The British Senior Open Championship at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club World Class Golf for Royal Aberdeen 21st-24th July 2005
The Senior British Open Golf Championship, held at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club from the 21st-24th July 2005 was a resounding success, according to players, organisers and spectators alike. The event, which was presented by Aberdeen Asset Management, was the biggest Championship to be played in the North-east of Scotland.
The 6,835 yard championship course at Royal Aberdeen hosted the competition for the first time, but is no stranger to seniors golf, having hosted the Scottish Seniors Open on the European Seniors Tour for three years, from 1993 to 1995. One of Scotland’s great links courses, Royal Aberdeen is fiercely proud of its history, being the 6th oldest golf Club in the world dating from 1780.
European greats such as Sam Torrance, Christy O’Connor Jnr., Mark James, Neil Coles and international greats such as: Greg Norman, Gary Player, Bob Charles, Mark McNulty, Eduardo Romero with American legends including: Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Curtis Strange, Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Tom Kite, Peter Jacobsen all played at Royal Aberdeen.
Victory however, was claimed by American Tom Watson, clinching his second Senior British Open Championship, after beating Des Smyth in a sudden death play off.
There was a fantastic turn out for the event with attendance over the four days at 23,349, just short of the record attendance of 24,000 for the Championship.The championship was brought to Aberdeen, with the help of a public sector partnership comprising the North-east Scotland Economic Forum, Aberdeen City Council, Scottish Enterprise Grampian and VisitScotland- Aberdeen and Grampian plus EventScotland, Scotland’s event agency. The success of this year’s championship will hopefully see it return to the area in the near future.
SENIOR BRITISH OPEN BROUGHT £1MILLION-PLUS TO THE NORTH-EAST
The 2005 Senior British Open brought more than an extra £1million directly into to the north-east economy, according to a report into the economic impact of the event.
Commissioned by Scottish Enterprise Grampian on behalf of the funding partners EventScotland, VisitScotland, Aberdeen City Council and SEGr, the study showed a net £1.090million extra was spent in the region by visitors to the event.
The event, which was presented by Aberdeen Asset Management at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club from July 21-24, was the biggest Championship ever to be played in the north-east of Scotland. Attendance over the four days was 23,349, just short of the record attendance of 24,000 for the Championship.
The study also showed that the gross total economic impact in Scotland as a whole was £5.65 million and other benefits as a result of the event included
· The creation and retention of the equivalent of 33 full-time jobs in North East Scotland · Generation of TV coverage to an equivalent value of £1.65million · Generation of national and regional press coverage to an advertising equivalent value of £452,167
Sports Minster Patricia Ferguson said:
“This is great news for the North East economy and illustrates why golf is an important driver for the country’s economy.
“Scotland, boasting some of the world’s finest courses, is well placed to exploit the global interest in golf.”
Colin Donald, director of finance and competitive business for Scottish Enterprise Grampian said: “The event not only brought tangible economic benefits to the city but was also a great showcase for the area, generating extensive media coverage. It was also extremely successful in highlighting Aberdeen’s ability to host world-class events. It was disappointing that the Senior’s Open will not be returning to Aberdeen in 2007, however the recent announcement that the Scottish Challenge is to come to Murcar is further endorsement that the region is becoming firmly established on the golf tournament circuit and I am sure there will be the opportunity to stage more events of this type in the future.”
David Williams, Chief Executive of EventScotland said, ‘The Senior British Open was a fantastic success in 2005 and demonstrated the warm reception provided by people in the North-East of Scotland for major events. As a result of that success we are delighted to be able to help bring another major tournament, the Scottish Challenge, to the area in 2006.’
Ian Dunlop, VisitScotland’s area director, was equally pleased with the success of the event.
“As well as the undoubted benefits that the worldwide coverage of the British Seniors Open generated for Scotland as the home of golf and for Aberdeen and Grampian as a superb golf destination, I was also delighted with the immediate level of interest the event generated. We saw a dramatic 20% increase in visits to our website, www.golf-grampian.com and have since been dealing with lots of inquiries from golfters keen to challenge themselves against our 70 courses in the area. The event has helped to establish the north-east of Scotland as a truly great golf destination.’’
Rita Stephen, Head of Economic Development, Aberdeen City Council said: “Hosting the 2005 Seniors British Open in Aberdeen has clearly demonstrated not only the significant economic impact of major sporting events to the city region but also the associated benefits they bring to local communities.
“This event helped increase the profile of the sport across the region and through Aberdeen City Council’s Junior Golf Development Programme we continue to engage with children in our local community. Our long-term aim is to increase the numbers participating in golf from an early age by providing an imaginative range of accessible and enjoyable initiatives.
“We look forward to working again with the organisers of the Seniors British Open — and with other key sports organisers — to reinforce Aberdeen’s position nationally and internationally as an ideal base for major sporting events.”
Jim Byers of the Brentwood Hotel is the chairman of the Aberdeen Hotels Association. He said: “I think it was a huge success and shows that we can host an event of this calibre. The exposure within the media, broadcast in 20 countries, is quite exceptional and sure to bring in visitors in future years who have seen our fantastic golf opportunities and wonderful scenery on TV. We have already had a significant increase in the number of inquiries from golfing parties wanting accommodation or golf packages in the area which, at least in part, can be attributed to the wonderful coverage of the event in Aberdeen.”
The Senior British Open is one of the five “major” tournaments for golfers aged 50 and older. The Royal Aberdeen Golf Club was only the second Scottish golf course to stage the event after Turnberry, where it has traditionally been held. Victory was clinched by Tom Watson in a sudden-death play-off. Many famous golfing names have competed in the past, including Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tom Watson. In 2005, Greg Norman made his first appearance at the vent.
The event was brought to Aberdeen, with the help of a public sector partnership comprising the North-east Scotland Economic Forum, Aberdeen City Council, Scottish Enterprise Grampian and VisitScotland- Aberdeen and Grampian plus EventScotland, Scotland’s event agency.
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Notes to editors
Scottish Enterprise is the main economic development agency for Scotland covering 93 per cent of the population from Grampian to the Borders. The Scottish Enterprise Network consists of Scottish Enterprise and 12 Local Enterprise Companies. Working in partnership with the private and public sectors the Network aims to build more and better businesses, to develop the skills and knowledge of Scottish people, and to encourage innovation to make Scottish business internationally competitive
EventScotland is responsible for attracting sporting and cultural events to Scotland by co-ordinating the delivery of the Major Events Strategy published by the Scottish Executive in November 2002. The strategy is designed to maximise the benefits of existing events, to attract new events, to showcase Scotland’s assets and to encourage more people to visit Scotland to experience at first hand major sporting, cultural and arts events being staged in the country.
Carnoustie Golf Hotel launches Open Championship Online Golf Pro Shop
The Carnoustie Golf Hotel has launched an online Golf Pro Shop selling Open Championship merchandise in the run up to this year’s event being held at the Carnoustie Golf Links.
The online store offers the full range of the Open Championship branded golf clothing and accessories aswell as these golf balls which are also available through the Hotel’s on site shop. The website launch has propelled the range up the ranks of ‘must have’ sportswear this season, with pastel clothing proving most popular for both sexes.
Mark Edwards, managing director of Oxford Hotels & Inns, which owns the Carnoustie Golf Hotel comments, “We have launched the online store in response to the high demand for Open Championship merchandise from our current outlet based at Carnoustie.
“We are honoured to be a part of this prestigious event for the seventh time in the Championship’s 147 year history and anticipate that the tournament will be one of the most memorable to date.”
The exclusive range features both men’s and women’s items including Peter Scott knitwear, Ashworth shirts and a full assortment of branded accessories. Visit the online Carnoustie Open Championship Golf Pro Shop www.carnoustieproshop.com
The Open Championship, which takes place at the Carnoustie Golf Links from 19th to 22nd July, is the ultimate golf tournament and one of the highlights of Britain’s 2007 sporting calendar. For more information on the British Open visit www.opengolf.com