Last week saw the Genesis Scottish Open return to The Renaissance Club in East Lothian for the fifth time.
With the sun shining and wind blowing for the majority of the time, spectators watched a world-class field battle it out.
Rory McIlory birdied the last two holes to snatch the title from the grasp of Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre. This was his first win on Scottish soil.
As the Home of Golf, we were on site bringing a wide range of activations to add value to the tournament.
This also supported the Scottish Government’s aims for sustainability and education.
Each year, VisitScotland offers three spaces to members of Scottish Golf to play in the pro-am.
This year Megan Ashley, women’s high performance squad member, Ruben Lindsay, men's performance development, and Sam Mukherjee, boys performance squad got to play alongside both Ryder Cup Europe vice-captain Eduardo Molinari and Scotland’s Richie Ramsay.
Scottish Golf members with Eduardo Molinari at the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open pro-am. Image credit: Alan Rennie.
It was incredible. I can’t say how grateful I am to have had the experience.
The whole day from hitting balls in the morning between Adam Scott, Tom Kim and Matt Fitzpatrick, to playing with Eduardo and Richie and learning so much from them, and then having a long drive comp with Rory at the end.
I don’t think I could’ve dreamt of the day being as good as it was.
Each year, alongside the DP World Tour, VisitScotland facilitates a golf clinic for young people in the area. This year included eight golfers aged between 14 and 17.
These players were invited to attend based on their final placing in East Lothian council’s scratch order of merit.
They were joined on the practice range for an hour with Scottish golfer Calum Hill and his coach.
This experience always proves to be invaluable to the young golfers as they not only get tips on their swing, but are able to ask questions and hear experiences of the professional’s career progression. This always proves inspiring.
Professional golfer Calum Hill with young players at the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open golf clinic. Image credit: DPWT.
VisitScotland, GEO Sustainable Golf and the DP World Tour hosted Green Hour. This is a special gathering of experts and stakeholders exploring opportunities to accelerate sustainability and climate action at golf tournaments and wider events.
You can find out more about Green Hour on the Sustainable Golf website.
Learn more about Green HourOpening presentations featured:
The discussion shone a spotlight on how events can continue their journeys to fulfil their potential as all-round forces for good in local communities and landscapes.
Conversation also looked at wider societal awareness and behaviour change.
Specific focus areas were carbon and waste reduction as well as the links between communities, nature and social and environmental justice.
There was also focus on how environmental quality and human health are connected.
The spotlight event was part of a particularly green day at the Genesis Scottish Open. OCEANTEE were also running a fantastic education and beach clean with the Marine Conservation Society.
The team were delighted to welcome Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, Christina McKelvie to site.
They were able to showcase some of the initiatives around the tournament including raising over £200,000 for local nominated charities, donating left over food to local foodbanks and onsite sustainability initiatives.
One example of such initiatives include providing mains water for players and fans with reusable bottles on every hole. Another example is all on-site generators running on HVO bio-fuel.
People taking part in the beach clean element of the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open. Image credit: Gemma Carlton.
It was great to visit to the Genesis Scottish Open for the first day of this world-class golf event.
I’m particularly pleased to see the work the DP World Tour, and their tournament partners and suppliers, are doing with the Golf for Good programme.
They have donated surplus food from the event to the East Lothian Foodbank and ensured that the Genesis Scottish Open is the first tournament venue to have a mains water supply across the whole site for players and the public.
As the Home of Golf, Scotland should continue to be seen as a world-leader in sport as well as driving forward important initiatives around community engagement and sustainability.
The 2023 UCI World Cycling Championships team were also onsite ahead of the championships in August.
They brought along bikes to give fans the opportunity to experience the Zwift virtual Scotland world and win some great prizes. Over 600 spectators took part over the course of the week.
There was also a bike set up in the onsite players gym. This gave the golfers the opportunity to experience Zwift’s virtual Scotland world.
Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Lewis Stewart, set the players the challenge of beating his record of cycling 1km in 56 seconds.
Six players and three Sky TV presenters took part in the challenge.
Australian Lucas Herbert took home the coveted rainbow jersey and cycling championship coo after completing 1km in an impressive one minute 11 seconds.
You can visit the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships website for more information on the championships.
Take me to cyclingworldchamps.com
The 2023 UCI Cycling Championships stand at the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open. Image credit: Gemma Carlton.