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GREENKEEPER'S SEVENTH HEAVEN AT ST ANDREWS21/02/2005

St Andrews Links Trust has appointed a head greenkeeper for its seventh course, which is being created just outside St Andrews.

Allan Patterson, head greenkeeper on the Kings, Queens and Wee courses at Gleneagles, will take up the post on 4 April and will oversee the construction, opening and long-term development of the cliff-top course.

The appointment was made following a thorough selection process involving over 70 applicants from as far afield as Australia, Canada and the USA. The decision, as the Trust's links superintendent Gordon Moir indicates, was based on Allan's experience and knowledge.

"Allan has the desired greenkeeping skills to develop a golf project of this size and quality. His experience at Gleneagles combined with his ability will help ensure that the new course complements the broad range of golfing experiences available at
St Andrews."

Allan held the position of head greenkeeper at Gleneagles for seven years following an apprenticeship which saw him take on a variety of roles including deputy head greenkeeper and assistant greenkeeper at the resort. Prior to this, Allan spent nine years at Powfoot Golf Club, Dumfriesshire, where he was responsible for training and completed the first of two courses on greenkeeping and course management at Elmwood College in Fife.

His appointment at St Andrews Links is a move that the 36-year-old greenkeeper relishes. "This is a great opportunity to work at the Home of Golf. The course design is fantastic and the location couldn't be better. It promises to be an outstanding golf course."

At over 7,000 yards, the seventh public course at St Andrews has been designed to ease congestion on the existing Links courses where approximately 210,000 rounds are played every year. Designed by David McLay Kidd, the new course is expected to open in 2007.