Who Cares Where I Play? Linking Reputation with the Golfing Capital and the Implication for Golf Destinations

Golf tourism has received significant attention in academic literature in recent years, yet there has been limited consideration given to the influences of reputation on the courses chosen by players. This paper explores data gathered through qualitative research to consider the links between reputation and destination selection. It considers golfing influences on reputation development, acknowledging the existence of dominant and emergent cultures, which allows golfers to both bestow reputation on golf facilities as well as draw on this reputation to enhance their own status or position. This paper draws on the conceptual ideas of social and cultural capital developed by Bourdieu in order to appreciate the underlying motivations influencing course and destination choice for golf holidays.