The Scottish Open is one of the most prestigious events on the tour schedule and seems set for even greater things. But where should the event be held going forward?
The Renaissance Course was bathed in sun today on Scotland’s Golf Coast
The event has probably the best week on the European Tour’s schedule. It was reborn in 2011 when it moved from Loch Lomond to Castle Stuart. Although Castle Stuart was a modern links course, it gave players the rare opportunity to hit the ball on links turf and try some of the shots around the green that would stand them in good stead for The Open the following week.
The players loved it. Fields improved year on year, the reviews were great. It helped that Open winners were now largely coming from those who had played the Scottish Open the previous weekend. Outings at Royal Aberdeen and Gullane were particularly applauded for the quality of challenge.
While it would be lovely to think that it was the selection of golf courses that attracted such fields, that would be a little naïve. Aberdeen Asset Management and the Scottish Government injected substantial cash into the event too.
The two men leading those organisations at the time, Martin Gilbert and Alex Salmond, were both keen golfers and canny operators. They saw the event as an opportunity to promote their aims - Aberdeen took their brand to a global audience and gorgeous shots of Scottish golf courses lured tourists to the country from all over the world.
Such was the pull of the event, financially and otherwise, that NBC went the whole hog and started broadcasting directly from the event with its own team on the ground, a privilege usually reserved for The Open and Ryder Cup outside of the States. However, there were challenges.
Surprisingly, finding a golf course in Scotland capable of hosting the event would be an issue. Firstly, the players wouldn’t want to be beaten up too much by the course but on the other hand, they would want a good test. The increased distances hit by players these days meant many courses would simply be reduced to pitch and putts and couldn’t possibly hold the event. Sorry Prestwick and North Berwick - you are no longer relevant for professional golfers.
Next up was logistics. Getting the world’s media and players accommodated, with space for hospitality and parking and good travel connections for fans ruled out another raft of courses.
The problems kept coming. Aberdeen and the Scottish Government were very keen to have the same venue host the Ladies’ Scottish Open a couple of weeks later, giving clubs a real headache. To host both events they would need to take their course out of action, or heavily restrict play, for several weeks in the middle of summer. Commercially that might be OK given the future green fees they would take in, but the members weren’t always happy at the thought of losing access to their course at such a key time. Many members at Gullane were more than happy to host the event in 2015 but there were mutterings in 2018 when it came around again so quickly.
Gullane hosted the Scottish Open in both 2015 and 2018
Just to add another dimension to the challenge, there is an unwritten agreement that the event won’t be held at courses on The Open rota. (Carnoustie hosted in 1995 and ‘96 but that was to help them sort out logistics ahead of the return of the Open.)
So, compromises have had to be made, and they have had a negative impact on the one thing the championship was trying to do - provide a good links test in the week before the Open. The trip to Dundonald in 2017 led to the weakest Scottish Open field in recent years and the coveted spot in the calendar seemed to be at risk, especially given a resurgent Irish Open.
Luckily for the event there was one Scottish golf course that really wanted to host the event and appeared to tick a lot of boxes.
The Renaissance Club is a rarity in Scotland - a high end private course which shuns public play and wants to attract uber-rich international members. It lies in one of the world’s most exciting golf areas, sitting between Muirfield and North Berwick on Scotland’s Golf Coast.
The architect is one of the world’s rockstar designers, Tom Doak. Doak is very clear when talking about The Renaissance. The owner, Jerry Savardi, wanted a tough course which would be able to host the world’s best players for tournament golf. So that’s what Doak gave him.
The event came to The Renaissance in 2019 for what looked a bit like a marriage made in heaven.
The Renaissance Course is a great advert for the East Lothian coastline
The sponsors were happy. By now Aberdeen had merged with Edinburgh based Standard Life Investments and the course was easily accessible for wining and dining their clients. The area was well used to hosting big golf events and players and media alike all had their favourite hotels, houses and restaurants nearby.
The European Tour was delighted too. Here was a club with compliant members and owners giving them pretty much free hand at how to set things up.
Alas, the first outing didn’t quite work out as hoped. The course just didn’t provide a good enough test the week before The Open. It wasn’t all to do with the course. It poured down the week before which meant the course was playing very soft and the wind just didn’t blow.
Many complain that golfers are too bland, that they don’t give their real opinions and hide behind platitudes. Well they came out of their shells after the 2019 Scottish Open! Edoardo Molinari was one of several to voice his concern.
Another solid week, but I am not too competitive at the moment on such an easy golf course where all that matters is hitting it 300+ off the tee and then make putts. No strategy involved and no penalties for missing fairways! Looking forward to some well deserved holidays!
— Edoardo Molinari (@DodoMolinari) July 14, 2019
There were therefore a few raised eyebrows when the event was heading back there in 2020 but given the ravages of Covid, just holding the event in October was a triumph. A few, mainly cosmetic, changes were made to the course. Trees were felled to create a more open, links-like ‘feel’ to the course.
Back at The Renaissance again in 2021, the field assembled for this year’s event is the best yet. The European Tour has pulled out all of the stops. As a Rolex event the prize money of $8,000,000 is the best on the Tour outside of the majors and WGCs and no doubt appearance money has helped encourage participation.
Despite softish conditions again this week, the players seem to be warming to the challenge that The Renaissance gives. McIlroy had been critical of the course in 2019 but has changed his mind this year.
Ahead of the event this week he said “It’s obviously soft just from all the rain there’s been the last couple of days. But it’s a good test. I think they have added a couple of tees. It’s a bit longer. The rough’s up a bit more than it probably was last time.
“Maybe players might just get punished a little more for wayward shots, which is sort of what you’re looking for. You’ve got to stand up and hit some good golf shots and you want to be challenged a little bit. I think the set up this week is pretty good.
“It would have been great to play it fast and firm, but it's just so out of anyone's control. You can't control what the weather does, and this is a wonderful week to have the Scottish Open and it's actually a wonderful venue.”
The Renaissance can play firm and fast!
There are a couple of topics of discussion on the ground this week for The Renaissance. Jerry Savardi hinted in the Scotsman that the Scottish Open is in a strong position to be a co-sanctioned event next year. That means that it will count as an event on both the PGA and European Tours which would only help the event attract a field of stars.
Another rumour doing the rounds is that we may see a change in sponsor for the event.
There have been many changes at Aberdeen since they started supporting the event. Chief Executive Martin Gilbert is no longer at the helm, in fact he is now on the Board at the European Tour. The merger with Standard Life has not been a complete triumph and costs are under a huge focus at the newly branded (and somewhat derided) abrdn.
This is likely to be a pivotal year in the future of The Scottish Open and Savardi at the Renaissance is aware of the challenges he faces to retain the event.
In a pre-emptive move he has got Doak back on the property to look at how to improve the test for the players, should a long term commitment come. But he is also employing Padraig Harrington to assist Doak with the task. Yep, that’s the same Padraig Harrington the European Tour asked to captain The Ryder Cup. That looks like a shrewd hire.
So a lot of pieces seem to be falling in place for The Renaissance course to get the long term commitment they desire. The American Savardi brothers are all well connected in the US - I found myself standing next to one of them wearing a green jacket at Augusta a few years ago. The move to a co-sanctioned event would definitely help their cause to make their course the long term home of the Scottish Open. After all, the PGA tour has form in holding their events on the same course each year, rather than moving them around, to help build an event’s identity.
The 2021 event has given us a great leaderboard and, with a largely dry week so far, the course is providing more of a links challenge than before. The reality is that the course won’t play as bouncy and firm as courses where the game has been played for hundreds of years. But it is developing nicely and the club will continue to invest to improve it.
Whatever happens, it looks like 2022 will be an interesting year for the Scottish Open. If it is a co-sanctioned event the Tours will be keen to assemble a stellar field. The world’s best are all due to be at Adare Manor to play at JP McManus’ shindig at the beginning of the week. If they can make the logistics work, getting that field over to Scotland could make it the best field ever.
Given all of that I think it is more likely that the event will stay at The Renaissance. However, going forward I’d love to see a hybrid model.
Until something is done about the distances players hit the ball the fact is there just aren’t enough great golf courses that can host the Scottish Open - and probably not enough willing clubs to sustain a rota.
Given The Renaissance’s development then why not host the event there every other year and in the ‘odd’ years move it around. Obvious candidates would be Castle Stuart, Gullane and Royal Aberdeen. All courses which the player’s have enjoyed and are good tests.
2027 will be the 150th anniversary of Royal Dornoch’s founding, so while it would be logisically difficult, they need to find a way to take the event there to celebrate. If necessary every available house in the town could to be booked for players and media!
As and when Trump Aberdeen changes ownership it would be another worthy addition to the rota.
I think is is also a great shame that Open courses are ruled out - this is a particularly odd decision when Carnoustie and The Old Course are used for the Dunhill every October. I think the golfing world would love to see Turnberry (post Trump), Troon and Muirfield included as Scottish Open venues on occasion - well separated from The Open.
So there you have it. A Scottish Open quasi-rota of The Renaissance, Troon, Muirfield, Gullane, Castle Stuart and Royal Aberdeen with a little Royal Dornoch and Turnberry and Aberdeen International to come.
I suspect this is just fantasy though. The Renaissance will probably get the nod. And that’s OK. While it’s a shame we don’t get to showcase the very best the country has, the Renaissance is developing nicely and they will keep making it better and better.
There is something alluring about watching the world’s best players enjoying a Scottish links course in the height of summer. The European Tour and PGA seem to realise this and will keep pumping in support to this event. The future of the Scottish Open is probably in good hands, whichever route it goes.