Hidden gem Covesea Links gearing up to stage its first Open

Covesea Links, which, as the name suggests, nestles in a cove on the Scottish coast, is gearing up to stage its first Open event next month.

Covesea Links on the Moray Coast is hosting its first-ever Open event in September.

It is taking place at the nine-holer located on the Moray coast between Lossiemouth and Hopeman on 24 September, with proceeds being donated by owners Andy and Angela Burnett to charity SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health).

“Entries are coming in, but we would love to maximise the fund-raising effort by selling the event out,” said co-organiser Michael McAllan, the PGA professional at Nairn Golf Club. “Covesea is a gorgeous, young course that has been a real labour of love for Andy and Angela.

“Andy built this course as it is today. It has improved massively in terms of presentation and conditioning year on year and Andy now feels like it is ready to host its first-ever official event.”

The entry fee is £25 and it is hoped a field of just over 100 will take part, with McAllan promising newcomers to Covesea that they will be in for a treat. “I came on board in a serendipitous fashion by messaging Angela about Covesea running some kind of tournament at precisely the same time as she was sounding others out about approaching me to help her do the same,” he added.

“I fell in love with the place the very first time I played it and have visited regularly over the ten-plus years I have lived in the area. I even briefly but very proudly held the course record there when I shot 30 twice in the space of around six months.

"We got our heads together and came up with a very simple 9-hole Scratch Open that is open to all golfers, including pros, aged 16 and over. There are some lovely prizes, including something special for a hole-in-one on the ninth and a pass for a year’s golf at Covesea for anyone setting a new course record on the day.

“We have live music and entertainment all day, a bar, a food stall and more. We hope all of this will be attractive to as many golfers who can make it up to the Moray coast and help us raise as much cash as possible for SAMH.”

Entries can be made via the course’s website www.covesealinks.com