Chief Executive Euan Loudon is leaving the St Andrews Links Trust at the end of the year after completing a decade at the Home of Golf.
Loudon succeeded Alan McGregor as chief executive of the Trust, which manages the Old Course and other six public courses at St Andrews, in 2011.
He has overseen substantial movements by the Trust in commercial operations during his tenure. The infrastructure at the Links has been developed and considerably enlarged.
Loudon told staff at the Links Trust that he had had “the enormous good fortune to work in a truly inspiring organisation for over 10 years.”
‘Open, honest passionate and committed people’
“We are blessed with an outstanding set of Links courses,” he said. “But it is people; open, honest, passionate and committed people that provide the essential elements of what we do here.
“I feel immensely proud to have had the opportunity to be part of the working lives at St Andrews Links Trust over the last decade.”
During his term the Links Trust made the significant addition of the Morris Building on the Old Guardbridge Road in 2013.
There has been a refurbishment of the Eden Clubhouse buildings, and a recent internal upgrading of the main St Andrews Links Clubhouse. The Trusts’ practice facilities have also been improved and enlarged.
The Links has seen a steady growth in visitor traffic with two million rounds of golf played in the last ten years. Top events have been hosted including both the men’s and women’s Open Championships, the annual Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The Trust also has three amateur events it runs itself on a yearly basis, the St Andrews Links Trophy, St Rule Trophy and Eden Trophy.
The men’s Open is scheduled to return to St Andrews for its 150th edition next year. The Walker Cup will be played on the Old Course in 2023 and the AIG Women’s Open in 2024.
Covid-19 made for a challenging last 12 months
Loudon said that the last year had been a “challenging period” for the Trust as it attempted to pilot a path through the Covid-19 pandemic with drastically reduced visitor numbers.
The Trust’s priority had been the well-being of its community of colleagues and golfers and limiting the impact of the virus on society, while providing a high quality service for its customers, he said.
“We have been through a tough 13 months at the Trust but the efforts of our wonderful team have allowed us to now stand on the threshold of an exciting journey of recovery and growth,” added Loudon. “I look forward to handing over the leadership baton to the next generation.”