Dilemma facing club members across the county

Golf clubs across Northamptonshire are facing up to the increasingly likely scenario of significant numbers of members not renewing their annual subscriptions for 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
With all golf courses closed for the time being whilst the country, and the world, are in lockdown to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, members are facing up to the prospect of a long wait before getting back on the fairways.
On the back of a very wet winter when most courses were closed for periods of time, many are therefore deciding whether to spend their money on something they may not be able to partake in during the coming weeks and months.
But, with most clubs heavily reliant on membership subscriptions to balance their financial books, the dilemma is made even more serious by the possibility that the club may not survive, if too many members step away from the sport.
Although clubs are continuing to assess the option of freezing subscriptions, most have placed their trust in their membership to back them during this difficult time.
With social distancing relatively easy to observe in the open air, golf was played up to the date of the official government lockdown and could be one of the first sports to return when any restrictions are lifted.
To do this, clubs need to maintain their course, which means paying greenkeeeping staff to do the work.
One Northamptonshire club secretary explained: “We are a golf club run by the members for the members. The objects of the club remain the same; to provide a golf course and associated facilities for the benefit of its members and their guests.
“So we are concentrating on maintaining the necessary expense on the golf course so that, when we are open again, our members have a golf course ready for play.”