Kris,
Interesting points regarding marketing. Actually, earlier this year Visit Scotland ran a promotion on Twitter where they were giving away foursomes at courses throughout the country. All you had to do was drop them your email address to be entered. Coincidence: I actually won a free foursome at The Machrie. Never mind that I knew at the time a trip to Scotland was just 99% not in the cards for me in 2010, but I did enter. Maybe somewhere in the back of my mind I was thinking I'd try to make something happen if I'd won the same prize at TOC. After I "won" I received an email with a few of the rules and regs (there weren't many), and informed that I could contact the club. I didn't do this, and after that sole email there was no follow-up.
Since then I've wondered what kind of "spend" was ultimately driven by that promotion. This would be something that could be measured pretty easily. Was I the only one offered a free round at The Machrie? What kind of calculations would need to be made to get a group out there on that golf course (and paying for the hotel and everything else, of course)? Would it take naming 20 people "winners" to achieve one booking, versus 3-5 at TOC/Carnoustie/Turnberry? (I should also add that I don't think it was ever stated if the big "trophy" courses were even involved with this promotion--it's possible it was designed to promote places like Machrie.)
Anyway, my point is that there are efforts being made, I'm just wondering along with you about their impact. I do think in this recession, though, that even among the groups still booking extended trips to Scotland, many might elect to save a few bucks and cut that extra day or two off the trip that in the past may have gone to visiting a remote outpost like Machrie. Either way, it's good to hear the golf course is still trying to weather the storm.