The Open could prove a handicap for Scots businesses

By Michael MacLeod

SCOTS firms could be about to find themselves hit by a round of golf related sickies brought on by this year’s Open golf championships.

Not because golf fans are bunk-ering off work to watch the likes of Tiger Woods and co fighting it out at the Old Course in St Andrew’s.

But because usually desk bound amateurs will be inspired to pick up their clubs and do themselves an injury.

Four out of five hobby golfers are expected to pick up some kind of niggle or serious injury in the course of their playing days, according to research by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

Now experts are warning The Open makes that risk even higher as workers take to the greens without any proper preparation.

Fife to set up own golf group

By Cara Sulieman

THE home of golf plans a break-a-way group to help promote Fife as a mecca for fans of the sport amid claims VisitScotland isn’t doing enough to promote the area as a major tourist destination.

Fife Council is leading the drive to form a stand-alone ‘alliance’ and has hired a £26,650 team of consultants to draw up a strategy already.

The proposed Fife Golf Alliance would adopt an approved marketing plan for the entire Kingdom which supports hundreds of jobs and brings millions of pounds into the local economy.

The consultants, Business and Tourism Solutions Ltd, have been tasked with carrying out a “robust review” of the industry to see if the independent alliance is needed.

Home dubbed ‘Royal Box of Golf’ up for sale

By Alexander Lawrie

A HOUSE dubbed ‘The Royal Box of Golf” is up for sale for almost £4 million

The stunning property offers one of the most iconic views in the golfing world as it overlooks the 18th green at the Old Course in St Andrews.

Situated within feet of the world-famous green, the balcony gives a grandstand view both of everyday play and the regular Professional Championships – including the Open Championship.

The ultimate golfing seat doesn’t come cheap though, with the asking price of a massive £3.75 million.

Rare golf book to go under the hammer

By Alexander Lawrie

ONE of sport’s rarest books is go under the hammer next week.

The golfing tome is widely expected to fetch more than £30,000 – the equivalent of 230 rounds on the famous Old Course at St Andrews.

The Goff; An Heroi-Comical Poem was first published in 1743 and was written by Thomas Mathison, a Scots legal writer.

The book was the world’s first publication to be devoted entirely to just one game.

Golfing miracle mum shunned by sponsors

By Michael MacLeod

GOLFING supermum Catriona Matthew is a victim of gender-bias according to marketing experts, after she was dropped by major sponsors.

The mum of two won the women’s British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes last weekend – just 11 weeks after giving birth.

But sponsors’ logos on her clothing and golf gear were nowhere to be seen, despite the 40-year-old rewriting the history books as the first Scots woman ever and the first Scot in a decade to win a major championship.

After taking the title, the North Berwick golfer revealed she had been dropped by VisitScotland and financial services firm Aegon.

Iconic St Andrews building up for sale

By Cara Sulieman

AN ICONIC building overlooking the famous St Andrews Old Course is up for sale after a major backer called in its debts.

The Bank of Scotland put money up for an American company, Wasserman Real Estate Capital, to turn Hamilton Hall into luxury time-share apartments.

But plans were shelved because of the recession and the bank is now understood to have “called up” the sale of the building.

It has now been handed over to Jones Lang LaSalle estate agents who are handling the sale.