Latest news with #StAndrewsLinks
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
St Andrews golf worth £317m annually to the Scottish economy
Researchers calculated the amount visitors spent directly on golf in St Andrews as well as on hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and local travel providers. Read more: St Andrews Links - whose other courses include the New, Jubilee, Castle, Eden, Balgove and Strathtyrum courses - welcomes an average of 2,000 playing visitors every week. Around 72% of those visitors come from overseas, with the USA (40%) and Canada (6%) being the key markets. A further 28% of visits were from the UK, with the remaining 26% coming from elsewhere. Across visitors from all locations, 84% said they were 'likely or very likely' to return in the future. 'This is the first such study looking solely at the impact of golf in St Andrews on the town and the wider Scottish economy," said Neil Coulson, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust. 'It clearly shows the massive impact on the town and that our visitors are delivering a boost to communities across Scotland each and every year. This impact has probably been undervalued in the past. Neil Coulson, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust (Image: Gavin Craigie) 'The unique place that St Andrews holds as the lifeblood and source of the sport means that both golfers and non-golfers want to come here and experience this place for themselves. But this only works if we continue to invest in our facilities and in ensuring we strive for excellence in customer experience.' St Andrews Links Trust is a charity with all of its revenue reinvested into the sport, facilities and in community initiatives across the region. For every £1 that passes through the tills of St Andrews Links from visitors, an additional £3.43 is generated for other businesses in the town. "Scotland has a proud reputation as the birthplace of the game and St Andrews is home to many links courses, not least the Old Course, which are the envy of the world," Scottish Business Minister Richard Lochhead said. "This report hits home the scale of the benefits we all reap from the trust's courses, alongside the broader impact of golf tourism, which boosts the economy by £300 million every year and supports around 5,000 jobs. Read more: "I commend the Trust for all it does to sustain and grow the game and I'm looking forward to the return of The Open to St Andrews in 2027, which, backed by Scottish Government funding, will further increase our standing as a first-class host of major events." Of the 283,000 rounds played on the seven St Andrews Links courses in 2023, 152,000 (54%) were played by visitors to St Andrews. More than half of visitors combined their St Andrews Links trip with a visit to another iconic layout in Scotland, the most popular being Kingsbarns (29%), Carnoustie (25%), Dumbarnie (15%) and Crail (14%). Vicki Miller, chief executive of VisitScotland, added: 'This comprehensive study showcases the important role golf plays in Scotland's visitor economy, with St Andrews standing at the heart of this as a globally recognised asset. Read more: 'Scotland continues to be the destination of choice for golfers worldwide, and beyond the course, our renowned hospitality, culture, and heritage offer a truly distinctive and enriching experience for all who visit. We welcome this research, which reinforces Scotland's reputation as a world-leading tourism and events destination.' Professor Simon Shibli, from Sheffield Hallam University, said: 'Economic impact studies tend to look at the effects of one-off major sport events. For St Andrews Links Trust we have had the opportunity to investigate the economic impact of a permanent year-round golf business. "Using gold standard methods to interview over 2,400 golfers, our research reveals a significant asset to the Scottish economy, which has arguably not been fully appreciated. St Andrews Links Trust is not only a thriving business in its own right, it is also a catalyst for considerable tourism and employment benefits.'
The National
22-04-2025
- Sport
- The National
Scots can play golf in St Andrews for £42.50
St Andrews Links Trust has launched Drive, a new initiative which hopes to offer more access to its courses for Scottish players. The scheme will see high season green fees in the city cut by 87.5% between May and October. READ MORE: Anas Sarwar criticises John Swinney's anti-far right summit This includes the Old Course in St Andrews, with a round on the renowned course set to be available for £42.50 – rather than the usual price of £340. Also included will be The Castle Course, where a round will be offered at £22.50, down from £180, and golfers will also have the chance to play at the Jubilee and Eden courses for discounted rates. With 179 tee times set to be made available at a reduced price, 716 golfers will have the opportunity to access the unique discount by signing up to a two-ball ballot. Successful applicants will then be paired up and allocated a tee time, beginning with 11 tee times on the Old Course on May 21. Golfers who already benefit from an annual St Andrews Links ticket, which offers access to seven courses for just £386, will not be eligible to enter. The Drive initiative was launched as part of an ongoing review of access to the St Andrews Links courses amid unprecedented local and global demand, and in an effort to promote golf participation for players of all ages and abilities. READ MORE: Scottish Government to respond to Supreme Court gender ruling in Holyrood statement As part of the drive, a week-long stretch of tee times will be provided exclusively to those working in the armed forces and frontline emergency services, as well as volunteers and disabled golfers on the Eden Course from May 27 to June 3. Neil Coulson, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust, said: 'As the Home of Golf, St Andrews Links Trust takes its responsibility to the sport incredibly seriously. That is why we are so excited to launch a new initiative offering golfers across Scotland the opportunity to play our historic and iconic courses at a lower price. 'Widening access to golf is a key objective for us, and over the coming years we hope we can continue to provide opportunities to golfers of all ages and abilities. 'Golf has become increasingly popular in recent years and with this demand for our courses has surged to unprecedented levels. We will continue to ensure that our ticket holders and visitors have the best experience possible, while ensuring that one of the country's most precious golfing assets is available for the public too.'
STV News
22-04-2025
- Business
- STV News
Scots golfers to be offered huge discounts on historic St Andrews courses
Scottish golfers are to be offered a nearly 90% discount on historic courses in St Andrews this summer. St Andrews Links Trust has launched Drive, a new initiative to offer more access to its courses for Scottish players, which will see high season green fees in the city cut by 87.5% between May and October. This includes the Old Course in St Andrews, with a round on the renowned course set to be available for £42.50 – rather than the usual price of £340. Also included will be The Castle Course, where a round will be offered at £22.50, down from £180, and golfers will also have the chance to play at the Jubilee and Eden courses for discounted rates. With 179 tee times set to be made available at a reduced price, 716 golfers will have the opportunity to access the unique discount by signing up to a two-ball ballot. Successful applicants will then be paired up and allocated a tee time, beginning with 11 tee times on the Old Course on May 21. Golfers who already benefit from an annual St Andrews Links ticket, which offers access to seven courses for just £386, will not be eligible to enter. The Drive initiative has been launched as part of an ongoing review of access to the St Andrews Links courses amid unprecedented local and global demand, and in an effort to promote golf participation for players of all ages and abilities. As part of the drive, a week-long stretch of tee times will be provided exclusively to those working in the armed forces and frontline emergency services, as well as volunteers and disabled golfers on the Eden Course from May 27 to June 3. Neil Coulson, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust, said: 'As the Home of Golf, St Andrews Links Trust takes its responsibility to the sport incredibly seriously. That is why we are so excited to launch a new initiative offering golfers across Scotland the opportunity to play our historic and iconic courses at a lower price. 'Widening access to golf is a key objective for us, and over the coming years we hope we can continue to provide opportunities to golfers of all ages and abilities. 'Golf has become increasingly popular in recent years and with this demand for our courses has surged to unprecedented levels. We will continue to ensure that our ticket holders and visitors have the best experience possible, while ensuring that one of the country's most precious golfing assets is available for the public too.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
