NSW golf club’s with biggest membership surge during Covid-19

Covid might have killed off most of our winter competitions but membership in this sport is booming across NSW, with one club recording a 159 per cent increase.

It’s the go-two sport and exercise for people during a pandemic in NSW.

Golf is recording extraordinary numbers as club memberships across the state surge.

Players are now out in record numbers after a slight rise in membership during the 2020 lockdown has become a tidal wave in 2021.

“The first positive signs appeared in the middle quarter of 2020 coinciding with the first Covid lockdown,’’ said Golf NSW CEO Stuart Fraser.

“With many other avenues for sport shuttered during the pandemic, the ability to keep the game open, to have members continue to play while maintaining correct social distancing was critical.

Golfers at Marrickville golf course which is proving popular with new members.

“Twelve months on, and we can see from the affiliation numbers rolling in from across the state, last year’s initial small growth is now turning into something substantial.

“The surge in membership is comprehensive as well. Not only are we seeing former golfers return to the sport, but we are also seeing women, juniors, and millennials join in increasing numbers,”

Numbers indicate a 6.51 per cent membership jump across metropolitan Sydney and a 6.4 per cent increase in regional NSW.

Several clubs have reported double-digit increases, including Marrickville with an enormous 49.6% increase.

Others include Antill Park (26,4%), Asquith (15%), Bonnie Doon (14.4%), Cumberland CC (14.3%), Fox Hills (14.2%), Lane Cove (38.5%), Muirfield (15%), Northbridge (35%) and Penrith (24.7%).

Amateur golfer Christopher Macartney at the Blackheath Golf Club where he scored not one, but two holes-in-one in one day.

Regional Clubs with big increase include Gerringong (20.8%), Worrigee Links (20.86%) and Jamberoo (34.17%), Kempsey (13.4%), Nambucca Heads (9.3%), Sawtell (7%), Duntryleague (14%), Rich River Golf Club (18%) and The Vintage in the Hunter Valley (26%).

The biggest increase, however, belongs to Teven Golf Club in the Ballina-Byron Shire with a membership of 386, a jump of 159%.

“We opened the books in December, and within six days, membership went from 176 to over 300,” said course co-owner Nicki Gumbleton.

“We closed the books in January and gave ourselves a breather, but then we let another 100 in membership is almost at 400 now, with a waiting list.’’

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