They are two Texas friends who are passionate about golf, especially the way it is played in the British Isles. How they came to own two of the most iconic hotels and pubs in St. Andrews is a fascinating story.
It begins in the town of Portrush in Northern Ireland.
Robert Covington is a golf-nutty private investor who plays out of Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas, as does his pal and business partner, Jonathan Harper. A seasoned Irish golf aficionado from countless business trips to the old sod, Covington had formed his own network of Irish golf friends, some prominent, some not so much. Harper, with two up-and-coming kids who can really play, wanted to take his boys on a golf trip to Ireland, and he naturally turned to his pal Covington, asking for an itinerary.
In 2018, while playing at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, whose Dunluce Course was the site of the 2019 Open Championship, Harper became aware of a 10-acre piece of property with a home overlooking the fourth and fifth holes. The residence was just one of two that overlook the famed layout. The partners approached the owner in a humble way and eventually struck a deal. The place was theirs.
Thus, the Links Collection started to take shape. It was a passion play that became a hospitality play.
Covington will tell you that, while the partnership is open to other opportunities, it’s not a priority. He and Harper never expected to own three properties, just the one in Ireland.
Initially, Covington and Harper planned to keep the house and remodel it. But a bigger idea began to emerge … that of an Irish country home that could house guests. And so Dunluce Lodge was born, its name coming from the course it bordered and the ancient castle of the same appellation down the road.
Covington and Harper raised $25 million for the project from more than 40 investors. With capital in hand, the original building was knocked down in late 2022, to be replaced with an entirely new facility. Currently under construction, the lodge will be a five-star luxury complex. The main building will have 27 rooms, and adjacent cottages will have a total of eight rooms. A separate spa is part of the amenities, as are a room for golf bag storage and private wine lockers. Exclusivity and privacy are important goals.
The partners hope to deliver a “mountaintop” experience, one that will be authentic to the traditions and values of the Irish golf experience. They hope that guests will come to appreciate and better understand the Irish golf culture that so attracted them to this opportunity.
In a public-relations masterstroke, the Links Collection hired Wilma Erskine as a “brand ambassador.” A longtime fixture in Northern Ireland tourism circles, she achieved a fair amount of global recognition when, as secretary manager of Royal Portrush, she successfully delivered the 2019 Open Championship. The tournament was such a triumph that the R&A moved with uncharacteristic haste to award the golf course the 2025 Open Championship.
In January of 2021, Covington and Harper received an entreaty from the group that owned the iconic Dunvegan Hotel in St. Andrews. The hotel and pub were closed during 2020 due to COVID, and the ownership group was looking for a new partner that shared their values and vision. Covington and Harper stepped up and quietly added the Dunvegan to their growing hospitality portfolio. The partners view themselves as stewards of an important St. Andrews institution. And, yes, they made sure that Jack and Sheena Willoughby remained intimately involved with the place they had made one of the very best retreats in the game.
Erskine approached the Links Collection partners with another idea, and that was buying the acclaimed Scores Hotel in St. Andrews that she believed was about to come onto the market. The people behind the Links Collection jumped at the opportunity, acquiring the property before anyone else knew it was available. The deal closed in June 2021.
The new owners closed Scores immediately for renovation, meaning they missed a great financial opportunity in 2022 when the Open Championship returned to St Andrews. However, the hotel needed a lot of renovation. A re-opening is planned for 2024.
What’s next for the Links Collection?
Covington will tell you that, while the partnership is open to other opportunities, it’s not a priority. He and Harper never expected to own three properties, just the one in Ireland. They believe that the focus now is on execution, on delivering on the promise of premium-quality golf hospitality.
He is convincing, but it would not be a surprise if the three-property portfolio were to grow in the years to come.