Golfers coming off the 18th green at Scotland's North Berwick Golf Club on June 30, 2025.
Photographer: Lorna MacKay/Bloomberg
Scotland's National Game Is Golf. Rich Americans Are Changing It
The sport in Scotland is traditionally more accessible than in the US or England. But its economics are being severely tested.
The smiling faces of Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and other millionaire champions beam out from the marketing material for next week’s Scottish Open. “This is Golf Country,” goes the tagline. But away from the sport’s royalty and the glitz of venues such as US President Donald Trump’s two resorts, the home of golf has little to smile about.
For many working in the industry in Scotland, a simple equation is at play. There are two markets: one for North Americans with deep pockets, and one for the rest. And the economics of having 550 or so courses dotted around an area the size of South Carolina increasingly don’t stack up.