The Open Goes Mobile

Mobile phones will be permitted at this year’s Open Championship with spectators able to keep up-to-date with all the action thanks to a host of official smartphone apps.

Since 2006, mobile phones have not been permitted throughout The Open venue for the entire week. However, at Royal Lytham & St Annes this July, spectators will be able to carry their phones, with calls allowed in designated areas.

Photography and video recording will still not be permitted during Championship days although spectators will be allowed to check their smartphones from the course and in grandstands, and so they will be able to keep up-to-date with live scores, course guides, video, live action and much more from the official Open Championship apps.

“There is no denying the attachment people feel to their mobile phones both in terms of gathering information and staying in touch with family and friends. We understand this and allowing their use at the Championship will enrich The Open experience,” said Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of The R&A.

“We are offering spectators access to an enhanced range of apps for Android, iPhone and iPad that will offer live video of play and other attractions at The Open and will keep them up-to-date with essential Championship information including scoring, tee times, news and an interactive course guide.”

Spectators will have restricted use of their phones and will be limited to making calls in designated areas around the tented village and food and drink outlets. Strict rules will be put in place designed to ensure that play is not affected in any way by the change.

Dawson added: “We understand there will be concerns over this change in policy but will be liaising with spectators at the Championship to ensure calls are not taking place near play. Our spectators are very knowledgeable and understand golf, and so we are confident they will respect the players.”

Source: RandA

Golf Tourism in Scotland: An Assessment of Growth Potential

Without question Scotland is one of the world’s premier golf destinations (voted Best Golf Destination of the Year 2009 by Today’s Golfer) and is recognised globally as the “Home of Golf”.

Similar to other tourism sectors, however, there have been significant changes in both the buying behaviour and destination choices of potential golfing visitors so it is vital that the industry keeps pace with this fast-moving marketplace. Scotland undeniably holds the accolade of being the country ‘where it all started’ with all the traditions associated with this, but can’t rely on this alone for the future growth and success of its golf tourism product.

With Scotland hosting the Ryder Cup in 2014 and increasing competition from other golfing destinations, time is now ripe for the golf tourism sector to work together to share up-to-date market intelligence to ensure that the industry remains competitive both now & in the future.
With this in mind, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise, with support from GTS & VisitScotland, have recently commissioned SQW consultants to carry out an assessment of the growth potential of golf tourism at national & regional levels up to 2020 as well as benchmark Scotland’s future growth prospects with other leading global golfing destinations.

As part of their research, SQW will carry out detailed consultations with key golf courses, tour operators & other golf-related business interests in order to get an industry-led view of the golf tourism market over the next 10 years. The research findings will be made available to GTS members as part of a wider industry circulation by late Autumn & will be used to inform future strategy and investment decisions as part of the public sector’s support to golf tourism generally.

For further details please contact Gordon Todd, Senior Project Executive, Scottish Enterprise on 0141 228 2122 or via Gordon.Todd@scotent.co.uk.