Dear Industry Colleague 

The last eighteen months have been a very difficult period and I’m sure there will be more dips and bumps as we come to terms with having to live with Coronavirus. However, it seems that life is even returning to some kind of normality. This includes golf. Most facilities have gained hugely over the period of the last 18 months as the only options for leisure, and indeed exercise of any sort, was to get out on the golf course. 

Our own facility at Basildon was extraordinarily busy. Now, the relentless desire for golf has quietened a little, and operators are able to take stock of their facility and assess how it is now trading. Most courses and ranges are still enjoying substantially improved trade on 2019 figures. Almost all have come off the peaks that they achieved in visitor numbers last year. From my conversations with various colleagues in the industry the sense is that the golfers we found during the last 18 months will continue to play and a legacy of 10-12% more customers (since 2019) is the likely result across the industry. 

There is a certain tragic irony that it has taken a global pandemic to force the numbers of golf players back up to where they were a decade or more ago. For golf though, this is a welcome sign and long may it continue.

One thing that has become true over the last two years is that golf centres that offer golf themed enjoyment available to all the family are doing much better send those facilities to the focus solely on golf.  Adventure golf has for a long time been a great revenue driver for golf centres. Now those who have refitted their range with the latest technology are now able to appeal to far more customers than just the narrow band of golfers intent on refining their game. This trend will continue. Our article on Morpeth Golf Centre shows how a traditional golf centre with 9 holes and a basic range can transform its offering (and turnover) by adding FootGolf, adventure golf and Inrange technology. I’m sure more golf centres will follow this trend. 

We will be blessed indeed with televised golf over the next month: both the Solheim cup and the Ryder Cup are being played in the next few weeks. It goes without saying that we hope Europe administer a sound, but elegant and friendly beating to our American friends.

Best wishes, 

Colin Jenkins