And as East Lothian’s economy yields £8m from our tourney and the oldest major returns to Portrush, our corners of the planet are officially Open for business.
The Open Golf Championship is certainly a hospitality money-spinner.
With Northern Ireland taking in £100m to the coffers and the Causeway Coast and Glens area directly benefiting with £26m back in 2019.
Probably better not to mention that my friends at Discover Northern Ireland afforded me hospitality six years ago.
And Savannah and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, generously hosted me last year in Royal Troon on the west coast of Scotland.
The home of golf
Now any destination that gets to put on a big sporting event comes with a premium for player and spectator alike.
And I’m always reminded, at this time of the year, of an old work colleague whose parents rented out their home in St Andrews.
The champion golfer’s brothers had approached the couple, who had put their names forward as a rental home.
And asked if they could take it, offering to pay top dollar and putting on a conservatory for them.
All of which paid off when Steve Ballesteros won the Claret Jug.
Up for rent
Timing is, of course, everything and alas our arrival in North Berwick has come at a time when the nearby Muirfield championship course is off the rota.
A course of such a standard and historical significance that the great Jack Nicklaus named his course Muirfield in Ohio after it.
So the opportunity to rent out our own demesne to a Tiger Woods or a Rory McIlroy will have to wait.
The golden ticket
The Open Golf Championship rolls into Royal Birkdale next year and the R&A and golf fans are already preparing themselves.
For us in East Lothian, already putting on a show for the Scottish Open dress-rehearsal for next week’s main event.
We say, haste ye back to Muirfield. We’re Open for golf business.
And if that means we can earn a pound or two on our house for a week and the local economy too then all the better.
