Scotland’s tourism chief has hailed the massive value of the golf industry to Scotland’s economy.
Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, was commenting on a major study of golf’s economic impact funded by governing body the R&A of St Andrews.
It found that Scotland accounts for 20% of the added value to the UK economy from the golf industry at £409 million in 2014, despite comprising just 8% of the population.
Scotland’s well-developed golf tourism, reputation as the home of the sport and high golf participation rate were found to be key factors in its strong performance.
Participation rates for the sport across Scotland 7% regular golfers and 17.5% for occasional golfers are more than double UK averages.
A boom in golfing jobs and spending in Scotland has been credited to the country attracting major events in the sport.
The study, compiled by the Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, found golf-related jobs in Scotland increased from almost 12,000 to 15,000 between 2011 and 2014.
Consumer spending on the game jumped £225m to £861m in the same period.
The increases were linked to Scotland attracting key golf championships such as the Open and the 2014 Ryder Cup, as well as major investment in golf resorts and a stronger economy.
The VisitScotland chief said: “This report shows the huge impact and influence that Scotland has in the golf industry not only in the UK but worldwide, and the considerable value of the industry to Scotland’s economy.
“Scotland is undoubtedly the home of golf but it is also a country in which the game continues to thrive to this day.
“Golf in Scotland is an inclusive sport and that is reflected in the higher participation rates, the breadth of accessible courses and the number of visitors flocking to experience golf in the country where it began.
“The golf industry is a key driver for economic activity across a number of sectors, including equipment, accommodation, food and drink and retail.
“There is no doubt that Scotland’s strong golf tourism and major events portfolio is a significant factor in this success.”
R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers welcomed the report, and added: “It will enable us to measure growth and identify emerging trends in future which will be extremely valuable.”