How the vote for Scottish Independence could affect your pocketbook if you plan on going to Scotland

[nevets88]

Obviously there are many more important implications, but golf-wise, one consequence of the vote - Euro exchange rate is much better than that of the Pound.

Quote:

One British pound currently equals $1.61, which is much better than earlier this summer when the pound was pushing a 1-to-2 ratio and making a Scottish golf trip cost prohibitive.

The Euro, Scotland's option for currency in an independent future, is closer to the dollar, at one Euro equaling $1.29.

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2014/09/why-golfers-might-care-about-t.html

[iacas]

Obviously there are many more important implications, but golf-wise, one consequence of the vote - Euro exchange rate is much better than that of the Pound.

Except, of course, that golf courses in Scotland could just raise their prices in "number" - The Old Course was maybe 150 pounds, so maybe it'll just be 185 euros?

[nevets88]

Except, of course, that golf courses in Scotland could just raise their prices in "number" - The Old Course was maybe 150 pounds, so maybe it'll just be 185 euros?

That's true. Prepay? :-)

[mvmac]

Except, of course, that golf courses in Scotland could just raise their prices in "number" - The Old Course was maybe 150 pounds, so maybe it'll just be 185 euros?

I remember it being 150 pounds

[chasm]

Except, of course, that golf courses in Scotland could just raise their prices in "number" - The Old Course was maybe 150 pounds, so maybe it'll just be 185 euros?

This, of course. The sterling/euro exchange rate is 1:1.26, so a fee of £150 would initially be set at €189. However, there's a bigger problem with this discussion, which is that the Scottish Government has made it clear that even if it wins the referendum on independence it has no intention of joining the Euro. Its preference is to keep the pound. Even if the residual UK Government blocks a currency union, as it says it will, there is nothing to stop Scotland simply contiuing to use the pound and tying the "Scottish Pound" to sterling. Ireland did that for about seventy years post-independence with few issues.

[Ernest Jones]

As someone who has lived most of my life in Quebec, I am very interested in seeing how this referendum unfolds.

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nevets88

Obviously there are many more important implications, but golf-wise, one consequence of the vote - Euro exchange rate is much better than that of the Pound.

Except, of course, that golf courses in Scotland could just raise their prices in "number" - The Old Course was maybe 150 pounds, so maybe it'll just be 185 euros?

or 7,703 Thai Baht.  (I'm in Thailand right now, what can I say ).

[misty_mountainhop]

Obviously there are many more important implications, but golf-wise, one consequence of the vote - Euro exchange rate is much better than that of the Pound.

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2014/09/why-golfers-might-care-about-t.html

Except Salmond claims they won't be joining the Euro....

Edit: Duh! Missed earlier post on the same point.

[chasm]

As someone who has lived most of my life in Quebec, I am very interested in seeing how this referendum unfolds.

It's going to be tight. Maybe not as tight as the Quebecois version, but tight. There's been political panic here this week, every mainstream political party telling the Scots (whom they have largely ignored for years) how much they love them, all the financial institutions threatening imminent apocalypse if they go independent, blah blah. Were I forced to have a bet, my money would be on a narrow 1%-2% majority to stay in the union. But it is far from impossible that the Scots will have the balls to face down the money men and vote yes. I would if I were them, but that's another story.

[misty_mountainhop]

It's going to be tight. Maybe not as tight as the Quebecois version, but tight. There's been political panic here this week, every mainstream political party telling the Scots (whom they have largely ignored for years) how much they love them, all the financial institutions threatening imminent apocalypse if they go independent, blah blah. Were I forced to have a bet, my money would be on a narrow 1%-2% majority to stay in the union. But it is far from impossible that the Scots will have the balls to face down the money men and vote yes. I would if I were them, but that's another story.

I assume your perspective is coloured via your locale cf. Westminster. I don't think Scotland will have a problem making a success of being a small, independent country in the long term . However, the SNP are being fundamentally dishonest with their repeated avoidance of all the big financial, currency, EU etc etc questions. They're the very definition of 'jam tomorrow'.

I'm not a fan of the current politics in the UK but to say that the Scots have been ignored for years is simply daft. It's currently fashionable to bash the political parties but I don't see the rush for the critics to step up to the plate and stand for any office themselves and the voter turnout for years in general elections has been a disgrace. We get what we deserve.

If they want out of what has been a pretty successful union for all concerned, good luck to them. However, if/when they leave, I expect my representatives (i.e. rUK politicians) at post-referendum negotiations to play very hard.

The SNP paint the situation, without explaining anything, as going to be utopia from September 19th, 2014. I mean, what a stupid time to try this. One of the biggest recessions in ages, which we're hopefully just coming out of here and ongoing chaos in the Euro-zone. About the only +ve I can see is that this has been a relative triumph for the democratic process - Scotland asked for a referendum and the UK government w/o a great deal of fuss said OK.

[Ernest Jones]

It's going to be tight. Maybe not as tight as the Quebecois version, but tight. There's been political panic here this week, every mainstream political party telling the Scots (whom they have largely ignored for years) how much they love them, all the financial institutions threatening imminent apocalypse if they go independent, blah blah. Were I forced to have a bet, my money would be on a narrow 1%-2% majority to stay in the union. But it is far from impossible that the Scots will have the balls to face down the money men and vote yes. I would if I were them, but that's another story.

I assume your perspective is coloured via your locale cf. Westminster. I don't think Scotland will have a problem making a success of being a small, independent country in the long term. However, the SNP are being fundamentally dishonest with their repeated avoidance of all the big financial, currency, EU etc etc questions. They're the very definition of 'jam tomorrow'.

I'm not a fan of the current politics in the UK but to say that the Scots have been ignored for years is simply daft. It's currently fashionable to bash the political parties but I don't see the rush for the critics to step up to the plate and stand for any office themselves and the voter turnout for years in general elections has been a disgrace. We get what we deserve.

If they want out of what has been a pretty successful union for all concerned, good luck to them. However, if/when they leave, I expect my representatives (i.e. rUK politicians) at post-referendum negotiations to play very hard.

The SNP paint the situation, without explaining anything, as going to be utopia from September 19th, 2014. I mean, what a stupid time to try this. One of the biggest recessions in ages, which we're hopefully just coming out of here and ongoing chaos in the Euro-zone. About the only +ve I can see is that this has been a relative triumph for the democratic process - Scotland asked for a referendum and the UK government w/o a great deal of fuss said OK.

Yeah, the similarities between this and the Quebec referendums run deep.

[misty_mountainhop]

Yeah, the similarities between this and the Quebec referendums run deep.

That's another thing I'm not looking forward to - ongoing, repeated calls for more referenda in the event of any sort of 'no' vote! How's it going for the Quebecois these days? Downtrodden, put upon and financially worse off per capita than the rest of Canada?

[Ernest Jones]

That's another thing I'm not looking forward to - ongoing, repeated calls for more referenda in the event of any sort of 'no' vote! How's it going for the Quebecois these days? Downtrodden, put upon and financially worse off per capita than the rest of Canada?

Things are looking up in Quebec. We had a separatist Provincial Government in place but it was a minority government. They called a snap election because their polls told them they could secure a majority government on the backs of embarrassingly zenophobic bill proposal called the Quebec Charter of Values. A horrific piece of anti-everybody who is not francophone/white/Christian (and in that order thank you very much). The bill's opponents, such as myself, referred to it as the Quebc Charter of Intolerance. Sadly, they gained a lot of headway in the polls based on this fear mongering BS. Dark times for the sane. Happily the Seperatists got cocky and started talking referendum which was a massive strategical error as the appetite for seperation seems to no longer be there. The result was a overwhelming defeat that ground the party into the dust. Not only did they not get their majority government, but they lost power entirely. Their leader didn't even win her own seat in a riding that was viewed as bastion by most. We should be safe from the madness for at least 5-6 years.

[chasm]

I assume your perspective is coloured via your locale cf. Westminster. I don't think Scotland will have a problem making a success of being a small, independent country [U]in the long term[/U]. However, the SNP are being fundamentally dishonest with their repeated avoidance of all the big financial, currency, EU etc etc questions. They're the very definition of 'jam tomorrow'. I'm not a fan of the current politics in the UK but to say that the Scots have been ignored for years is simply daft. It's currently fashionable to bash the political parties but I don't see the rush for the critics to step up to the plate and stand for any office themselves and the voter turnout for years in general elections has been a disgrace. We get what we deserve. If they want out of what has been a pretty successful union for all concerned, good luck to them. However, if/when they leave, I expect my representatives (i.e. rUK politicians) at post-referendum negotiations to play [U] very [/U] hard. The SNP paint the situation, without explaining anything, as going to be utopia from September 19th, 2014. I mean, what a stupid time to try this. One of the biggest recessions in ages, which we're hopefully just coming out of here and ongoing chaos in the Euro-zone. About the only +ve I can see is that this has been a relative triumph for the democratic process - Scotland asked for a referendum and the UK government w/o a great deal of fuss said OK.

Always unwise to make assumptions. And this probably isn't the forum for a political debate. Suffice it to say that it is impossible for "the critics" to "step up to the plate" because of the stranglehold the mainstream parties have on the process. As for getting what we deserve, the turnout in the Scottish referendum looks like being over 80%. People will engage if they are presented with a real choice between distinct alternatives, on an issue that matters. The UK electorate hasn't had that luxury for about thirty years.

[misty_mountainhop]

Always unwise to make assumptions. And this probably isn't the forum for a political debate. Suffice it to say that it is impossible for "the critics" to "step up to the plate" because of the stranglehold the mainstream parties have on the process.

As for getting what we deserve, the turnout in the Scottish referendum looks like being over 80%. People will engage if they are presented with a real choice between distinct alternatives, on an issue that matters. The UK electorate hasn't had that luxury for about thirty years.

Sadly, I think all of what you say above is pretty much on the button.

[MeridianGT]

Totally agree with you that it isn't the forum for politics.

Anyway, we now all know the result so Pound or Euro is not an issue.

Most of the golf courses in Scotland have not seen a great increase in the price of green fees and some have stayed the same.

The obvious exception is Kingsbarns which is now a staggering £226 for 2015. It is a marvellous venue but charging way more than Carnoustie, Old Course St Andrews and Muirfield.

Always very busy and very popular with overseas golfers.