If you haven’t already aerated your greens and been diligently completing much needed repairs; filling in dead spots on your golf course there is still time. Get going. With the current Presidential Emergency Declaration extended to April 30 and our own local Mayor Garcetti extending the Shelter-in-Place mandate until May 15 we have 4 weeks to prepare.
Work towards opening but while you are caring for the golf course be aware COVID-19 is our new reality.
This means you will need to create systems and enforce rules to allow you to operate your business.
Every golf course is different with the equipment, chemicals, personnel they have at their disposal and it is your responsibility to keep your doors open once you’re allowed to reopen.
But unlike this “RUSH” of golfers anxiously waiting for your doors to open consider these thoughts.
- Most families have limited cash reserves. With many of our fellow golfers in industries considered “NON-Essential” they won’t have the disposable income immediately available to play golf. If you’re looking to the pensioners, many of them have children. Many of them also act as the care-givers to their grandchildren. Much of that disposable income would most probably be used to bolster their family’s finances; bypassing their golf game for the sake of their children’s solvency.
- Depending how you will solicit golfers now would be a good time to consider marketing twilight or early morning golf deals to bring in golfers. Charging rack rate may not be enough of a enticement to bring in golfers to your doorstep. Consider a back up plan or perhaps consider marketing vehicles like GreensKeeper.org GK Coupons to help spur interest in your golf course.
- With the new social distancing you may have to recalculate a single rider for carts, or your walking rate. You may have to bring in new equipment like pull-carts to help bring in walking clientele. Please note you may also have to change policy for carts where if one player in the foursome wants to ride, then all players have to hire a cart (1 golfer per cart.)
- Modifying the rules for play will have to benefit speed of play. Learning how to play with these modified local rules will take time; ensuring long rounds. Be sure that your changes help speed the round of golf not hinder it.
Lots of things to consider. Be sure you’re prepared and not complacent that business should just magically appear. Now more than ever it is necessary to have back up plans in place to help spur filling your tee sheet. It may be largely academic but being prepared for any outcome will insure your success as we emerge from these Shelter-in-Place mandates.
