Davies leaps into action at St Mellion

SALTASH, CORNWALL - - The energetic new man in charge at the West of England’s premier golf destination, St Mellion International Resort, is pledging to match its blue-chip golfing appeal with international-class levels of service off the course.

Ian Davies, the new Resort General Manager at St Mellion, not only brings over 38 years’ experience in hospitality to his new role at the UK’s #2-ranked four-star golf resort, but also a lifetime’s active participation in a wide variety of sports.

Mansfield-born Davies has been a regular visitor to St Mellion during his 25 years living in nearby Torbay, and when the opportunity arose he wasted no time in accepting the challenge of managing one of the most celebrated golf destinations in England.

“I am immensely proud to be here,” he said. “I can’t claim to be the greatest golfer, but St Mellion has always excited me when I have visited it. Luckily for me the Nicklaus and the Kernow courses both play fantastically well, whatever your level of ability, but I realise that we have to match their quality with an equally international-class experience off the golf course.

“For me, it is all about creating life-long memories for our guests. We have a superb award-winning 80-bedroom AA four-star hotel with a wonderful collection of bars, restaurants and leisure facilities, and a great team already in place, so we already have a brilliant set of tools to work with.

“Although our national and international reputation is well-established, I would say we need to work even harder to make St Mellion an essential part of life in the Plymouth area, and the wider south west region. We play a big role in the local community, and each year we host many events organised by local people, but we can always do more.”

Ian Davies arrives at St Mellion after a recent spell as Managing Director of a hotel and leisure group. His previous high-profile roles include managing the launch of several hotels including a golf & spa hotel in the Midlands, and refurbishing many others up to Michelin-standard cuisine.

The sporty 58 year-old Nottingham Forest and F1 fan, who is married with two children, is a self-confessed petrolhead: he has visited every single grand prix circuit in Europe, and has regularly taken cars to track days for high-speed sessions. He is also a former footballer, skier and county-level rugby player, and is a regular cyclist / mountain biker at weekends. He is a dead shot at Clay, Skeet, DTL and Field Target shooting, enjoys photography, good food and snorkelling, and is widely travelled with tales to tell of swimming with manta rays and turtles in the Maldives.

His excitement and passion for his new role at St Mellion grew after he read the recently-published book ‘St Mellion – The Bond Legacy’, which describes how two Cornish famers, Martin and Hermon Bond, turned their farmland into a spectacular 36-hole golf resort with the help of Jack Nicklaus, among others. “Of our two golf courses the Nicklaus is clearly the more iconic, but we never forget that it was our Kernow course which originally attracted the European Tour to St Mellion” said Davies.

“One of our jobs is to tempt golfers from right across the UK, and from across the water in Ireland too, to come and play them both. I can promise that the golf at St Mellion will leave you with an indelible memory!

“Jack Nicklaus and the Bond brothers left us with a unique legacy, and we must continue to build on that.”

In 2019, the resort’s award-winning hotel celebrates its tenth anniversary, and Davies is looking forward to taking it into its second decade. “When you have a product this good, the only thing to do is to keep pushing ever-upwards in all areas” he said. “I want our guests to demand more, and to expect more, each time they come here. Out staff must match our guests’ love for St Mellion with a passion of their own.”

On the general hospitality standards found in this country, Davies is emphatic: “British hospitality is often over-priced and under-delivered if you compare it with the experiences they offer on the Continent. One of my goals at St Mellion International Resort is to smash that into smithereens, and to offer a product which clearly ranks among the very best that British golf has to offer.”

Recently-ranked in the #2 slot among 4-Star golf resorts in the UK, and at 15th overall as regards golf resorts in Great Britain & Ireland, St Mellion’s two immaculate 18-hole European Tour golf courses, the Nicklaus Signature Course and The Kernow Course, have earnt it the #2 ranking in England as regards resort golf.

See www.st-mellion.co.uk for all information, and to book your next visit.

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www.st-mellion.co.uk

St Mellion International Resort is a unique blend of contemporary style, exceptional facilities, true golfing heritage and wonderful Cornish hospitality. This modern Resort is on a scale which allows it to offer an exceptional range of high quality sporting, relaxation and dining facilities, delivered to a consistently high standard, with a comfortable, friendly and unfussy approach, offering exceptional value. A combination rarely found in the UK. The 450 acre estate boasts a fully air conditioned 80-bedroom, AA 4 star hotel; 30 fairway cottages; and The Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, a UK top 100 course of European Tour repute which celebrates its 30th Anniversary in 2018. Superstars such as Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Jose-Maria Olazabal and Paul Casey have all won on “The Nicklaus” at St Mellion. Alongside it is The Kernow Resort Course, also with a European Tour pedigree. Health and fitness facilities include lane, leisure and children's swimming pools; Elemis Day Spa; the Fox House Retreat Hair Salon; Sauna, Steam & Jacuzzi experiences; Tennis Courts; Cardio-Vascular and Resistance Suites; Dance Studios; plus a Crèche and Children's Club. All-day dining is offered in the No.18 Bar, with the Nicklaus Bar specifically catering for golfers. There is also the award-winning An Boesti, offering the finest Cornish fayre in elegant surroundings. St Mellion also offers exceptional business and event facilities, with fully air-conditioned conferencing and banqueting rooms for over 500. St Mellion is a venue for the Cornish Tourism Awards, South West Business Awards, Cornish Business Awards and many more. Only a short drive from Plymouth, yet in the heart of the lush Cornish Countryside, St Mellion is easily accessible and offers easy access to Devon, Cornwall, Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor with their quaint villages and stunning scenery; to the vibrant maritime city of Plymouth; and of course to the spectacular South West coastlines. The famous North Coast surfing beaches along with the culinary delights of Padstow and Rock are also just a short drive away, not to mention the world-famous Eden Project and Lost Gardens of Heligan visitor attractions. A warm and friendly atmosphere permeates throughout St Mellion International Resort. Perhaps this is down to its vibrant golf and leisure membership, or indeed its strong Cornish roots, but no matter the reason you will be assured of a wonderful welcome and a memorable visit.

www.crown-golf.co.uk

Welcome to Crown Golf. We're the UK's largest golf club operator with 22 golf clubs spread around, Bristol, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, London, Middlesex and Surrey. We're proud to offer some of the best golf in the country and a variety of choice across the clubs. Our flagship venue, St Mellion International Golf Resort, is a Top 15 GB&Ireland golf resort, and is ranked as England's #2 four-star golf resort.