The State of Play

So… lots has changed sine the last time I ‘spoke’ to you! I’ll begin with some happy news – just over a month ago on the 18th March, we were lucky enough to welcome our son into the world. After much deliberation, and all of the names of the World’s Top 50 ranking golfers were ruled out by my fiancée, we settled on the name William!

5 days later, the unthinkable happened. Life as we know it changed, and we went into survival mode. Countrywide lock down measures were put in place as a result of COVID-19 which would see the closures of Schools, Pubs, Offices and well… Golf Courses among other businesses.

Perhaps most frustratingly for many golfers, the lock down has coincided with the weather turning, with wall to wall sunshine and blue skies for the most part providing a pleasant change to the wet weather of the previous months. Whilst the courses remain closed, greenkeepers up and down the country carrying out essential maintenance to the courses have been teasing us with snippets of how beautiful our courses are looking right now.

Whilst a lot of golfers have questioned whether or not courses should be reopened, ultimately long term health is most prevalent, no matter how frustrating it is. There have been plenty of fantastic ideas as to how golf courses could function and reduce the risk of transmission, and it is great to see people thinking outside the box! This is one of my favourites…

One for when we’re all back? pic.twitter.com/s3TYyozQsN

— PuttOUT (@puttoutgolf) April 16, 2020

But what is going to be the state of play if and when they do reopen? I have to admit, I am worried. The longer that this does roll on for, the more money golf courses are losing. These places that we hold so dearly in our hearts may well be at risk of going under, and closing their doors for one final time. Now is the time that they need our help more than ever.

So, what can we do?

• Membership – If you are fortunate enough to be a member, keep paying your member’s dues. Some courses will be providing offers or free months at the end to those that have supported them through tough times.
• Support your pro – If you’re still making purchases to get your golf fix, many pros are still operating online or over the phone, and some have some great deals about! Drop them a line and see how they can help before you head to an online retailer.
• Look out for other initiatives your club may be running – some are offering a meal delivery service from the kitchens, online lessons, book a function.
• Explore a couple of new courses – once restrictions are lifted, get out and play a new course with a visitor green fee. Don’t forget to stop in the clubhouse afterwards for a bite to eat and a drink and make a day of it!
• Support their Social Media pages – like and share their posts, and help them to grow their audiences.
• Support other independent brands / small businesses – they are most affected in times like these. A little can go a long way!

The last thing that I would want to see is any of our courses having to close due to this. I would like to extend an offer to all clubs across the county for a free promotional post across my social media accounts. Reach out to me on Social Media or email thesussexgolfer@gmail.com and we can sort something out! It is the least I can do in these crazy times to help try and send a few new customers your way.

Stay safe.

The Sussex Golfer