Golf returns to Bayside as Cheltenham experiences large number of bookings
A six-week lay-off had Baysiders itching for a round of golf and Cheltenham Golf Club recorded one of its highest numbers of bookings ever as it reopened nine holes. And – in a virus-restricted-manner – they even threw open the bar.
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Cheltenham Golf Club welcomed back desperate players in big numbers when it reopened nine holes today.
General manager of the course David Stein said it was great to be back, but staff had been flat out with bookings being made at a rapid rate.
After a six-week lay-off because of state government restrictions, golfers returned in droves this morning to tee off, with the course booked out between 8.30am and 4.30pm.
Mr Stein said the club had a staggering 195 bookings, one of the highest numbers the club had ever seen.
“We have opened nine holes at the moment for social golf, just to get the large amount of people through,” he said.
“Some people play three times a week so it was certainly a long six weeks for them, but the feedback was great and people had a good day out on the course.”
Despite issues plaguing some golf courses over the lockdown period – like vandals trashing Yarrambat Golf Course on bikes – Cheltenham was in mint condition for the return of golf.
“We’ve had our two ground staff working through the lockdown period where no one could play on the course, so it was in really good condition,” Mr Stein said.
“Unlike other courses ours doesn’t have a fence around the whole thing, so you get people walking through with their dogs and whatever, so there was a little bit of a clean-up of the bunkers but nothing major.”
Despite golf returning there are still strict measures of social distancing in place, but Cheltenham had its players keeping a metre and a half away from each other before lockdown started.
“We actually had players do it before lockdown, so it wasn’t new for us today,” Mr Stein said.
“We have a great set up where you turn up in your car in the carpark, play a round and jump back in the car without having to touch anything but your own equipment.”
The club’s bar is operating as a takeaway set up, where people can purchase beverages through a window and the pro shop is open but only four people can be in it at once.
From Saturday normal competition golf will resume.