​As mentioned previously, our industry re-convened for the first time in two years at the Scottish Golf Tourism Week in St Andrews in early March.  It’s a great trade show that allows us to connect and re-connect with our great Scottish partners. 
 
One of the best aspects of the show is the opportunity for all buyers, or tour operators, to explore one of six golf areas of the country in a well organised familiarisation trip.  The three day trip combines visits to golf courses, hotels and attractions in the given area, giving us the opportunity to learn about new possible experiences for our clients.  It’s a busy few days, but well worthwhile.  

​On Thursday October 17 everyone starts to arrive. We have deluxe coaches ready for the groups at both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports and everyone makes their way to Carnoustie to begin the adventure.
 
The trip has people from all over Canada, from Alberta through to Ontario, and after some of the group grab an extra bonus round on the Budden Course, everyone has the chance to meet each other in the new Carnoustie Club House. The drinks start to flow, the food is great (the seafood chowder got rave reviews) and the noise level goes up as everyone gets to know each other and the laughter starts. After everyone get their welcome gifts, the festivities continue at the Carnoustie hotel bar (where we are all staying) and over the course of the night people start to filter out and get ready the first “planned” golf day.

​In 2019 we had a new member join the Golf Away team – Ron Judge
 
Ron spent some 30 or so years in the business world, including his last 20 years at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (think Voltaren!!) where he worked in promotions, marketing and eventually was head of sales for Canada before leaving in April of 2019 for new adventures.
 
Always interested in golf travel (Ron has always been the lead planner for his annual buddies trip), leaving GSK allowed Ron to speak with his long time curling buddy TJ and volunteer to “intern” with him over the summer of to learn the ins and outs of the golf travel business. After the summer he decided to stay on with Golf Away and he now works with us full time out of the Toronto office. Ron is not only helping plan and coordinate trips but he is also working on marketing and promotion opportunities to expand our services to more golfers across Canada
 
Ron has been an avid golfer since the age of 7 (he won’t tell us how many years of golf that is!) and his golf travels have taken him to many great golf locations including Scotland, Ireland, the US, Costa Rica, the Caribbean and most every province in Canada. Like TJ, the traditional links style course on Scotland, Ireland (and now Cabot) are some of his favorites and he looks forward too many more golf adventures in the future.
 
​Ron currently lives in the mid-town area of Toronto with his wife Carolyn and spends his free time at The Club at Bond Head in the summer and curling in the winter.