THE IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS ON GOLF
If there was a word to sum up 2020 then ‘unprecedented’ would surely be it, such has been the frequency of its usage since lockdown began. We've lived through the kind of year none of us has previously experienced, with the impact of coronavirus pervading every aspect of life, from work and education to travel, socialising, shopping and family time.
Whether we work in golf or simply love to play, the level of disruption has been considerable, but despite this, the game has probably fared better than many pursuits and pastimes.
It has, of course, been far from plain-sailing, but with golf's relatively early resumption sparking an unforeseen membership and participation boom, there have been relatively few golf club casualties so far. Among those not to make it have been Magnolia Park in Buckinghamshire and Patshull Park near Wolverhampton, both of which had hotels, along with Waterrock in County Cork, Castle Barnain County Offaly and Bruce field Family Golf Centre in Stirling.
This low casualty rate to date has come as a welcome surprise to many who feared the worst. “For those clubs that haves a dly succumbed, the harsh facts are that they probably would have been introuble anyway,” Jeremy Tomlinson, CEO of England Golf, told us. “But for the most, golf has continued to bounce back fantastic all well, and clubshave acted with a wonderful resili nce.”
Heart ening though this is, many areas of the industry have been tested like never before. So how have they fared? Here, we assess how the virus has impacted not just membership and club life but also others ectors, from equipment manufacturers and retails ales to the professional and elite amateur games, course conditioning and go lf tourism…
MEMBERSHIP
Therehave been relatively few pandemic-related golf club closures thus far and many clubs have been enjoying a once-in-a-generation membership boom.
Success stories abound, with the 300+ new members at Moray Golf Club in Lossiemouth one of the most remarkable, a figure matched by Braes Golf Centre in Falkirk, which was struggling with just 88 members pre-coronavirus.
Flint is a small nine-hole club in north Wales. “The number of new members was a bit of a surprise because
