THE DATA
What is the economic value of golf in St £ndrews?
It’s no surprise the Home of Golf has a huge impact on the Scottish economy. But the scale of it is still stunning
When you’re known as the Home of Golf, it doesn’t take much of an imagination to realise St Andrews is a veritable money tree.
Even so, the enormous effect the sport in the Auld Grey Toun has on the Scottish economy still raises an eyebrow.
New research has revealed the total economic impact of visitors travelling to St Andrews to play golf is worth more than £300 million.
That’s the equivalent of Scotland hosting three Opens every year.
Numbers compiled by the Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University shows that visitors and families who play the seven courses contribute £317 million annually in total economic impact to Scotland.
The researchers calculated the amount spent directly on golf in St Andrews, as well as on hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and local travel providers.
That wider context is hugely important, because the university team found that spend supports 4,300 full-time jobs in the country – putting St Andrews Links among Scotland’s biggest tourism assets.
£317M
The total economic impact of golf in St Andrews to Scotland
4,300
Full-time jobs supported in the country
2,000
Average number of people playing golf in St Andrews each week
Percentage of visitors coming from overseas: 72%
Visitors who said they were “likely or very likely” to return: 84%
Visitors who come to St Andrews specifically for golf: 78%
For every £1 that went through the tills of St Andrews Links, it’s reported a further £3.43 is generated for other businesses in the town.
The University compiled 2,404 online and in-person surveys with golfers who had played a Links Trust course between May and October last year.
They found St Andrews Links welcomed around 2,000 playing visitors every week, with 72% of those coming from overseas and the United States (40%) being the largest market. The United Kingdom made up 28% of the total.
Neil Coulson PGA, St Andrews Links Trust Chief Executive, said: “This is the first such study looking solely at the impact of golf in St Andrews on the town and the wider Scottish economy.
“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.
“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. The combination is what St Andrews Links stand out.”
£3.43
Sum generated in St Andrews businesses for every £1 that goes through the Links tills
283,000
Rounds played on the seven St Andrews Links courses in 2023
35,000
Rounds played on the Old Course in 2023
Professor Simon Shibli, of Sheffield Hallam University, added: “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.
“That the annual economic impact of St Andrews Links Trust is the equivalent of hosting The Open three times a year in Scotland is a truly remarkable finding.”
