Alex Salmond: Chance we have to take

THIS week, I will lead a delegation to the USA to receive the official handover for the Ryder Cup in 2014 ahead of the tournament being played on Scottish soil for the first time in more than 40 years.

After play has concluded at Medinah, the passing of the ceremonial silver putter from the US organisers will signify that Scotland has been handed responsibility for the next tournament, to be held at Gleneagles.

Scotland’s unique golfing heritage is recognised internationally and golf tourism is worth £220 million a year to the Scottish economy, directly supporting around 4,000 jobs. As one of the biggest sporting events on the planet, the Ryder Cup in two years’ time is forecast to bring in an additional £100m during tournament week alone, with 45,000 spectators expected each day.

But the benefit to Scotland will go beyond that week as golf fans explore other areas and those watching on television plan trips after seeing what Scotland has to offer.

It is vitally important we take the opportunity afforded by this week’s event in Medinah to promote Scotland and Scottish golf on the international stage. To maximise the success of the 2014 tournament and leave a lasting legacy, it is crucial that we stage a world-beating event of which the whole of Scotland can be proud. That is why our efforts to entice visitors to Gleneagles for the Ryder Cup will begin as soon as the last putt is sunk on Sunday.

As the next hosts, Gleneagles will have a prime position in this year’s closing ceremony, an unparalleled opportunity to showcase Scotland as television coverage is expected to reach into half a billion homes in more than 180 countries. We will screen a specially commissioned film, Scotland’s Getting Ready and it will also be used to help our marketing in the weeks and months to come. Next Monday an improved Scotland Ryder Cup 2014 website will go live and VisitScotland will launch a campaign celebrating Scotland as the next destination of the event. Specialist golf publications will be targeted in the push, which will also use social media to spread the word about Gleneagles.

This week’s event at Medinah will also provide valuable lessons about how such a technically complex and prestigious sporting event is staged. Preparations for 2014 are well advanced but it is crucial we learn how the tournament works, by seeing the infrastructure and organisation at first hand. Just as the organisers of the Commonwealth Games can learn from the Olympic Games in London, the Gleneagles team will be able to learn from Medinah.

So this week’s Ryder Cup offers us an opportunity to sell Scotland across the globe and learn lessons so that, when the eyes of the world settle on Gleneagles in September 2014, they see a breathtaking spectacle – Scotland at its very best.