A DEARTH of benefits have come from COVID restrictions, but golf is one sport at least that seems to have grown in the face of these hard times.
While most sports were relegated to the sidelines during the last two years, golf was able to continue, at least socially, during most periods.
The result has been a surge in club members and players taking to Sunraysia courses, with some also rediscovering a love for the links.
Riverside Golf Club have experienced this first hand, with manager David Gardiner saying the sport may have actually benefited in the long term.
Memberships at the club have spiked from 18 months with an increase of “about 15 per cent”, with a noticeable increase of players in the 25 to 35 age bracket.
“Golf has been one of the areas that has possibly benefited from the last couple of years, because while other sports had been stopped, people could still come out to a golf course,” Gardiner said.
“I think our biggest lockdown was the initial one in March of 2020 which was about six weeks, and from then on it’s either been a week or two or a couple of days.
“Apart from that it’s actually been good for us. A lot of people have either gotten back into golf or taken it up for the first time.”
Gardiner said Riverside had a number of players come back to the course who may have played more regularly in the past.
“I noticed a lot of people who had played infrequently in the past had started coming more often, while some also started playing in competitions after reinstating handicaps.
“There were a few guys who might have played in their late teens who went off to play basketball or footy or other sports who got back to playing, I think also realising that it’s easier on the body than some other sports.
“There hasn’t been an emphasis on social golf as such, we did see numbers increase across the board for social and competition players.”
Riverside has also continued its commitment to supporting the community and causes close to their heart, recently raising over $400 for charity through their Shane Doherty Memorial Trophy days.
“Shane is a guy who has been an important part of the club for many years, as has his entire family, so to be able to hold a charity day in his name and raise funds for Sunraysia Cancer Resource Centre is really important,” Gardiner said.
“We had to postpone it a couple of times but it was great to be able to raise $427 for the local centre.”
Like other Murray Darling Golf Association clubs, Riverside had also been able to put some TLC into their course during the quiet or locked down periods.
“We replaced four of our older greens this year, which is the biggest part of the works we have done,” Gardiner said.
“When there’s also been periods of no foot traffic on the course the grounds keepers have been able to pay some more attention to specific areas that might have needed some extra work.
“I think the course is in the best condition it’s been in for about 20-odd years.”
Gardiner said scheduling and programming had been the toughest part of the past 18 months.
“I think the hardest part has been programming major events, like our Club Championships, as a lockdown could come at any time,” he said.
“Scheduling will still be interesting but going forward, hopefully we can get back to something towards normal and keeping dates on our calendar.
“Pennant season is normally around June-July but has had to be cancelled for two years in a row now.
“Hopefully in 2022 we can get those inter-club rivalries up and going again and be back towards some normality.”
