On course to success

Nov 21 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

FIVE years after enjoying a hands-on role in sculpting an 18-hole course, Dunning exile Scott Robertson is lapping-up life as head professional at one of Europe’s most remote golfing outposts.

While Seve Ballesteros, Jose-Marie Olazabal and Sergio Garcia are among the sports most celebrated players, they aren’t exactly household names on Spain’s sunshine isle of La Gomera.

Scott (37) qualified through the PGA Academy in 1993 and a year later found himself teaming-up with Donald Steel as the celebrated golf course architect surveyed the topography of an unspoilt island which forms part of the Canaries.

Now, Scott finds himself spreading the golfing gospel to islanders and thousands of sunseekers packing the popular Tecina Hotel.

It’s a long way from his days as a junior member at Dunning, where he first got a taste for the sport.

Scott said: “La Gomera isn’t a touristy island in the Tenerife sense. In fact, it’s popularly known as the hiking island of the Canaries.

“There are no traffic lights and not one karaoke bar! It’s a haven for the healthy and sane, which makes me wonder how I got here in the first place!

“In addition to hotel guests, I’m also teaching Gomerans the rudiments of golf and they’ve not even heard of Tiger Woods! They have no preconceptions about the game and know nothing of its Scottish origins.

“Golf in Spain is known as "El juego de los ricos" and football is the religion here in the Canaries and on the mainland.”

La Gomera is famed for its curious whistling skills, with goat farmers and other locals still using it to communicate across island valleys.

A one-time Gleneagles caddie and short-lived apprentice greenkeeper on the Queen’s Course, the former Auchterarder High School pupil played Ochil League golf for Dunning and took his first step on the pro career ladder at Burntisland when he was 17. St Pierre (Chepstow) and Lillieshall Sports College quickly followed.

Scott recalled: “I came here in 2002, when I met architect Donald Steel. For the next year I found myself building the greens. My official title was green shaper, as I’d sculpt the undulations with a metal rake and snowplough type shovel to push and shape the sand.

“I did have some help but as I spoke no Spanish and my team consisted of workers from the former banana fields, it was very much hands-on.”

Bizarrely, thousands of tons of sand had to be shipped in from the Sahara, with huge tankers dropping off their cargo at La Gomera harbour before being transported two kilometres trucks and dumped in vast piles around the course.

Scott admitted: “It was amazing how quickly the grass came through. As it was a former banana plantation, there was always water available.

“The water issue is a delicate one in mainland Spain but it seems okay here, although it has only rained twice this year!”

Four years ago Scott, who still harbours ambitions to find time to compete on the Tartan Tour during his off season, was appointed head pro.

He explained: “The season is October to April and it’s full on. The hotel fills up with 1000 guests from all over Europe. I’m teaching daily from 8am to 5pm, with an hour break for food and siesta.

“The dream of 365 days of sun sounds appealing but I must admit I miss the seasons back in bonnie Scotland.”

Do you know Perth and Kinross exiles working in far-flung or exotic locations? Drop us a line at pa@s-un.co.uk with the details.