The Scottish golf industry showed encouraging signs of improvement during 2011, according to a new study carried out by Golf Tourism Scotland.

The results come from a straw poll of travel, hospitality and golf industry professionals who, generally, gave an upbeat account of business over the last 12 months.

The survey, carried out during the industry’s Gold Standard Awards at the Fairmont St Andrews resort last month, asked golf professionals if 2011 had been an improvement on 2010. Most of those who took part (76 per cent) indicated that progress had been made during the year with a minority (12 per cent) recording a decline and a similar number remaining undecided.

The optimistic assessment was welcomed by GTS chairman Lee Derrick. “As with many industries, golf tourism has been through some difficult and challenging times,” he said. “These results show that confidence is returning to the golf industry, and GTS is committed to turning that belief into positive plans and practical policies that will help promote Scotland’s golf offering around the world.”

A previous report commissioned by Scottish Enterprise estimated that the annual value of golf tourism to the nation’s economy is £220 million and that it supports about 7,000 jobs.