Boom to bust? Golf clubs warned against Covid complacency
The boards and committees of golf clubs need to look at what they offer golfers to ensure the coronavirus boom doesn’t become a “flash in the pan”, said the boss of a leading membership provider.
Alastair Sinclair, chief executive of PlayMoreGolf, insisted the next 12 months could prove crucial for the sport in continuing to appeal to a wider audience.
Many clubs thrived over the summer as players rushed to join and pay green fees with other sports still restricted during the pandemic.
Speaking after welcoming the Government’s decision to give golf the go-ahead to resume on December 2, Sinclair said: “Now is the time committees and boards across the nation need to critique how their offering is relevant and sufficiently attractive to both existing and future generations of members and customers to their club.
“No one wants the renewed interest in golf to be a flash in the pan, therefore as an industry we need to adapt to changing consumer requirements and create a longer term sustainable platform for golf.”
PlayMoreGolf partner up with clubs to offer golfers a points-based membership package that provides a discount on a full annual subscription.
Sinclair added: “With the run up to Christmas it is welcome news within the industry as affordable golf memberships will be an attractive gift for 2021 enabling people to exercise in a safe environment.
“2021 is an important year for golf, as a sport and leisure activity, to appeal to a wider audience. How as an industry we present ourselves to the consumer is crucial not just to attracting new, but retaining current golfers to the sport.”
What you think of Sinclair’s views? Do clubs need to critique what they offer players in the wake of coronavirus? Let me know in the comments or tweet me.
- Related: ‘There will be an impact – we can’t avoid that’: Why clubs must brace themselves for year ahead
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Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
