Why you need to stick by your golf club during Coronavirus

Golfers wearing masks due to Coronavirus

If you don’t support your golf club during Coronavirus, it may not be there afterwards.

Like pretty much every golfer in Britain, I’ve not played a game since the middle of March. But, I’ve made a decision not to cancel my membership. And when my club’s renewal email popped into my inbox last week, I signed up straight away.

Many of you will be receiving similar emails and letters about now. If you can, please support your club. They need you now more than ever.

When we asked on Facebook “what is your club doing about membership renewals in light of the coronavirus?”, we had dozens and dozens of replies. Some of you told us of clubs offering deals – 10 per cent back for the pro shop; 15 months for the price of 12; taking the amount of time the club’s closed off next year’s membership and so forth.

Some golf clubs have even gone as far as offering a free membership in 2021 for those who stick by the club through the crisis this year. 

I also appreciate there are many clubs who can’t do anything to help members. There are rents to pay, staff to pay, loans to repay. Not only have golf clubs been forced to close the course, many are losing huge revenues from the clubhouse – Sunday lunches on Mother’s Day – gone. Sunday evening of the Masters – gone. 45 guys from the society day – gone. That wedding booked in April – gone. Pro shops have been hit, too. And all this came immediately after the wettest February on record…

Financial help from the Government will only go so far; once we’re out of lockdown, golf clubs, their staff and self-employed PGA pros will be on their own.

And, of course, the Coronavirus is affecting golfers as well as golf clubs. Many of us have seen our financial situation drastically changed, meaning a golf club membership is simply no longer an option. 

But please, if you are in a position to do so, stick by your golf club. As one of our Facebook users neatly summarised: “Anyone who doesn’t support their club through this, likely won’t have a club to go back to afterwards.”