Golf tourism is worth an estimated £300 million each year to Scotland's economy

Golf tourism is estimated to bring in almost £300million to Scotland annually, with the 150th Open Championship in St Andrews next week part of an "unprecedented" summer of major events.

The Genesis Scottish Open takes its slot this week in the run-up to The Open, a date secured by VisitScotland and the Scottish Government as part of a new long-term commitment to the event.

It is co-sanctioned for the first time by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour of America, guaranteeing the field is among the strongest ever. To date seven of the top 10 male players in the world are set to tee off at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian.

Following The Open, legends of the men’s game will be in action at Gleneagles, as the King’s Course hosts the fifth Major Championship on the Champions Tour schedule, as The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex returns to Scotland for the first time since 2018.

According to tourism bosses, Scotland continues to lead the way in investment into women’s golf events, supporting the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire later this month, while the AIG Women’s Open will break new ground when it is hosted at Muirfield in August, East Lothian, for the first time.

More than 100,000 spectators are expected to attend these events in addition to the 290,000 expected to flock to the Open in St Andrews.

Visit Scotland chief executive, Malcolm Roughhead said: "No other venue has hosted more Opens than the Old Course and Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods are just some of the famous faces that have crossed the Swilcan Bridge on the way to clinching the Claret Jug in front of the Royal & Ancient Clubhouse."

Roughhead maintains these golf events provide the perfect