Huge rise in golf bookings suggests golfers are holidaying in the UK

A Cornish golf resort has seen a huge 20 per cent rise in group golf throughout 2019.

The figures, from St Mellion International Resort, suggest that an increasing number of UK-based golfers are taking their holidays on home soil during a time of Brexit uncertainty.

‘This year, groups who would normally book golfing trips in Spain or Portugal have instead been turning to St Mellion, as they look for value with the pound falling to a ten-year low against the euro in summer 2019,’ said a spokesman.

“With two European Tour courses and an award-winning hotel with all the facilities you could ever want, more golfers than ever before have simply been coming to St Mellion, parking the car, and enjoying a worry-free golf break for a few days,” said David Moon, the resort’s golf manager.

“Like all of us, I’ve had countless conversations about Brexit this year and the message from our golfing guests has been coming through loud and clear. As the debate rages on about the EU, they know they’ll have a great time and get good value here at St Mellion, especially now their money doesn’t go as far over on the continent.

“And anyway, how could you ever get tired of playing The Nicklaus?” he said. “With Cornwall firmly established as the UK’s number one holiday destination, location-wise we are sitting pretty of course, and the Brexit situation has certainly helped UK golf resorts this year. But you can’t rely solely on politics or the economy to help you out! We have been rewarded by a sharp rise in the number of golfers heading down here in 2019 after a lot of hard work by our amazing staff.”

Similar increases in roundage, food, accommodation and retail sales have made 2019 a banner year for St Mellion, a decade on from a £20 million revamp in 2009 which saw its new 80-room four-star resort hotel open to universal acclaim.

“St Mellion’s reputation has been earnt over many years, with The Nicklaus celebrating its 30^thAnniversary last summer and our hotel celebrating its 10^thAnniversary this year,” said the resort’s general manager, Ian Davies, “but it is incredibly rewarding to see our popularity continue to soar.

“We really look after our guests, whether or not they are golfers, and we have all loved to see a growing number of familiar faces returning to St Mellion in 2019 – which is the ultimate endorsement, of course.”