By Martin Dempster - The Scotsman
Scotland is no stranger to hosting the biggest names in golf in a playing sense and, over the next few days, it is rolling out the red carpet to some of the most-famous venues in the game.
Being held for the first time, Elevate Golf will see representatives from all the top golf properties in UK and Ireland, as well as some of the marquee venues in Continental Europe, converge on St Andrews to effectively strike up “relationships” in the first instance but, at the same time, also talk business.
Fifty tour operators will be in attendance and, while golf is being played and dinners have been lined up, approximately 3,000 business-to-business meetings will take place on the final two days.
Having spent 30 years in golf tourism, it became clear to me that there was a need for an event connecting like-minded businesses at the higher end of the market,” said Tom Lovering, Elevate Golf’s founder.
“Golf tourism in the UK and Ireland is worth over half a billion annually, sustaining thousands of jobs. At the top end, international golf tourism offers the best return on investment per person. The golf industry of courses and hotels offers a multitude of levels and budgets, but we felt there was a gap for a network and an event for the higher end of the industry.”
All the venues used by The R&A for The Open are being represented - it is believed that is the first at a trade event - while Marco Simone, last year’s Ryder Cup venue, will also be in attendance along with Les Bordes in France, Valderrama, San Roque and La Reserva in Spain, The Old Course in Vilamoura in Portugal, Costa Navarino in Greece as well as two other Italian venues in Il Picciolo Etna and Verdura Resort.
All those venues, of course, are already busy, as are the others on the list, so why is there a need for them to attend such an event? “Golf tourism is a relationship business,” added Lovering, who was the co-founder of PSP Media Group and worked as the company’s commercial director for 26 years before branching out on his own.“
Many attend to forge new relationships and strengthen existing ones. While ROI is important, relationship-building is the primary reason for attendance.
“People support those they are friends with. Additionally, golf courses and hotels often send behind-the-scenes team members who directly interact with tour operators. High-end courses also attend to support their local regions, ensuring that other local businesses benefit from the tourism they generate.”
While more than 100 tour operators applied to take part, a decision was taken to limit the invitations to just 50. “We use a selection process, inviting tour operators with a strong history in golf tourism or a compelling reason to attend,” explained Lovering.
“What sets Elevate Golf apart from other events is not the size, but the exclusivity. We don’t aim to be the biggest, but we guarantee that every interaction between buyers and suppliers will be meaningful. Golf tourism thrives on relationships, and Elevate Golf is all about fostering those connections, which is why the elite of the industry attend.”
The inaugural event begins with golf at Turnberry on Sunday, followed by dinner at Rusacks’ rooftop restaurant on Monday, and rounds at Dumbarnie and Carnoustie on Tuesday. The main business meetings will take place on Wednesday and Thursday before the event concludes with a gala dinner at the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews, attended by 350 of golf's elite.
Di Stewart, the Sky Sports presenter, is hosting the entire week while Sir Rocco Forte, who is no stranger to the world of high-end golf tourism with his Verdura Resort in Sicily, will participate in a Q&A session with attendees.
“A significant portion of luxury golf tourism in the UK and Ireland comes from North American visitors who flock to our renowned links courses every year. These tourists typically take extended breaks and spend more on accommodations, restaurants, green fees, and more,” said Lovering.
The mission of Elevate Golf is to bring together top-tier golf courses and hotels with leading golf tour operators. These operators are crucial in generating high-end business from North America. Elevate Golf is intentionally exclusive, catering solely to the upper echelon of the golf tourism industry.”
Set to involve more of the world’s leading golf venues, the 2025 event will start in Liverpool before attendees fly to Scotland for the main part of the week at Fairmont St Andrews.
