Optimistic post: has covid been good for golf?

[Oddsocks]

I can’t help but think that in a weird kinda way, covid has actually been good for golf. In my local area there has been a huge influx of new golfers who needed an escape during lock downs and social restrictions, with several local courses almost having a full quota for members three of which now having waiting lists of 30+.

It also seems to have filtered through to the P&p side with courses booked weeks in advance.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Rory had it spot on

Covid has been excellent for golf and allowed a little boom

hence why he stated that trying to bring in more rules just makes the sport look silly when we have a boom

this time last year we had 20/30 spots free for people to join - right now we have a large waiting list and I know a number on the area have seen the same

What clubs now need to do is ensure they keep those new or returned golfers , make sure they keep the sport attractive and current. Keep those on waiting lists interested in joining , make sure any extra income is invested in keeping the course somewhere people want to play

They also need to make sure they dont milk the cow dry , don’t bang up fees just because it’s popular or bring in extra subs etc.

 

[Imurg]

Discounting courses being closed and the possible financial issues that causes, participation wise it has been good - short term.
Its hard to say, certainly at my place, whether more rounds than normal have been played as they've been condensed into a much shorter time but I suspect the course, overall, has been busier.
Returning to the financial side - no it hasn't been good.
Some clubs won't recover from the losses, even with more members than ever.
When the furlough scheme ends and everyone goes back to work, that's when we're likely to see businesses closing and the accompanying redundancies.
That's going to lead to some people having to rethink their finances as the recession is going to be deep.
Some members who have just joined may not rejoin, some long term members may find they can't afford it.

Overall, I think we need to wait a couple of years before we'll know for sure if Covid has been good or bad for golf.

 

[Orikoru]

Yes, obviously. I thought that was common knowledge. Golf was one of the first activities to be allowed after the first lockdown, so loads of people took up golf for the first time just for something today. The price of second hand clubs went through the roof. I was selling some from my cupboard for more than I bought them for.

 

[Oddsocks]

The last part for me is key, don’t milk it.

For me there are a lot of clubs that fall in a no mans land. Not a members club but not a muni, they want the best of both worlds and I feel these are the most vulnerable. Muni’s will thrive while the boom is there and good members courses will always be stable. The ones that want a part membership good part p&p Income will loose long term members who want to feel the love.

My previous course of 10years fell into that sector, a 75% full membership with a good revenue of p&p even at weekends. Membership is almost full but they are still insistent on keeping p&p at peak times.

Hopefully with the recent spat of closures nationally in addition to many newbies, we should hopefully see less closures in the future.

 

[hovis]

I think it'll be short lived. As soon as people are back to work full time they'll think "stuff that" at the sight of a £1200 bill.

 

[upsidedown]

Think it's too early to say, crunch time fast approaching with renewals by April 1st. Really hope we will have had a couple weeks playing by then to wet their appetites again.

 

[ScienceBoy]

We won't know until a season or two after things settle into the new normal. Once contact and indoor sports return proper a lot of golfers will go back to playing 2-3 times a year at the local muni.

I think some members will stick but these will be offset by those who have to leave the game for health reasons, age, cost, time and other things that may have changed for them. I can see there being a member exodus come 2023...

 

[Mandofred]

I am still amazed at how many people are still out walking/running/cycling. I think the fitness clubs are going to take a serious hit.....people have realised that you don't need to spend £50 a month to exercise, you can do it for free.

 

[moogie]

I think it'll be short lived. As soon as people are back to work full time they'll think "stuff that" at the sight of a £1200 bill.

Pretty similar view from me too
I feel it will be short lived too
I feel a lot took it up cos they couldn't partake in their usual hobby, sport, pastime....
Once they can play football again, or the like, the numbers will drop again

On another note...
To me personally, covid hasn't been good for (my) golf
Paying fees up front for a year to then potentially lose over 4 months of golf, if we return to golf end of march or start of April, as I'm expecting, isn't good for me from a golf or financial view.

Some people will think twice about renewing I bet after this.

 

[Mandofred]

Pretty similar view from me too
I feel it will be short lived too
I feel a lot took it up cos they couldn't partake in their usual hobby, sport, pastime....
Once they can play football again, or the like, the numbers will drop again

On another note...
To me personally, covid hasn't been good for (my) golf
Paying fees up front for a year to then potentially lose over 4 months of golf, if we return to golf end of march or start of April, as I'm expecting, isn't good for me from a golf or financial view.

Some people will think twice about renewing I bet after this.

I've got a decision to make in the next month or so....I flip back and forth every week about it. I am seriously pissed off that I paid full price for my subs while a whole bunch of people didn't pay at all for a couple of months. Now....I can get a "bar tab" money back if I renew for next year. The people who didn't pay at all for a couple of months get almost as much as I do....Very likely I'm joining another club for next year...only question is whether I also keep the one I'm at...... as the saying goes....life is hard. It's golf though....so a pretty stupid thing to get upset about.

 

[jim8flog]

Certainly not for our club. Where I play I have been privvy to the financial cost of covid and it was pretty scary just because of the first lockdown. Even if we went to full capacity for members it is not going to make up the shortfall. It has cost the jobs of two long term employees and several part time ones.

It will certainly have put our course renovation programme back by a few years.

 

[moogie]

I've got a decision to make in the next month or so....I flip back and forth every week about it. I am seriously pissed off that I paid full price for my subs while a whole bunch of people didn't pay at all for a couple of months. Now....I can get a "bar tab" money back if I renew for next year. The people who didn't pay at all for a couple of months get almost as much as I do....Very likely I'm joining another club for next year...only question is whether I also keep the one I'm at...... as the saying goes....life is hard. It's golf though....so a pretty stupid thing to get upset about.

Similar situation here
I was planning on switching clubs this year, to where Kraxx plays
But now unsure after the last year we've had to deal with, I'd like to see a long spell with no Lockdowns before committing to a switch of any kind

But what's peed me off at my club
I paid fees up front last March, £675
Yes, I know that may be cheap to some down south, but this is Newcastle.... And I've added the price for a reason..... Read on

Anyway the club decided after reopening after covid shut down to offer a new member deal (last May) for a ridiculously low £399 for 1st year, then renew this year at £499
So, that's £898 for 2 years golf if they take up the renewal deal

Meanwhile, club has raised the normal fee to £695
So if I renew, my 2years will cost me £1370........against the new member £898

Madness...!!

This I can assure you has got the backs up of many members.
50 new members paying peanuts

Many other things happened during 1st lockdown where tbh the members were taken for granted a bit, where they put green fees and tee times ahead of members for instance

I've still not decided what to do, need to see what my regular playing pals are considering
It's not just about money as the new club I was looking to move to is about 30% more again, but firstly need to see when we ever eventually are able to play again

 

[hovis]

Certainly not for our club. Where I play I have been privvy to the financial cost of covid and it was pretty scary just because of the first lockdown. Even if we went to full capacity for members it is not going to make up the shortfall. It has cost the jobs of two long term employees and several part time ones.

It will certainly have put our course renovation programme back by a few years.

Why has it cost them their job? Surely they can be put on furlough until it finishes and then they can be laid off? ?‍

 

[chrisd]

I think that it's been good in the short term and given many clubs have attracted a fair few new members that will lessen the potential losses that would otherwise have hit most clubs. I'm more concerned about the end of this pandemic as I see cricketers, hockey players, tennis etc etc starting up again will attract back those players and, of course, there will be a fair bit of unemployment and pay packets reduced while the economy picks up

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Certainly not for our club. Where I play I have been privvy to the financial cost of covid and it was pretty scary just because of the first lockdown. Even if we went to full capacity for members it is not going to make up the shortfall. It has cost the jobs of two long term employees and several part time ones.

It will certainly have put our course renovation programme back by a few years.

Did the club not take advantage of the government help ? Also the rates reduction as well which has saved clubs a lot of money , plus the interest free loans if needed

If members have paid their fees and more members have been added then clubs shouldn’t be too much affected.

If they haven’t taken advantage of the increase of people playing golf then it’s going to be hard

If a club relies on society and green fees then potentially they will have an issue but members clubs should be ok

 

[Oddsocks]

I am still amazed at how many people are still out walking/running/cycling. I think the fitness clubs are going to take a serious hit.....people have realised that you don't need to spend £50 a month to exercise, you can do it for free.

I was thinking this just today on the way to Sainsbury’s. Pissing down with rain, 4* and muddy as hell yet all the footpaths and bridle ways across the common where full of joggers abs cyclists. I think people will have enjoyed fresh air and open space and more so jogging without gym snobbery, I think the bigger chains that are branded “ health clubs “ will need to look at fees, the smaller gyms like pure gym should be ok.

Re some points made in this thread regarding rejoining. I think it’s fair to say more will choose to rejoin via direct debit. It seems most who had memberships in this manor got direct debits suspended while one payment members almost got penalised.

I think there is almost going to be an end to second memberships where general costs of memberships are in the excess of £1000+, people will simply be forced to think savy at least for a year or two

 

[davidy233]

I'm sure I read somewhere that our links trust income was down by something like quarter of a million quid. I wouldn't imagine that the influx of new season ticket holders would cover anything like that.

 

[KenL]

A lot of existing members were not happy at clubs that took in a lot of new members so that they could then no longer get a tee time!

 

[USER1999]

Our renewals were due on Jan 1. We are down enough on renewals that it could be an issue. No, Covid has not been good, and ours is a very traditional members club.