Links legend Sam Torrance and First Minister Alex Salmond yesterday issued a clarion call to global golf fans to come to the home of the sport this year.
Links legend Sam Torrance and First Minister Alex Salmond yesterday issued a clarion call to global golf fans to come to the home of the sport this year.
A free round of golf for four friends has already been offered to fans all over the world by 100 clubs across Scotland from Glasgow to Gleneagles and Fraserburgh, and further deals are to follow.
The first phase alone means potentially 8000 visitors, who it is estimated by Visit- Scotland would contribute £14.3m to the wider Scottish economy, with the average international golfer thought to spend £1790 on each trip.
Now the remaining 450 clubs in Scotland are being urged to take part in phase two of the Drive It Home scheme to be launched next month.
Each club, such as Dalmahoy in Edinburgh where the scheme was announced yesterday, underwrites the cost of the game to entice players to Scotland.
More than 2000 people in Sweden, US and Canada where marketing was targeted, signed up within seven days of advertising abroad.
Mr Salmond, who admitted that his favourite course is on the windswept isle of Colonsay where ravens regularly steal balls, said the move would help to quench the fascination people across the world had with Scottish golf.
He said: "We are hoping future phases will be just as successful and it may continue after Homecoming.
"I was hearing it can cost $300,000 for membership of the Hong Kong golf club. Here we have main courses like Dalmahoy but also hidden gems. Scotland is the undisputed home of golf - we have the best courses in the world and facilities that are second to none.
"The Drive It Home campaign has proved a sell-out success with golfers around the world snapping up a four-ball for free at courses across the country and hopefully starting to plan and book their golf vacation in Scotland.
"Golf is a key theme of our Homecoming celebrations and Drive it Home has the potential to attract more than 8000 international golfers to Scotland and create almost £15m in additional income for the Scottish economy.
"I would urge more clubs to get involved in phase two of this campaign so we can offer global golf enthusiasts even more opportunities to fulfil their golfing dreams of playing at the home of golf."
Mr Torrance said: "Having just been voted the Destination of the Year by the magazine Today's Golfer, Scotland confirms its unbeatable number one status on the golfing map.
"Scotland has 550 courses and I would encourage as many of them as possible to get behind this great campaign which is already proving to be a big success."
VisitScotland's Malcolm Roughead, said: "Golf tourism is vital to the Scottish economy, generating hundreds of thousands of pounds and the fact that all of the foursomes have been snapped up already is fantastic news as we approach the second phase of the promotion."
Teeing up savings
Approximate cost of all players in four-ball game
- Aberdour Golf Club (Aberdour Golf Course, Fife): £100
- Crieff Golf Club (Ferntower Golf Course, Perthshire): £100
- Fairmont Golf Club St Andrews (Kittocks and The Torrance Golf Courses) £600-£700
- Gleneagles (King's, Queen's and PGA Centenary Golf Courses): £600-£700 Figures from VisitScotland
