Nine in ten golf clubs near Carnoustie saw increased profits this summer

A survey of 34 golf clubs and accommodation providers in the same council area as Carnoustie Golf Links has found that 89 per cent saw an upsurge in demand during the week of the Open in July.

More than three quarters of respondents, 78 per cent, recorded an increase in business activity during the whole of July, compared to 12 months earlier, thanks to the survey conducted by Angus Council, which manages the region’s golf destination brand ‘Carnoustie Country’.

One golf club recorded a 795 per cent boost while another posted a 785 per cent increase compared to the previous year.

“The figures speak for themselves,” noted Andrew Crerar, PGA professional and director of golf at Panmure Golf Club.

“We got a massive upsurge in visitor bookings. It certainly surpassed my expectations and the club’s. We had a lot of bookings in advance, but we got a lot of calls during the week as well. Our figures are up for the year – even taking the July figures into account. It’s been good. As a destination, the Open has put us in the spotlight, and that won’t have done us any harm in terms of getting people to come back to Carnoustie Country.”

Carnoustie – Championship Course

“Montrose Golf Links was delighted to see an increase in visitor revenue on the back of the Open being held in Carnoustie Country,” added Claire Penman, deputy operations manager and company secretary at Montrose Golf Links.

“July saw the official launch of our rebranded 1562 Course which celebrates golf being played at Montrose for more than 450 years. Together with the Open, this resulted in a significant increase in footfall to Montrose. It was great to see an increase of visitors playing Montrose and staying within the Carnoustie Country area.”

Further down the coast at Monifieth, the opportunities presented by the Open were also being welcomed.

“Our visitor revenue during this period was far in excess of our usual income at this time of year, and all the staff and members revelled in the buzz,” stated Jan Brodie, managing secretary at Monifieth Golf Club where the legendary golfer Tom Watson first tried links golf in 1975. “In total, we took in about 20 per cent of annual visitor income in that one week. That’s massive for us.

“The financial bonus is clearly a huge benefit to courses like ourselves however, more importantly it allowed us to showcase our area and all the quality courses Carnoustie Country has to offer. If people who visited Monifieth this summer go home and tell others, that will hopefully be a foundation for us to build on. The Open has been invaluable, but we are also trying to raise our profile. If this summer helps us achieve that goal that will be even more beneficial in the long term.”

Held in July, golf’s oldest major was played in front of 172,000 spectators; a new record for Carnoustie, with Francesco Molinari becoming the first Italian to lift the famous Claret Jug.