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The exact figure of £317m has been revealed as part of new research conducted for St Andrews Links Trust, which runs the seven courses in the Fife town, by the Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University.

The report calculated the amount visitors spent directly on golf in St Andrews, where The Open will be held for a record 31st time in 2027, as well on hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and local travel providers.

It found the home of golf welcomes an average of 2,000 playing visitors every week, with around 72 per cent coming from overseas and predominantly - 40 per cent, to be precise - from the US.

The report also highlighted just how positively visitors viewed their spend, with 84 per cent indicating they were “likely or very likely” to return in the future.

Neil Coulson, chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust, said: “This is the first such study looking solely at the impact of golf in St Andrews on the town and the wider Scottish economy. It clearly shows the massive impact on the town and that our visitors are delivering a boost to communities across Scotland each and every year. This impact has probably been undervalued in the past.

“The unique place that St Andrews holds as the lifeblood and source of the sport means that both golfers and non-golfers want to come here and experience this place for themselves

Neil Coulson, the chief executive of St Andrews Links Trust, has hailed golf’s ‘massive impact’ on the town | St Andrews Links Trust

“But this only works if we continue to invest in our facilities and in ensuring we strive for excellence in customer experience. The combination is what makes St Andrews Links stand out.”

For every £1 that passes through the tills of St Andrews Links Trust from visitors, an additional £3.43 is generated for other businesses in the town.

Business Minister Richard Lochhead said: "This report hits home the scale of the benefits we all reap from the trust’s courses, alongside the broader impact of golf tourism, which boosts the economy by £300m every year and supports around 5,000 jobs.

“I commend the trust for all it does to sustain and grow the game and I'm looking forward to the return of The Open to St Andrews in 2027, which, backed by Scottish Government funding, will further increase our standing as a first-class host of major events.”

Other Scottish courses attracting St Andrews vistors

The report highlighted how more than half of the visitors to St Andrews in 2023 also played elsewhere, notably at Kingsbarns, Carnoustie Dumbarnie Links and Crail.

Vicki Miller, VisitScotland’s chief executive, said: “This comprehensive study showcases the important role golf plays in Scotland’s visitor economy, with St Andrews standing at the heart of this as a globally-recognised asset.

“Scotland continues to be the destination of choice for golfers worldwide, and beyond the course, our renowned hospitality, culture and heritage offer a truly distinctive and enriching experience for all who visit. We welcome this research, which reinforces Scotland’s reputation as a world-leading tourism and events destination.”

Professor Simon Shibli, from Sheffield Hallam University, added: “Using gold standard methods to interview over 2,400 golfers, our research reveals a significant asset to the Scottish economy, which has arguably not been fully appreciated.

“St Andrews Links Trust is not only a thriving business in its own right, it is also a catalyst for considerable tourism and employment benefits. That the annual economic impact of St Andrews Links Trust is the equivalent of hosting The Open three times a year in Scotland is a truly remarkable finding.”