St Andrews Links Trust today announced a freeze on visitor green fees for its seven public courses for 2009.
The announcement means that high season green fees for visitors to the Old Course will remain at £130, the New and Jubilee courses at £65 and The Castle Course at £120.
While visitor numbers to the Links courses this year have remained at normal levels and The Castle Course is enjoying a busy opening season, the Links Trust has taken the decision to freeze prices at an increasingly uncertain time for the economy and amid suggestions in some quarters that Scottish golf tourism is suffering.
Alan McGregor, general manager of St Andrews Links Trust, said the Trustees had decided to act proactively. “Visiting golfers have made a huge financial contribution to St Andrews Links over the years enabling the Trust to invest significantly in the courses and facilities whilst at the same time keeping other prices low,” he said.
“In view of this and in recognition of the economic downturn, the Trustees believe that we need to do as much as we can to encourage visitors to come to the town to play golf and to stay here by freezing green fees for the 2009 season.”
The move was welcomed by Colin Dalgleish, managing director of Perry Golf. He said, “Many businesses in the golf tourism sector are starting to feel the pinch as the slowdown in the American economy, in particular, starts to have an effect. The Links Trust’s freeze on green fees sets a significant lead and should help to make St Andrews and Scotland more attractive to visiting golfers.”
The high season green fees on the other Links courses next season will be: the Eden £40, the Strathtyrum £25 and the Balgove £12.
Advanced Reservations for play on the Old Course and The Castle Course in 2009 can be made from 10am on September 3.
Ends.
Notes to editors
St Andrews Links Trust is a charitable organisation responsible for the management and maintenance of the Links courses at St Andrews, including the famous Old Course, host of the 2010 Open Championship. The Trust was established in 1974. It employs more than 200 permanent staff and seasonal workers during the high season. It manages a number of additional facilities including two clubhouses, a golf practice centre and three shops.
More than 200,000 rounds are played over six public courses, which feature two additional championship courses (the New and the Jubilee), two 18-hole courses (the Eden and the Strathtyrum) and a nine-hole course (the Balgove). A seventh course, The Castle Course, has opened for play on a site to the south-east of St Andrews.
Contact:
Mike Woodcock
Communications manager
St Andrews Links Trust
01334 466610
07919 946064
E-mail mikewoodcock@standrews.org.uk
