Anyone hoping to bag a last-minute deal for accommodation during this year’s Open will need deep pockets and a willingness to travel.
Hotels and B&Bs across Fife and Tayside have been booked out for the duration of the 144th Open Championship.
More than 200,000 golf fans are expected to descend on Scotland for the tournament, delivering an expected £100 million boost to the country’s economy.
The few rooms that remain available are, unsurprisingly, going for premium prices.
When we checked the closest available hotel room to St Andrews was at the Holiday Inn at Glenrothes.
It was charging £411 a night for its remaining rooms. Prices drop to a more normal £149 on Sunday.
Anyone looking for last-minute accommodation in St Andrews, however, is out of luck.
The Hotel Du Vin was offering a room last night for £595 but has nothing else available until Monday, when prices slip back to £155.
Other hotels and B&Bs in St Andrews and surrounding area are fully booked.
Even hotels in Dundee, such as the Apex and Malmaison, are booked out.
A global audience of 600 million is expected to watch some of the Open and Scotland’s national tourism body, VisitScotland, says it brings thousands of golf fans to Scotland each year.
Golf tourism is estimated to be worth £220 million to the Scottish economy and supports around 4,400 jobs. For every £1 a visiting golfer spends on green fees, a further £5 is spent on extras such as food and drink and entertainment.
Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland, said: “Excitement has been building for months as we prepare to welcome hundreds of thousands of spectators, the world’s greatest golfers and global media, back to St Andrews for the Open. These visitors help contribute to Scotland’s economy by staying in hotels, using restaurants, drinking in bars or shopping in retail outlets.
“From the Ryder Cup last year, to the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Gullane last weekend, the world continues to marvel at Scotland’s stunning beauty and our unbeatable reputation for hosting the biggest and best events in the game.
“The Open will once again show that there is no finer place for a golf break than the country that gave golf to the world.”