival that was held over five days in late March has been released. The film portrays the dynamic spirit of the Festival, while highlighting the rich variety of speakers who participated, the artwork, photography, handcrafted golf clubs, artifact displays and historic memorabilia that were showcased, and novel events such as street golf. The engaging film, which may be viewed at www.standrewsgolffestival.com, captures the activites that made for the successful work at the Home of Golf.
About
St. Andrews, the birthplace and spiritual home of golf, hosted the world’s first public tribute to the ancient game with the inaugural St. Andrews Golf Festival (www.standrewsgolffestival.com), on March 28-April 1, 2012.
Conceived by Richard Wax, Chairman of Golf Surveys Ltd. and Europe's leading golf consultant, the very first Festival of Golf is a global celebration in St. Andrews that aimed to draw in visitors to experience the rich history, traditions and modern innovations that reflect the 600 years that golf has been played in northeast Scotland and around the world. “The St. Andrews Golf Festival idea in part is meant to rekindle ‘the Spirit of St. Andrews’ and to create an entertaining program of events, presentations, displays and demonstrations to showcase so many dynamic aspects of the sport,” stated Wax, who will direct and coordinate the golf festival activities along with his St. Andrews based colleague, Roger McStravick, the event’s Chief Executive.
The Festival included a wide variety of exhibits and activities that include golf photography, golf literature, films, guided walks, golf humor/entertainment, cutting edge technology, golf course architecture, fashion, trends, personalities and so much more. “Tourists and locals were simply offered an unforgettable experience at the Home of Golf,” said McStravick. “We worked with a number of celebrated golf artists to create something truly special, including exciting exhibitions dedicated to legends such as Seve Ballesteros, Old Tom Morris, Bobby Jones and the greats of women’s golf. In addition to the exhibits, there were lots of fun things to do, such as ‘having a go’ at golf for the first time with SNAG Golf to trying your hand at hickory-shafted putting to playing a few holes on the world’s top courses on golf simulators. All in all, was a great time to visit St. Andrews.”
Our Involvement:
On Course Strategies is overseeing the global public relations and marketing of the inaugural St. Andrews Golf Festival. Pat Norton, managing partner of OCS, served as the Master of Ceremony at the gala awards reception on Saturday, March 31, 2012.
Recent Press Release:
--Inaugural Event Draws Golf Lovers From Around the World—
The town of St. Andrews embraced the Festival and hotels offered space to highlight a wide range of golf exhibitions including: Ryder Cup memorabilia; Babe Zaharias’s original golf club workshop; St. Andrews Golf Company’s hickory shafted clubs; golf books and paintings; tributes to Old Tom Morris, Bobby Jones and Seve Ballesteros; the exclusive unveiling of the Official 2012 Ryder Cup painting by world renowned artist Graeme Baxter; a rare collection of private photographs that were originally owned by Old Tom Morris, a Keepers of the Green display; Howard Schickler’s MasterWorks of Golf; women’s golf and much more. Outdoor activities featured SNAG® Golf (‘Starting New At Golf’) next to the St. Andrews Links Trust putting green, charity putting competitions on the Links Trust putting green, whisky tasting, Street Golf demonstration, guided town history tours, golf films, real ale tastings and media golf at Kingsbarns Golf Links and Crail’s Craighead Links and Balcomie Links. The Festival sponsored several golf lectures that covered a wide range of topics, and notable speakers were golf course architect Kyle Phillips, Irish columnist Ivan Morris, British columnist Lewine Mair, golf course rater Darius Oliver, historians David Joy, David Hamilton and Dr. Steven Reid, and Mungo Park, great grandson of the late Willie Park.
Honorees received a handsome commemorative bronze bust of Old Tom Morris, the St. Andrews born golf pioneer who is universally recognized as golf’s founding father. Tom Morris, Sr. (Old Tom Morris) was a heralded golf competitor who played in the first 36 British Opens (1860-1896) and who won the Open four times in 1861, 1862, 1864 and 1867. To this day, he remains the oldest Open champion at the age of 47. The Festival Awards Gala evening was presented by Golf Illustrated.
- St. Andrews Golf Festival Award for Honour and Integrity -- Brian Davies
- Outstanding Contribution to St. Andrews and the history and heritage of the Game – David Joy
- Literati of the Links Award for Golf Literature -- David Malcolm and Peter Crabtree for “Tom Morris of St. Andrews: The Colossus of Golf 1821-1908”
- Keepers of the Green Award for Courage -- Mike Reeder
- St. Andrews Golf Festival Award for Golf Innovation – SNAG (“Starting New at Golf”)
- St. Andrews Golf Art Award -- Walt Spitzmiller
- St. Andrews Golf Festival Award for Golf Humor -- Clive Agran
- Lawrence Levy Award for Golf Photography -- Kevin Murray
- Golf Surveys Ltd. Award for Lifetime Achievement in Golf Course Architecture -- Martin Hawtree
- Babe Zaharias Award for Outstanding Contributions to Ladies Golf -- Laura Davies
- Planet Golf Award for Excellence in Golf Course Architecture -- Kyle Phillips
- Spirit of St. Andrews Award (Golf Illustrated readers vote) -- Seve Ballesteros
Honorees received the “Old Tom Morris Award,” a handsome commemorative bust named for the St. Andrews born golf pioneer who is universally recognized as golf’s founding father.
