New brand of golf

In your report ‘Public snub Dunhill golf tournament’ (6th October) you stated that ‘a spokeswoman at Kingsbarns had reported no sales at all.’

In the circumstances, we in Kingsbarns village must surely consider ourselves extremely grateful to event organiser IMG for their generous gift of two free tickets, per household, so that we may ‘have the opportunity to join in the excitement of the inaugural Dunhill Links Championship’ (IMG letter to residents). Or should we?

IMG claim that this ‘celebration of links golf’ will ‘play an important part in promoting Scotland and the beauty of the Fife coast.’ Perhaps, but anyone choosing to visit Kingsbarns, during the half term holiday, will find the road to the beach closed, in the interests of safety and security. The coastal path will remain open this year, against the wishes of IMG, who had applied to close this route in the interests of safety.

IMG, the world’s largest independent producer of televised sports programs, is in an excellent position to promote Fife, but this will be secondary to their main mission, the promotion of ‘Dunhill’ branded products (including cigarettes), Kingsbarns Golf Links, and corporate golf.

The Dunhill Links Championship website invites the public to phone a London number for information. Don’t bother trying. You will be asked to leave a message, and someone will get back to you after the event.

I get the impression that the public is welcome, but that IMG are not going out of their way to fill the galleries with traveling spectators. This may of course be the intention. IMG will be trying to run a live, worldwide, TV show from three venues at the same time. The players, celebrities and guests require to be shuttled around with precision timing. IMG will not want congestion on the roads between Kingsbarns, St Andrews and Carnoustie.

Details about road closures and access restrictions can be found at kingsbarnslinks.com

Nick Lunan, Kingsbarns

Included with that letter was the following backgound information regarding the link between Dunhill and tobacco products :

Alfred Dunhill say they are a mens’ luxury goods company. Indeed; but Swiss company Richemont, the owners of Alfred Dunhill Ltd, derive half their profit from their stake in BAT.

The Alfred Dunhill brand name is being changed across markets, to the simpler Dunhill. This will make it easier for BAT and Richemont to exploit the Dunhill trademark.

Three BAT board members have Richemont connections. Richemont have connections with the Rembrant Group of South Africa who are heavily into tobacco.

ASH, the tobacco watchdog, is aware of the connection, as is Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP MSP who has recently presented a bill calling for a ban on tobacco advertising in Scotland - a bill which will outlaw the practice of brand-sharing between Dunhill mens’ goods and tobacco products.

The pro-celebrity format has not been well received here, but this form of golf is becoming increasingly popular in the Far East, the likely target market. BAT and Dunhill are keen to expand their market share in this region.