Solheim bright, dawn coronavirus
One year on, legacy of golfing showcase is still to be felt
Exactly one year ago today, something incredible happened in the heart of Perthshire.
Shortly after 5.30pm on September 15, 2019, Suzann Pettersen rolled in the putt which won the Solheim Cup for Europe at Gleneagles.
The moment was followed by wild celebrations as the golfing world watched on.
Pettersen was the last player on the course, clinching the narrowest of victories by a solitary point.
It was a fitting climax to an incredible week at Gleneagles, which provided even more drama than it had when the Ryder Cup was played there in 2014.
As the crowds - which numbered over 90,000 for the week - finally ebbed away, it should have heralded a new start for women’s golf in the region, as well as a boost in tourism.
Perthshire had rarely looked more beautiful as it did over those three days, and the warmth and friendliness of the local population was evident for all to see.
‘Legacy’ is a term often overused in relation to major sporting events, but it seemed there really would be one. More people would visit Perthshire and more people - especially young women and girls - would be inspired to take up golf.
And then came COVID-19. Instead of a spring of events linked to the Solheim Cup, people could barely leave their home, let alone swing a golf club.
Instead of a summer where hotels welcomed people from across the globe drawn to the area that has so impressed them on TV, the hospitality industry had to make many workers redundant as it continues to struggle.
“It has been an opportunity missed,” says Jillian Milne, the Perth and Kinross Ladies Golf Association captain.
“The Solheim Cup happens towards the end of the season, and that’s when you need to be hoovering up interest. You lose a bit of momentum. Junior lessons for example - you could only really do that when the season started again, and obviously COVID has stopped that.
“Had it been a normal year in 2020, you might have hoped I would have had something positive to say, because the Solheim Cup was just amazing - you could not have written a better finish.
“The atmosphere was just phenomenal on the final day. To have been able to capture that and take it forward would have been great.
“It’s unfortunate with COVID-19, we haven’t really had a golf season.”
That the tournament itself was a success is not in doubt - with the players even playing their part in making it a competition to remember rather than a onesided procession at the 2014 Ryder Cup.
And the tourism industry could have been forgiven for expecting a real boost this year as a direct consequence.
And despite
COVID-19, policy makers are still confident the Solheim Cup can continue to play its part in the recovery from the pandemic. Caroline Warburton, VisitScotland’s regional leadership director, told the PA of the scale of the competition: “The 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles saw Perth and Kinross and Scotland provide the perfect stage for the best players in women’s golf to showcase their talents on a global platform at the biggest women’s golf event ever held in the UK.
“With more than 90,000 spectators, including 6000 people under the age of 16, it introduced a new audience to women’s sport and underlined Scotland’s commitment across sport and society.
“The event delivered a ground-breaking accessibility programmes as well as introducing initiatives to encourage more women and young people into golf across Perth and Kinross and further afield. Around 90 per cent of spectators came from outwith Perth and Kinross, with the region also benefitting from global media coverage with a potential TV audience of more than 700 million homes in 200 countries.
“While Scotland’s international tourism landscape has been hit hard by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of the 2019 Solheim Cup will be felt for many years to come and provide a draw for golf tourists around the world to visit Perth and Kinross.”
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council agreed that it will have a lasting impact, saying: “Last year’s competition was a huge success with more than 90,000 spectators visiting Gleneagles for the tournament. The Solheim Cup delivered a major economic boost to Perth and Kinross and, like the Ryder Cup did in 2014, provided an international showcase for the area.
“Tourism, including golf tourism, is of vital importance to Perth and Kinross and, as lockdown restrictions ease, the success of the Solheim Cup will continue to bring visitors to the area for years to come.”
Oddly, while COVID has had a major impact on legacy events and tourism from the Solheim Cup, it might not have done general participation in golf any harm.
As an outdoor sport where it is easy to adhere to social distancing, courses are packed right now, and many clubs are reporting an increase in membership across all sections.
Tee times at popular courses are like gold dust as people look to enjoy the outdoors before the winter and the potential prospect of more restrictions to stem a second wave of the virus.
One year on, nothing