Scottish golf set to cash in as summer gets underway
He added: "There's got to be some joined-up conversations about infrastructure and how people move around, and also about the experience that people get. There's lots of different sport and tourism sectors doing really good things, but it's about how do you join those up so that a distillery piece is connected to a golf piece that's connected to a heritage piece."
St Andrews Links Trust chief executive Neil Coulson is calling for 'some joined-up conversations' (Image: St Andrews Links Trust)
As reported earlier this week in Business HQ Monthly, Dundonald Links in Ayrshire is preparing to host the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open which gets underway on July 24.
The venue, owned by holiday park operator Darwin Escapes, is effectively gifting the course and the clubhouse to event management company IMG for the week. In-house catering for players, officials and the event's corporate sponsors is being charged at cost.
'Where does Dundonald make money? That's a good question,' says Craig Reekie, general manager of Dundonald Links.
'There's probably a commercial aspect that says we could make more money on our normal operations, but…the balance of it is exposure. It's a really high-profile media event."
Craig Reekie says Dundonald Links benefits from the exposure of hosting the Women's Scottish Open (Image: Dundonald Links)
Roy Clarke, manager of international operations at tour operator All Access GTE, told The Herald's Around the Greens series that interest in Scotland has never been higher but the industry is potentially pricing itself out of the market.
"Costs for hotels, courses, and transport have jumped more than 10% in a single year," Mr Clarke said. "If the trend continues, there's a real risk that Scotland might price itself out of reach for many travellers, especially with Ireland charging less which is becoming increasingly attractive alternative."
The month kicked off with the publication of The Herald's first Scottish Golf Survey, which found among other things that financial benefits from the 'Covid bounce' – the resurgence in the game's popularity since lockdown – have been far from uniform.
Some clubs and venues reported they were managing well up to 2020 but had since been undone by the inflationary surge of the cost-of-living crisis, which has outweighed any gain in membership numbers. Others that were previously struggling are, unsurprisingly, continuing to have a tough time.
Read more Business HQ Monthly:
The survey series also uncovered divided opinions among affiliated clubs towards governing body Scottish Golf. OpenPlay, the handicapping system for independent players who are not a member of a golf club, similarly sparked some robust responses.
Launched in June 2021 by Scottish Golf, the scheme offers anyone the opportunity to gain an official handicap at a cost of £4.99 per month or for an annual fee of £50. OpenPlay members also get access to tee booking and affiliated green fee rates which typically come at a discount but are charged in addition to their OpenPlay membership.
Scottish Golf and other national governing bodies that operate similar schemes say the aim is to keep independent players in the golfing fold and perhaps ultimately guide them back into club membership. Some club officials maintain that it cheapens the game and is detrimental to their finances.
And finally, in response to the survey results, Scottish Golf chief executive Robbie Clyde revealed that affiliation fees paid by players to his organisation may have to go up to avoid charging those who are members of multiple clubs twice or more over.
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The Herald Scotland
07-08-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish firms report performance boost after staff takeover
Hundreds of firms across Scotland have opted to move the majority of shares to staff and have said it provides security and continuity. United Auctions said the move to an employee ownership trust will help longevity for the business. Families, some of whom have been in business for generations, are among the owners selling to employees. The historic RP Slight and Sons moved to employee ownership in 2024 and said it is already seeing benefits. The East Lothian company is linked to the building of the world's oldest sea-washed lighthouse and the construction of Capitol Hill in Washington DC in the US. James Slight told Business HQ Monthly: 'In the time since the change was implemented, the business has undergone a noticeable gear change.' READ MORE: A Fife contractor which had been in the hands of the same family for three generations also made the move, with a workforce of around 90 becoming part-owners. Donna McElhinney, finance director at T&N Gilmartin, said the firm had been 'facing a challenge in succession planning'. She said employee ownership 'emerged as the obvious and most suitable choice for our business'. Graham Clark, founder of Anderson Clark Motor Repairs in Inverness, said shifting ownership has 'given the staff a shared purpose and greater engagement with the business'. The companies are part of a growing number, with hundreds of businesses in Scotland now operating under this kind of ownership model. BIG READ This month's edition is out now in print and online. (Image: Newsquest) A Scottish auctioneer founded more than 160 years ago has had a varied history of ownership over the decades. 'Going back to 1858, we've been in various guises, limited companies, PLCs, bought by a property developer, and then two management buyouts', said Christopher Sharp, one of the new owners of a business where he started work at the age of 17. For United Auctions, the move to an employee ownership trust will help provide continuity for customers and staff and longevity for the business. It is an option that has been rising in popularity. The number of employee-owned businesses is growing at a rate of around 45 a year in Scotland, with nearly 300 at the time of the census in September, which was up from 195 on the previous count, last done in 2022, and created for Scottish Enterprise by academics from the University of Leeds, University of New South Wales and the White Rose Employee Ownership Centre. The national enterprise agency is aiming at a Scottish Government target of 500 such employee-owned businesses by 2030. Scottish employee-owned businesses and worker cooperatives currently have a combined turnover of £1.47 billion and employ 7,593 people, which is a 113 per cent increase in turnover on the £780m and a 42.5 per cent rise on the 2,265 employed the time of the 2022 census. United Auctions, which has an annual turnover of £246 million, is one of the newest companies to opt for the avenue of employee ownership, and it only changed its status in April. The company operates a network of livestock auction markets across Scotland, including Stirling, Huntly, Lairg, Dalmally, Tiree, Islay, Uist and Oban. Mr Sharp said in an exclusive interview with Business HQ Monthly: 'We were the management buyout in 2017. We had a long-term 10-year commitment with the partners to take the business forward. 'We were always looking at exit strategies, as any business does. The employee ownership trust just really seemed to tick so many boxes and thought it was really good for ourselves, good for the company, good for the customers. 'We started to look at that as a route to exit, and as six months or so progressed, speaking to the bank, funding from HSBC, everything looked like it was going to work out and allowed for the retiral of one of the partners, who was 63 at the time. 'The other three partners are a bit younger, from 48 to 55. 'It is great for us that we didn't have that sort of cliff edge. Although we had a great management, we do have a great management team coming through, it allowed us to keep a lot of experience within the company as well, rather than just sort of walking off.' READ MORE: Mr Sharp said: 'The whole structure of the EOT just seemed to work very, very well for us, and that's one we decided to take forward. 'I think the whole actual process of saying, you know, let's do an EOT would be about nine months, I would say.' He continued: 'It worked very well, and the advisors helped us through the process as well and allowed us to set up our management teams to take forward for George's retirement and the continuity of the business. 'The three exiting shareholders obviously stay in the board and we introduced three new board members as well. 'That allows having the experience of the old directors and the new directors coming on to allow that smooth changeover. So over time, and we're all different ages, over time that will allow the continuity of the business to drive it forward and directors will be replaced and not quite rotation, but as the company progresses and ages progress and the experiences, that allows the experience of all board members to drive the company forward.' Mr Sharp said: 'I think we're a very, very simple business. If anyone will ask us what we do, and rather than give a three-paragraph synopsis, we sell cattle and sheep and we have done since 1858. 'As simple as that, but very unique as well. 'I think farming is unique. Farming's got its challenges, as everyone knows, and farming is a very challenging business. The auction company is so aligned to farming and farmers that we face those challenges as well. 'We've been through many challenges, especially with BSE and foot and mouth twice. But as most farmers are, we're a very resilient business and have managed to get through these and credit crunches and Covid, and we've survived through them. 'So, a very simple business, but very unique and exciting as well. Even for our office staff, you're not eight hours a day behind the computer. You have the excitement and the enthusiasm of an auction behind you as well. 'Covering so many sites gives us that great geography through Scotland and the different customers as well. 'The actual ownership to a company's house or shareholdings is immaterial. We're really the only custodians of the building in the market. 'It really does belong to our customers that have used it for generations.' He has been with the company 31 years. 'I've seen granddads, sons, grandsons, granddaughters all coming through now, employing them as well. 'I do believe when you've had the relationship with these customers, families for 100 years in some cases, and farmers, they're not going away. 'We've got about 18,000 customers. If we put all our sales staff in the room, we could give you a story about all of them. 'You know, because they're friends as well, because in social circles in farming, you imagine are quite small. 'We really believe in our customers and just want to do the best for them as well. 'Again, the EOT allowed that longevity. We weren't taken over by a property developer again or anything that could put that at risk.' His own story stretches back to when he was a teenager. 'I'm 48 now, so I was 17. I walked through the door as an office junior in March 95. 'It's been a tremendous journey and really enjoyable. And, you know, it generally doesn't feel like a job. 'To have the markets throughout Scotland and keeping them running and providing the platform to the farmers to allow them to sell their stock in a fair market condition has been really important to us. 'Achieving the maximum for our customers and the farmers is really what we want. Any business needs to make profit, but our primary concern is ensuring that the cows and the ewes stay on the land. 'That's the most important thing for us." He added: 'The longevity of the company was the most important thing for us. 'Allowing that progression for staff to carry the company forward for generations to come, and allowing keeping the facility in the business for our customers. But we're really proud of the business. 'We're really proud of what we do. It's our lives as much as jobs, though we don't feel we've got jobs, we give our staff careers because we've shown that can happen. 'Most of our senior staff have all been in the auction industry all their life as well.' Family legacy interwoven with history Bell Rock lighthouse under construction. (Image: API/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) An East Lothian family company linked to the building of the world's oldest lighthouse and the construction of Capitol Hill in Washington DC in 1825 moved into employee ownership in September, and is already seeing benefits. Robert P Slight & Sons Limited, based in Wallyford, was sold to an employee ownership trust, which holds the shares on behalf of the company's 40 staff. The Slight family's legacy is interwoven with significant historical buildings. Ancestors were among the team who constructed the Bell Rock Lighthouse, the world's oldest surviving sea-washed lighthouse off Angus and the design and construction of more than seventy lighthouses in Chile. The Slight family name is also linked to the construction of the United States' iconic Congressional Building, Capitol Hill. Pringle Slight was project foreman responsible for overseeing the building's construction, including the famous dome. The R P Slight team together. (Image: R P Slight & Sons) His son, Robert, continued this legacy but tragically lost his life in a fall from the dome in 1861. Both are honoured in the Congressional Graveyard in Washington DC, United States, in a testament to their contribution and the enduring legacy of the skill and dedication of the Slight family. James Slight told Business HQ Monthly: 'RP Slight and Sons moved to employee ownership in 2024 for a number of reasons. 'Central to our decision, was to reward our staff and preserve our company culture and values. incorporated in 1958, RPS has a culture focused on our staff with some remaining with us long term, from apprenticeship to retirement. Although we have grown significantly, we wanted to retain this atmosphere and our traditions, and of the various options available, selling to an EOT offered the best path. 'In the time since the change was implemented, the business has undergone a noticeable gear change. Our staff feel more engaged knowing their efforts will be rewarded and directly contribute to business success. This has led to increasingly strong results on contracts and frameworks we have held, and those recently awarded.' Top repair centre is first of its kind to sell to staff The company's base. (Image: Anderson Clark) A Scottish independent motor vehicle repair company, Anderson Clark Motor Repairs, was the first of its kind to steer a new future under employee ownership in the shape of a trust formed by its 14 staff. The company has been in business for over 28 years and said it is recognised as one of the top repair centres in the UK after winning numerous independent repair centre awards and having Investor in People Gold Standard Recognition, with a turnover of £2 million. The Inverness-based business was owned by the Graham and Sheila Clark's family who remain involved as part of the transition to employee ownership. FLICK THROUGH THE DIGITAL EDITION HERE The new leadership team comprises an experienced team with Neil Johnstone, managing director designate, Katie Fraser, company secretary, and Alan Reid, workshop manager, all having been with Anderson Clark for many years. Graham Clark, founder, Anderson Clark, said: 'The EOT came about with me considering an exit strategy as I'm now mid 60s. 'I had a few options for consideration. To simply close the business and pay redundancy, but the business is very successful, that would be very expensive and jeopardise all the employee's jobs; To put the business on the open market but that caused me major concern with a new buyer not having the same business ethics as ACMR; And the conclusion of opting for the EOT, once understood, was a positive way for us to move forward.' He said that the move has 'given the staff a shared purpose and greater engagement with the business'. Strong sales follow change of ownership The T&N Gilmartin team. (Image: T&N Gilmartin) A Fife-based contractor which has been in the hands of the same family for three generations also made the move, with a workforce of around 90 becoming part-owners. T&N Gilmartin (Contractors) Ltd was founded in 1956 by Tommie Gilmartin. The firm said that under former managing director Tommy Gilmartin, son of Tommie Gilmartin, and fellow shareholder Pat Gilmartin, the company diversified and grew into what it describes as 'a successful multi-disciplined contractor and a key employer in north-east Fife'. Donna McElhinney, finance director at T&N Gilmartin, said: 'T&N Gilmartin Contractors Ltd, prior to the employee ownership trust, was a third-generation family company facing a challenge in succession planning. 'We had considered some outside acquisition offers, but ultimately felt that accepting them would have led to a loss of our company's core ethos and potentially demoralised our long-serving staff. Given these considerations, an EOT emerged as the obvious and most suitable choice for our business. 'Since the EOT was implemented, the company has gone from strength to strength. Our sales are very strong, and our staff genuinely feel they have a significant input and a vital part to play in the future success of the company. We are particularly grateful for TLT's role in this transition, their team was instrumental in making the entire EOT process as smooth as possible, and the help and advice they provided were invaluable.'
Scotsman
25-07-2025
- Scotsman
Scottish golfers offered staggering St Andrews round discount - here's how you can play
Second phase of 'The Drive' initiative announced by St Andrews Links Trust Sign up to our Golf newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scottish golfers are being offered a staggering discount to play some of the St Andrews courses through 'The Drive' initiative launched earlier this year by St Andrews Links. On the back of cut-priced rounds being provided on the Old Course and Eden Course, nearly 400 tee times are now being made available at a discounted 87.5 per cent. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tee times for The Castle Course and Jubilee Course will be available in September and October to Scottish golfers, with applications opening on 28 July. Two golfers prepare to head out on the Old Course at St Andrews as part of the first phase of The Drive | St Andrews Links Trust This second phase of The Drive will provide a further 392 golfers the chance to experience golf in St Andrews at a fraction of the regular cost, with tee times priced at just £22.50 for The Castle Course (normally £180) and £18.75 for the Jubilee Course (normally £150). During the first phase, which saw more than 14,000 applications for discounted rounds on the Old Course and Eden Course, a total of 324 golfers were successful in securing a tee time. Forty four players teeing up on the Old Course for just £42.50 (normally £340) while another 280 enjoyed rounds on the Eden Course at just £9.50 (normally £75). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'There is a strong appetite in Scotland for greater access to our courses' Laurie Watson, Director of Engagement at St Andrews Links Trust, said: 'We were delighted with the overwhelming response to the first phase of The Drive, it was great to hear the wonderful stories and positive feedback from those who took part. 'It's clear that there is a strong appetite in Scotland for greater access to our courses and we are proud to be opening applications for this next instalment of the initiative.'
Daily Record
23-07-2025
- Daily Record
Scottish Golf handed James Bond boost as they team up with Sean Connery Foundation to support women's game
Sean Connery Foundation involved in major tie-up with Scottish Golf Jason Connery reckons dad Sean would be proud to see his country's female golfing starlets shoot for the top. Scottish Golf has announced a Women and Girls Strategy including major new partnership with the Sean Connery Foundation. Three long-term visions are to support Scotland's top female amateurs as they move into the professional ranks, a three-year fund which supports the employment of full or part-time staff dedicated to growing and retaining female members and a fund targeted specifically to retain female employees within the sport. Hannah Darling and Lorna McClymont are the first to be backed with the pair facing the elite this week at the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open. Connery's sons were in attendance at the announcement and Jason said: 'Our hope for the Scottish Golf Women's Professional Transition Programme is that it alleviates the financial stress on these young women, who are extraordinary golfers, as they transition into their professional career. 'Seeing Scots at the top of the mountain, and leaderboard, is really what we hope to see. Dad would be so proud.' Stephane, chairman of the Sean Connery Foundation, added: 'The foundation was established in 2020 to reflect Sean's passions and guiding principles. He always wanted to champion talented people who couldn't otherwise get a break, backing excellence in need. 'Sean greatly admired the women's game and he saw an injustice in how little attention it got in comparison to the men's. We've been building a partnership with Scottish Golf over the last couple of years and, in that time, it has become evident that while there is a lack of funding in the women's game, there is no lack of will or commitment. 'It made complete sense for our foundation to try and assist in that area. Both Lorna and Hannah are seriously talented. We've met them, we know them and it's important to us that they feel the people supporting them care about who they are and what they need.' Darling turned professional this week ahead of the Dundonald event and said: 'It gives me a bit of a foundation moving forward. The people behind it have identified an area where they can really help us. 'With me and Lorna being the first to receive it, it's really nice. We can start our pro careers on the front foot almost and not worried about not making enough money to play the week after. The Sean Connery Foundation are stepping into that really well and it's exciting for us all. 'We played in the pro-am with them and that's what they said. They just wanted to make sure that we were set and go focus on playing golf rather than worrying about the finance or any of the stress that comes with it. They've been awesome and really get it, which is cool. The Sean Connery Foundation have identified the women first. They have been awesome putting their finance there.' McClymont, who turned pro last year, added: 'It's huge. I think it just takes such a weight off, which definitely helps. I think having that [finance worry] off your mind, you're just able to go out and just be free because, at the end of the day, if you have stuff like that in your mind, then you're not going to be able to perform to your best. 'I mean golf in general is an expensive sport, so I think, especially for kind of younger girls looking up, if that weight can be taken off them, then absolutely, yeah, it's huge. 'It's a quite cool kind of programme to be a part of and I'm just grateful that I can be part of it, especially the first year of it as well, it's definitely going to be pretty exciting.' McClymont and Darling have been supported throughout their journey on Scottish Golf's performance pathway, representing Scotland at age-group level, on the international stage, as well as, memorably, being part of Catriona Matthew's victorious Curtis Cup team last year at Sunningdale. Matthew said: 'We all want to see more Scots competing at the top of the women's game and this programme is designed to help bridge the gap for young professionals. 'By putting in place this programme and laying down strong foundations of support, my sincere hope is that many more aspiring Scottish players will follow Hannah and Lorna and benefit in the years ahead.'
