Latest news with #HeraldScottishGolfSurvey2025
The Herald Scotland
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
American Golf drives forward with increasing diversity
The sport's post-Covid boom encouraged American Golf to overstretch its resources, with the business recording a loss in 2023. A subsequent restructuring has left the UK's largest golf retailer "well-placed" for growth according to chief executive Nigel Oddy, who was brought in by Endless in April 2023. The Herald Scottish Golf Survey 2025 will close to submissions on Sunday May 11, but until then every club and course in the country is invited to submit their views. If your club or organisation has not already received an invitation to take part, please contact Operations in Scotland are led by Paul Liddle, who began his career as an assistant golf pro in Doncaster before moving to Direct Golf and then on to American Golf in 2006, where he managed four stores in Yorkshire. Following a hiatus when he went to work for a clothing retailer, he returned to American Golf in 2017 and is now north regional manager. Mr Liddle says rising interest in the game is leading to increased diversity among American Golf's customers. The drive to expand the chain's mid-tier product range is also paying dividends. What's the size and shape of the business today? We've got over 80 stores across the UK and Ireland and a team of more than 1,000 passionate people. Our digital presence also lets us serve golfers right across Europe. Achieving a £135 million turnover in 2023/24, we're proud to be helping fuel the sport's growth - offering the gear, guidance and expertise players of all levels need to elevate their game. Where was the first store, and when did American Golf make its way into Scotland? American Golf's very first store opened its doors in 1978 on Manchester Road in Woolston, Warrington - right where the journey began. It laid the foundation for what would become the country's leading golf retailer. The first American Golf store in Scotland opened in Glasgow in the 1990s, and we've since expanded to multiple locations, including Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Dundee. What more can you tell us about the Scottish operation? We currently have nine stores across Scotland, employing a dedicated team of 75 colleagues. In 2024, we served over 111,000 customers in Scotland - highlighting the strong and growing demand for golf products and expert advice across the country. (Image: American Golf) Nigel Oddy has talked about returning American Golf to its historical principle of "selling value, not discount" - how has this affected operations? We've been on a real journey over the past few years - snapping up brands like Benross, Stromberg and Rife has enabled us to really level up what we can offer in store. The impact on the in-store experience has been huge. We've got exclusive lines, sharper prices and our custom fit service is better than ever - it's all about making sure golfers walk out with kit that actually suits their swing. What percentage of your sales are generated online? Our sales are split roughly 70/30 in favour of stores versus online but we're a truly omni-channel business with all of our offerings being available to both in-store and online customers. Due to the diversity of our portfolio - spanning retail park, A-road, driving range and on-course locations - our store formats aren't fully uniform. However, our aim is to deliver the same high standards and core principles across every site, and we're proud to have some outstanding stores in Scotland. (Image: American Golf) Would an American Golf in Scotland look like one anywhere else? I wouldn't say there are unique patterns that are specific to Scotland, but our mantra of being the one-stop shop for everything that a golfer needs definitely resonates up here as participation levels are excellent and our customer base is diverse. What trends are you noticing right now in the golf retail market in Scotland? The increased participation and diversity of clientele is definitely noticeable. We've always had a knowledgeable customer base in Scotland and a lot of passionate golfers, but we're seeing more and more people taking the game up casually from all walks of life. Making the game accessible to all while maintaining the expertise and service levels that our more experienced golfers expect is our aim, and we have some exciting new initiatives on the way to achieve this.
The Herald Scotland
08-05-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Royal Deeside Golf Week welcomes international field
'We've golfers coming from Poland, Cyprus and Sweden – countries we haven't targeted at all but obviously word of mouth and referrals among the golfing community has meant these people have heard about us and want to come and spend a week on Deeside playing golf,' said Nigel Bradburn, RDGW coordinator and past president of Aboyne Golf Club. The Herald Scottish Golf Survey 2025 will close to submissions on Sunday May 11, but until then every club and course in the country is invited to submit their views. If your club or organisation has not already received an invitation to take part, please contact First held in 2003 and previously known as the Royal Deeside Golf Classic, the annual 72-hole Stableford tournament features women and men playing in separate three-ball competitions based on their handicaps. This year's field of 260 is an even split between male and female players. The event is a cornerstone for businesses throughout the valley that are heavily dependent on the annual tourist season between March and October. 'Because it takes place in July, we would probably fill up naturally during that time, but what it's done is, because people book for the golf week, we find that week fills really early,' said Joyce Welsh, who together with her husband Garry runs the Lys-Na-Greyne bed and breakfast in Aboyne. 'They come, and then they will book again for the following year.' The financial benefits extend beyond the week itself, according to Ms Welsh, with non-golfers coming at other times of the year on the recommendation of players taking part in RDGW. 'We have a lot of international guests that come to stay with us,' she added. 'They are usually with us for two or three nights and then move on but because this is a five-day golf festival they are generally here for six nights, or longer if they decide to stay in the area and go sightseeing for a few days as well.' Garry and Joyce Welsh run the Lys-Na-Greyne bed and breakfast in Aboyne (Image: Contributed) Mr Bradburn became directly involved in RDGW after Storm Frank ravaged Aberdeenshire in December 2015, hitting the villages of Ballater, Braemar and Aboyne the worst as the River Dee burst its banks, washing away roads and homes, forcing residents to flee to safety. 'Obviously, the golf courses were knocked out of action as well,' Mr Bradburn said. 'The storm had a huge economic impact. 'That was when we first approached the local Aberdeenshire Council to say we needed some money because it wasn't just about four golf courses, it's about bringing people into this 40-mile corridor to spend their money during the week they are with us.' Funding support was agreed with the event set to resume before it was again knocked off course, this time by the pandemic. That was when organisers went 'cap in hand' to VisitScotland, securing a five-figure sum from the organisation's EventScotland directorate to support RDGW's eventual return in 2021. Read more: 'We have been victims of our own success,' Mr Bradburn said. 'We did a soft relaunch after Covid and we sold out within five days with only 140 golfers, and we knew straight away we had an offering that was appealing to people, and obviously it has grown year on year. A lot of people, once they have played in this, they come back year on year. 'A good 40% to 50% of our players are coming back from last year, so they make their accommodation bookings pretty much as soon as the event finishes this year because they know accommodation is in short supply here on Deeside, and obviously the changes from the Scottish Government on lettings and licensing have also had an adverse effect on some of the providers up here on whether they keep their B&Bs open. 'When the big storm hit a lot of the bed and breakfasts were knocked out, and some of them have more recently decided that it's not worth their while to continue trading because of the legislative piece that has been imposed, and obviously there is the potential tourism tax that is being talked about now as well.' Read more: Located four miles outside of Ballater, the Cambus O'May hotel is an accommodation provider that has recently returned to the market. Originally built as a hunting lodge in 1874 by Sir William Cunliffee Brooks as a present to his daughter Amy, the property had been shut for six years before it came back into business under new owners in 2021. 'The golf brings a lot of guests to our hotel, and all the hotels in the area, that we would normally never have seen before,' general manager Derek Pittendreigh said. 'And it's not just the hotels – the local shops and everything see a larger footfall during the course of that week. 'That week is well booked out because the golfers that we had with us last year re-booked again. Not only that, but they have also recommended us to friends and family who have joined us during the season outside of the golf week.' As for the local clubs hosting the event, Mr Bradburn said the financial returns are of 'massive' importance to their finances. 'We are four community-based clubs, so we are not the big guys like Gleneagles and the like,' he explained. 'We are just small little community clubs that provide a service to all people in the villages surrounding our respective courses.'
The Herald Scotland
06-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
St Andrews golf hotel Ardgowan to re-open next year
Work will include consolidation of all accommodation into one connected building, and a rear extension that will increase capacity from 36 to 44 boutique rooms. The bar and restaurant will also be expanded from 44 to more than 70 seats. The Herald Scottish Golf Survey 2025 is still open but the deadline is coming soon, with every club and course in the country invited to submit their views. If your club or organisation has not already received an invitation to take part, please contact The property is owned by Wirefox, a private investment company based in Northern Ireland, which purchased the three-star Ardgowan in 2022 through its Marram Hotels division. Other properties in the Marram portfolio include the former Ducks Inn in East Lothian, which re-opened last summer as The Leddie, and the Bushmills Inn in Northern Ireland. Set up in 2014, Wirefox is a real estate investment and development company headed up by Bernard Eastwood, the grandson of legendary Irish bookmarker and boxing promoter Barney Eastwood who died in 2020. Marram describes its collection as hotels "designed by and for golf lovers". The Ardgowan's new new look has been developed in collaboration with local St Andrews architects RKA, alongside Scottish interior design studio ICA and the Crown Creative brand design agency. Read more: Kathryn McNairn will continue as the hotel's general manager, having joined Marram last year. Upon its re-opening, the hotel is expected to create up to 50 new jobs. 'We're incredibly proud to officially break ground on what will become a cornerstone of The Marram Collection in the heart of St Andrews," Ms McNairn said. "This project has been expertly designed to honour the heritage of the site while introducing a new standard of boutique hotel to the town. "This transformation will create a welcoming retreat that blends warmth, comfort and considered design for golfers, locals, and visitors alike. We look forward to unveiling a space that not only celebrates the spirit of St Andrews but also supports the local community through new opportunities and meaningful partnerships.'
The Herald Scotland
25-04-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Bakery teams up with Scottish Golf for expansion drive
Last month St Andrews Bakery was named as the official snack partner of Scottish Golf, the governing body for the game in this country. Under the three-year agreement, the bakery's Golf Balls protein snack range will feature at all of this year's Scottish Golf events, and will also be available to the country's performance squads. Mr Mosley says the deal is "hugely important" for St Andrews Bakery. How did you come to join the business? I was looking to invest in a golf-related business and Richard and I sat down in 2021 to look at ways to develop the brand portfolio we have under St Andrews, which includes St Andrews Biscuit Co, St Andrews Bakery, St Andrews Snacking Co and St Andrews Nutrition. I joined the business in earnest in 2022, and Richard and I are the two main shareholders. We have an office in St Andrews and employ four people directly, and we have other associates and partners with several leading Scottish producers. Where did the idea for Golf Balls come from? As part of the new strategy, we knew we had to develop a product that would have eye-catching impact. The market is flooded with flapjack bars, oat bars, muesli bars and the like, plus the usual suspects under chocolate and crisps. We knew that the modern golfer, both male and female, is looking for something far healthier and nutritious. We'd previously worked closely with Enrico Gusella, executive chef at The Renaissance Club near Gullane. Enrico is responsible for ensuring all players at the Scottish Open receive the right food, nutrition and diet balance. In talking to him and some golf professionals, they all reinforced how protein was a key factor in the modern pro's requirement. Enrico's handmade protein balls were also proving popular among the pros at the annual showcase event. So we thought, how could we get a snack that the pros were enjoying out to the wider market and the average weekend golfer? Working with key product developers to create a "moreish" product that was nutritious and better for you than the other mainstream big brands was our intention. The Herald Scottish Golf Survey 2025 is now open, with every club and course in the country invited to submit their views. If your club or organisation has not already received an invitation to take part, please contact There was also the chance to do something really different, that wasn't available round the corner in Tesco's, and would enable golf courses and hotels to demonstrate that they were really giving some proper thought to their member and guest experience. From that, the Golf Balls protein snack was born in March 2024 and the golf ball dimple packaging was a natural component part. We have more high nutrition products coming down the line which will also feature this distinctive look and packaging. How did the partnership with Scottish Golf come about? For a while we'd been looking for somebody who could help us spread the word about our exciting new products, but who at the same time was the right fit. Many creative agencies promise you the world but deliver little, so I thought how about going directly to the governing body itself? After I reached out to David Kernohan at Scottish Golf back in May 2024, we had a fantastic conversation about what might be possible. We trialled the Golf Balls at a couple of events in 2024, including an event at Royal Troon hosting The Open Championship, and they went down a storm. It was clear to us very quickly that their reach and expertise was just what we needed to laser focus our message and marketing. What exactly does the deal entail? We are the Official Snacking partner of Scottish Golf and this year our Golf Balls are the Official Snack of Scottish Golf. We will be supporting Scottish Golf across all 33 of their national Opens and are main sponsors at three of them in particular: The Helen Holm Ladies Open at Royal Troon, the Mens' Open at North Berwick and the Men's Amateur at Gullane. We will be supplying over 500 bags of golf balls to players and caddies at each event. We are also working together on website, app, direct mail and other key marketing initiatives to provide loyal Scottish Golf subscribers and users with members reward schemes and discounts. How significant is this partnership for your business? This deal is hugely important for us across many levels. The fit and 'match up' with Scottish Golf could not be better. Scotland is the home of golf and golf is a game for all. We are from the Home of Golf in St Andrews so it is genuinely a perfect pairing. It will give us increased brand awareness and profile and regular access into all 565 Scottish Golf clubs, and showcase our products in the hands of some of Scotland's finest golfers, both male and female. And in particular, due to the quality of the data that David and his team can produce, it will help us understand our audience much better than any agency or Google ad campaign could. We are already seeing a marked uplift in our web site activity and subsequent revenue. Furthermore we have just closed a great piece of business with the St Andrews Links Trust, to supply Golf Balls and mini shortbreads across all of their sites at The Home of Golf. We will also supply the players and caddies at The Open at Royal Portrush and The Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl, and we will again be sending product to The Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club and the PGA Masters event at Trump International. We are also engaged with the R&A to support their key amateur events. What are your aspirations for the coming year? In truth, we have already hit some of our main marketing goals, as outlined above. Supplying The Open, The Scottish Open, The R&A, The Seniors PGA and the St Andrews Links Trust are partnerships we are truly proud of. However, building our distribution and customer base is crucial, and no young business can stand still, so we will continue to strive to build on this. We are looking to further expand across the rest of the UK and Europe and have recently agreed a deal with a German distributor who supplies the vast majority of German golf clubs. Sales have got off to a great start there. Access the entire series of Around the Greens here.
