The impact of The 2014 Ryder Cup is still being felt, thanks to a strong economic, sporting and educational impact.
One year on, the second wave of students at three Higher Education Institutes are set to benefit from bursaries set up ahead of the 2014 event.
The Ryder Cup’s educational legacy has included bursaries for hospitality, tourism and management students at the University of Stirling, Perth College UHI and Queen Margaret University, which are now entering their second year, attracting a fresh wave of students into the tourism and hospitality industry.
The publication of an independent study by Sheffield Hallam University's Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC) also highlighted The 2014 Ryder Cup’s economic legacy, which showed the event at Gleneagles attracted more than 63,000 visitors from outside Scotland and supported spend in excess of £106m for the host country – including the event week and extended stays by Ryder Cup attendees, £22m of which was in the host region of Perth & Kinross.
The Ryder Cup legacy has also positively impacted the game of golf in Scotland. One year on from The First Minister’s announcement of £1 million funding for Get Into Golf, 90 clubs have signed up to the initiative which is aimed at encouraging adult beginners into the sport through coaching and introductory memberships. This is in addition to the Scottish Government’s continued support of ClubGolf, the national junior development programme which offers structured coaching in golf clubs and schools across Scotland.
Richard Hills, European Ryder Cup Director, said: “The 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles was a tremendous success. While The Ryder Cup moves on to pastures new, it is vital that we leave a lasting legacy that brings real benefits to Scotland.
“There can be little doubt that that The 2014 Ryder Cup has an enduring economic impact that will continue to be felt as tourists come to savour Scotland’s dramatic scenery and world-class golf. However, we are also proud of the wider legacy that we have left including a generation inspired by golf and new opportunities to learn about the hospitality industry thanks to our bursary programme.”
Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health, said: “It’s great to see that, one year on, the legacy of The 2014 Ryder Cup continues to be felt. As well as being one of the most exciting golf events ever staged in Scotland, The Ryder Cup brought enormous benefits both to the game of golf and Scotland’s economy. This bursary scheme is one of the best examples of that, and I wish all the students luck with their studies and their future careers.”
Professor Joe Goldblatt, Ryder Cup Europe Academic Coordinator, Queen Margaret University said: “As a direct result of the Ryder Europe Cup bursary 10 students have received financial support enabling them to continue their studies in tourism, hospitality and event management at Queen Margaret University. In addition, these students have greatly enhanced their curriculum vitae’s with the addition of being named Ryder Cup Europe Scholars.”
