After an exhausting struggle to win the right of hosting of The 2019 Solheim Cup, now Scotland can sit back. The Ladies European Tour’s Board preferred and selected Scotland’s The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire over Sweden’s The Bro Hof Slott Golf Club (the total cost budget was Eur 7.342.000; at the end of the post you can find some interesting insights about the Swedish golf business and life). I assume the Scots will interpret this decision as another proof that they are the home of golf.
I tried to find out what motivated the Ladies European Tour’s Board to select Scotland over Sweden. I could not find a better reason than the hosting of the 2014 Ryder Cup. Did you find any other reason???
This will not be the first time (actually the 3rd time) that Scotland becomes the host of The Solheim Cup. The Solheim Cup was held first in 1992 at the Dalmahoy Country Club and in 2000 at the Loch Lomond Golf Club.
Early this year 10 countries has submitted their proposals: Denmark, England, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and Wales. Last month I thought that The Ladies European Tour’s Board will favor Sweden to bring The Solheim Cup to a new country.
Although Sweden lost this battle, we should pay more attention to their golf life. Here are some interesting facts:
- At the end of the 2014, Sweden had 474,000 memberships, 470 golf courses plus over 7.3 million rounds reserved through the booking system.
- In 2014 there were 10 405 girls and 123 427 women as members in the golf clubs.
- The total investment in sponsoring in Sweden 2014 is 6,7 billion kronor (Approx. 800 million €). If you combined sponsoring and events the total investment is 13,5 billion kronor (approx. 1,6 billion €).
- The investments in sponsoring are bigger than the investments in commercials on TV.
- 75% of the total investment in Sponsoring is from Sport.
- More than 20.000 companies are sponsoring golf clubs and golf events in Sweden.