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coronavirus

‘The lockdown will be longer than three weeks – that’s when it will really start to hurt’

Country Golf, in Hull, had only just got back their feet after suffering devastating flooding. Then coronavirus struck
 

As he surveys an empty driving range and Par 3 course, John Harrison wonders who he has wronged in life. “I think I may have upset someone in the sky at some point,” he says reflecting on a six-month spell that has brought nothing but agony.

Country Golf, in Hull, was swept away by flash flooding last October – only a matter of weeks after owner Harrison had taken on and renovated the 22-bay range and course.

When heavy rain lashed Hull and East Yorkshire, and left the Holderness Drain backing up onto his property, the team at the range found themselves enduring a cycle of repeating clear and clean up as the water lapped in.

Harrison was at least covered by his insurance as he met that challenge. Now coronavirus has struck, left the range empty and everyone wondering when they’ll be able to welcome golfers once again.

“We had just cut the driving range the day before we were closed down,” he explains. “It was the first time we had been able to cut the range and get out on the course (since the flooding). It was looking as good as it could look.

“It’s the uncertainty. When you’re told originally that you may be looking at three weeks you’re thinking ‘OK, we’ll do some course maintenance on the range.’ I’ve been down pretty much every day doing jobs – just to keep my sanity and those that need doing.

“We all know it will go a lot longer than the three weeks and I think that’s when it will really start to hurt.”

Harrison’s team includes two self-employed professionals who have no business coming through either. He’s been down at the range most days, on a mower carrying out essential maintenance.

With experts suggesting thousands of small businesses could go to the wall, depending on the length of the coronavirus lockdown, he said his range – for now – was in a reasonable financial position.

And he hopes that when restrictions start to ease, golf will be one of the first sports to take advantage of what could be a summer sporting boom.

“We’ll have to fight and this one no one saw coming,” Harrison continues. “You see so many small businesses that might go to the wall.

“I’ve not paid myself a wage, as I’ve got another company, and because of that we’re in a reasonable financial position.

“It just depends on how it goes on for. If we start looking at July and August then we may get tight but there is money in the bank to keep going.

“Until the day we were closed we were very busy. People were desperate to get out and we put everything in place on the range – with sanitisation and the cups upside down. We did everything we could to ensure safe spaces.

“Hopefully, we will be there ready when people are allowed to come out after coronavirus. I hope golf will be one of the first sports people will be allowed to do. If we put everything in place, then we should be OK. It’s just the uncertainty.”

How is your club, range or academy coping with the coronavirus lockdown? Let me know in the comments or tweet me.

Picture: @CountryGolfHull

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