GOLF FLIGHTS WELCOMED - MATHER

Proposals by David West and his Loch Lomond Seaplanes company to extend their seaplane service to deliver golfers to the superb gold courses of Kintyre and Islay have been welcomed by Jim Mather, MSP, for Argyll & Bute. The seaplane service has already been a boost to west highland tourism with its flights from the Clyde in central Glasgow to Oban and Tobermory and this is yet another imaginative move.

Jim Mather said,

"Having seen the setting up and launch of the Machrihanish Dunes resort I am delighted to see that the potential realised for expanding the golfing appeal of Kintyre and of Islay by providing an air ferry service based on Prestwick, another of Scotland's golf attractions.

As David West of Loch Lomond Seaplanes has stated the new Machrihanish Dunes course and the historic Machrihanish Course are but a short hop of twenty minutes away from Prestwick. The beautiful Machrie course on Islay, known only to true aficionados, is less than ten minutes on and for those who really want to extend the golf experience there are superb courses accessible in Northern Ireland 25 minutes flying time from Kintyre. It will be obvious that this could set up a wonderful opportunity for golfers to mix and match and that all the courses could enjoy an increased footprint as a result.

A demand has already been established for golfers wanting to hop the North Channel from Ulster the Campbeltown area and this could be the basis to be built upon.

I wish David West and his company every success in this and feel confident that this is yet another attraction that will appeal to visitors to Kintyre."