St Andrews

Jaermann & Stubi St Andrews Links Golf Watch

While I am sure this Jaermann & Stubi watch made specially for golf players does what it is made to do rather well - I just don't get why anyone would want it for that purpose. This timepiece, continuing the brand's tradition of making watches for golf, is dedicated to St. Andrews Links. This version will be made in platinum and limited to 18 pieces. Really? I guess so. There is said to be golf related text on the case and the watch arrives with some type of plaque (all there to help justify the price I am sure).

An example of a "fake" golf feature on the watch is the "course timer." It is really just an internal rotating bezel that is doing double work from a semantics standpoint. The brand claims to have some special shock absorbtion system in the crown for when you are playing golf. What about for the rest of the watch? Style of the watch is fine. Nothing special. Design looks a lot like a few Jeager-LeCoultre watches mixed together. Aside from the name and some imagery, the St. Andrew Links watch has nothing special for golfers - even the rare ones that do who wear watches while playing. if Jaermann & Stubi wish to get serious they will develop actual golf watches or shift the brand's focus elsewhere.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site @ aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: golf, jaermann stubi, Platinum-Games, st andrews, watch

A New Book About Herb Kohler And His Golf Destinations

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Books

I have written about Herb Kohler before on Luxist, as he expands the Kohler brand, from its historic (since 1873) identification with kitchen and bath products, furniture and accessories, engines and power generation systems to the new systems of golf and hospitality. It is an ongoing, fascinating story.

This month, the Kohler Company has published a new six book set that chronicles the history of Kohler and Golf. Entitled Golf Kohler: In The New And Old Worlds, the books highlight a quintet of courses, each with anecdotes, historic accounts and exceptional photography. It discusses the four Pete Dye courses near the Village of Kohler, Wisconsin, and the celebrated bunkers and vistas of The Duke's in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Golf Kohler: In the New and Old Worlds features the 148-page story book that recounts the company's surprising entry into the golf industry in 1988 with the opening of Blackwolf Run, to the declaration by Golf Magazine in 2000 that it was Americas #1 golf resort, and leads to present day as the host-hotel of two of golf's four majors - The Old Course Hotel for The Open Championship in St. Andrews, Scotland, and The American Club for the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler,
Wisconsin.

Tags: golf, golf books, Golf Kohler:The Th New And Old Worlds, Herb Kohler, Kohler at Home, Kohler Company, Pete Dye, Scotland, St Andrews, The Dukes Course at St. Andrews, The Meadow Valleys At Blackwolf Run, The Old Course Golf resort And Spa, The River At Blackwolf Run, Whistling Straits

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From Hamilton Hall to the Hamilton Grand: Kohler Redesigns St. Andrews

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments, By Design

When we last left Herbert Kohler, he had just purchased the large building at St. Andrews called Hamilton Hall. It was originally The St. Andrews Grand, a hotel built in the early 1900s, then became an Army barracks, then was purchased by the University of St. Andrews to house dormitory students. It was then purchased by the Wasserman Group, a real estate development group out of New York, whose plans were to build million dollar plus fractionals. This plan fell through because, in part, it did not sit well with the townspeople.

All the while, Herbert Kohler was well-known to St. Andrews, as he had purchased The Old Course Hotel, one of the great landmarks on the course at St. Andrews, in 2004. He had quietly and expertly renovated it, using many town workers and consultants. Indeed, the Managing Director of the Old Course is herself from Scotland. When Hamilton Hall became available, he purchased it in November of last year, and planned to hold an open town hall forum, asking the people of the town and interested others, for feedback as to how he should proceed with the renovation and restoration of Hamilton Hall. Here's what happened.

Tags: fractional real estate, hamilton hall, kohler, real estate development, real estate developments, scotland, scotland golf, st andrews

Continue reading “From Hamilton Hall to the Hamilton Grand: Kohler Redesigns St. Andrews”