Record year for Home of Golf in St Andrews with over 280,000 rounds played

St Andrews Links Trust, the body responsible for managing the historic courses in the Fife town, has reported an 11% increase on the previous record set in 2019 with course occupancy across its seven courses also hitting a record high of 78%.

Demand was replicated across all facilities with 7.6m balls hit at St Andrews Links Golf Academy - that’s two million more than the previous record number. Additionally, both retail and food and beverage operations reported 20% and 29% increases in customer numbers year on year, underlining the growing esteem of the Home of Golf.

The figures come despite 2023 being the wettest year in the trust’s history. The rising numbers were put down to as “pent-up demand for experiential travel” as well as an enhanced appetite for play from local ticketholders following two years of Covid restrictions.

The trust reported a record £44m in operating revenue and an £11.5m operating profit, building on revenue of £34m and a profit of £3.7m in 2022. This performance has restored the charity’s financial following two years of significant losses in 2020 and 2021.

Neil Coulson, chief executive, said: “These unprecedented results for 2023 underline the renown in which the Home of Golf is held both here in St Andrews and around the world. The demand, not just on our golf courses but across all facilities, has been incredible and has significantly accelerated our recovery from a difficult period in 2020 and 2021. The recovery of our balance sheet and reserves allows us to revisit a strategy to invest in our physical and digital infrastructure to further enhance the experience of golfers in St Andrews and to continue to protect the links for future generations.”

All profits generated by the trust are reinvested into the operation, maintenance and preservation of the links at St Andrews.

The organisation has also announced an ambitious investment strategy to upgrade ageing infrastructure. Key projects include a multi-year upgrade of irrigation systems across all courses, extensions and upgrades to the Links Clubhouse and the Golf Academy and a plan to renovate the Castle Course to open all year round.

In addition, it plans to continue to invest in and seek funding for sustainability and coastal management measures to protect its coastline from erosion and climate-induced flood risk. This builds on award-winning existing activity including the largest and longest-running dune restoration project in Scotland.

Sandra Tuddenham, who chairs the trust, said the trust recognised the impact growing demand has had on access to the courses. As part of its remit, it has a duty to “maintain the Links as a public park and place of public resort and recreation, for the residents of the town of St Andrews and others” - and has unveiled additional tee-times this year.She added: “There is more to be done here and we expect to be in a position to share some positive progress in this area later in 2024.”

In April, a new organisation, St Andrews Resident Golfers Association (STARGA), launched a survey to find out if local golfers were being squeezed out by record numbers of visitors. There are around 700 resident ticket holders in St Andrews, and the association said there was a feeling that their “golfing experience” had been impacted by the boom in overseas visitors getting tee-times.