Steve Scott, The Courier, 12 July 2000

Scotland's failure to exploit her unique advantage as the home of golf is to be consigned to history with the launch of a new tourism strategy centred on golf and led by European No 1 Colin Montgomerie and the Scottish Executive.

Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Henry McLeish pledged £500,000 for the strategy, which is intended to maximise the tourism opportunities attached to the game.

At the launch at Loch Lomond yesterday, the minister set a target of raising Scotland’s income from golf by 30% in five years, thereby winning back ground lost to the successful campaigns marketing Ireland as a golf centre.

Montgomerie, European No 1 for the last seven years, will be the figurehead for the strategy and said that it was high time Scotland began to promote itself properly in golf.

"We’ve rested on our laurels a little, as if saying we’re the home of golf was enough," he said.

"We have golfing assets in this country that no other can match including the five great Open Championship courses, and now we have the political will to move this on.

"When the strategy pays dividends we can look forward to a stronger game in Scotland and a new generation of young people enthusiastically taking up the game," said Montgomery.

Mr McLeish clearly targeted the success of Ireland’s golfing tourism sector as a benchmark for the new strategy.

"Other places have virtually been claiming the title of home of golf, but no other place, including Ireland, has the assets we have," he said.

"In the past these assets have been under-used and the potential to attract tourists not fully developed, but the launch of the new strategy today opens a new chapter.

"From now on we will be aggressively marketing our world class facilities, and improving the quality of the average golf holiday with training initiatives and and new investment," said Mr McLeish.

The strategy will begin together with the Scottish Tourist Board, Scottish Enterprise, tour operators and governing bodies like the Scottish Golf Union as well as key organisations like Scottish Golf.

A national golf tourism manager will be appointed, to oversee the establishment of regional golf development groups, while the home of golf image will be reasserted, developed and targeted at North America.

The Scottish Golf website www.scottishgolf.com is intended as a golf information and booking centre for the game as part of the strategy.

"The initiatives outlined in the strategy will have a major impact on tourist numbers, bring more jobs and prosperity to the economy and ultimately help the long-term future of the game," added Mr McLeish