Destination Golf Scotland 2021 | Page 16

is a tough hole but it has just got danger everywhere . When you get on that tee it is just a very special feeling . My favourite Par-5 would be from Carnoustie as well – the 6th called Hogan ’ s Alley – because it all depends on the wind . If it is downwind you take driver and whip it straight over everything , but in any other wind you really must think about what you are doing . Lay up short of the bunkers , take driver up the right short of the bunkers , or take it down the left , tight to the out of bounds . It is just a great golf hole .
DG : Any time I speak to a professional golfer I am interested to know if you have ever had a hole in one , as many have not .
PL : I have had four or five , one when I was a junior at Kemnay about 13-years old , and a few on Tour . I won a car for one of them too . I had one when I played against Jose Maria Olazabal : every year we have a match at the golf centre , called the Paul Lawrie Challenge Match , where I challenge a top player . I holed it on the very first shot against Olazabal . I bent in a 9-iron . It ’ s on YouTube . He did a joke where he said , “ I ’ ve had enough , I ’ ve had enough ”.
DG : What are your goals and ambitions for the next 5 years ?
PL : My outlook on things has changed over the last three or four years . I don ’ t see myself as a full-time golfer , more as a business guy and part time golfer . Most of my time is spent running things I am involved in and I play 14-15 events a year , as opposed to the 30 + that I used to play . Only today I just launched our own beer called “ Chippy ” after my nickname since I was a kid , so that is our latest venture , and the money we get goes towards golf development in Scotland . We have Chippy IPA , Chippy Lager , and Chippy Stout . But a percentage of any sale goes towards the Tartan Pro Tour or my Foundation . I still want to win Seniors events and I still have a desire to practice , but other stuff I tend to enjoy more to be honest .
DG : You might answer this question by saying “ come to my golf centre in Aberdeen and drink Chippy Beer ” but can you summarise why golfers should come to play golf in Scotland ?
PL : Very simply , it is where golf started – it is the home of golf . We have some of the world ’ s most unbelievable and picturesque golf courses . And the best thing about it is we do not have the best weather most of the time , so you are playing these courses and you get to experience them in wind and rain , and sunshine now and again . Golf is not an easy sport so I would rather play it where you must challenge yourself and , as much as the hospitality and people are amazing , I think that is what people enjoy – it is rugged and rough and that ’ s why people want to come .
For more information visit www . paullawriegolf . com
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