Has Your Club Restricted Guest Play in the Pandemic?

[Tom_Doak]

According to an email from a golf industry magazine this morning, 82% of clubs have temporarily banned guest play due to the pandemic.


I'm just checking to see if that is anywhere close to true.  Crystal Downs has indeed restricted play to members and family only this season, but everyone I've told seemed surprised.


Many of the public courses I've worked on are having banner years - one reported last week that play is up 50%, another 30%.  I've heard no reports of coronavirus outbreaks connected to golf courses or even clubhouses.


I realize that private clubs can be very sensitive to liability issues, and surely some of them can afford to restrict play. But how many clubs in your knowledge have actually done so?

[JESII]

The two clubs I know best, in the Philadelphia suburbs, absolutely had restrictions (I think 0 guests) initially.This restriction softened after a week or two and truthfully, I'm not sure if there is any restriction today.


They would certainly count in that 82% number though because there was some level of reduction.


They are also both blowing out their previous records for rounds played in May, June and July.

[Steve Lapper]

The majority of clubs throughout the NY/NJ/CT Met Section have indeed instituted some form of restrictions on guest play.


 Whether is be done by time or # of guests, it's being done in response to the overwhelming demand on daily use by membership.

Several well-regarded clubs have blocked out only a few days a week, or specific time blocks for guests, and have restricted guests to one or two at most on certain days.


  Use is up nearly 30-40% in these Covid-19 times and many clubs are creatively finding ways to accommodate the increase in play. Some have created special junior member categories to help out families with young adults sheltering at home. The increase in Ladies play is also quite substantial and guest limitations are in place to protect their times as well.


  These are, in my opinion, first-world problems!

[Jim_Coleman]

   Same at my club in Philly. Early restrictions lasted only a few weeks.

[BCrosby]

My club in ATL opened to guests, on a limited basis, just this week. I suspect part of the reason for the delay was that there was so much member demand after the course re-opened, coupled with spaced-out tee times, that guest play squeezed out member play. Member demand has now normalized.


Bob

[Jeff Schley]

• One had members only via governor orders opening/closing like a yo yo until June.
• One had members only until just this month.
• One is only members and even that one you can only play 4x's a week max due to tee time shortage.

[Ira Fishman]

Our club in Maryland still does not allow guests. Management has expressed concern about difficulty of contact tracing. And place is packed so that probably is another reason. Our club in NC allows guests during week and may have expanded to weekends.


Ira

[John Kavanaugh]

  I've heard no reports of coronavirus outbreaks connected to golf courses or even clubhouses.

You must not be listening. It is almost impossible for wait staff to avoid the virus.

[Carl Nichols]

At my club in Montgomery County, MD, operations have evolved since March:  we originally shut down; then we opened to member play only; then guests were permitted during the week (except no 3-guest groups between noon and 2pm on Fridays, a limitation that continues today); and now guests are also allowed on weekends after 1pm.  My sense is that most of the early restrictions were Covid-driven while the remaining ones are about demand.

[Tom_Doak]

  I've heard no reports of coronavirus outbreaks connected to golf courses or even clubhouses.

You must not be listening. It is almost impossible for wait staff to avoid the virus.

Oh, no, I've received emails twice about dining service being suspended because a server had been exposed to the virus.  Luckily though, none of them have tested positive.


I was referring to an actual outbreak with a club as the locus.  It must have happened somewhere by now, but you'd think the media would jump right on it if it happened.  But on second thought, maybe not, since someone at the local media outlets would be a member.

[Steve Lapper]

  I've heard no reports of coronavirus outbreaks connected to golf courses or even clubhouses.

You must not be listening. It is almost impossible for wait staff to avoid the virus.

Oh, no, I've received emails twice about dining service being suspended because a server had been exposed to the virus.  Luckily though, none of them have tested positive.


I was referring to an actual outbreak with a club as the locus.  It must have happened somewhere by now, but you'd think the media would jump right on it if it happened.  But on second thought, maybe not, since someone at the local media outlets would be a member.

There has been one local club that saw four simultaneously positive tests come from employees, forcing them to close down all indoor services....from the pro shop through to the kitchens.

[Ben Hollerbach]

Ansley Golf Club in Atlanta fully shut down back in July after 67 staff members tested positive. The original report was that they were halting operations for a few days to sterilize the facilities, but were also waiting on tests to come back for an additional 40 staff. No reports on if/when they reopened, how they adjusted their staffing, or the case count from the members. With 67 confirmed cases its virtually certain there would have been some community transfer among the members as well.

[Jim Sherma]

My club in Baltimore County, MD initially had a one guest per member restriction upon re-opening. I believe that this was due to member volume more than anything else. They only recently went to three-guests per member given availability.


My primary club in Central PA has a resort component and 36 holes. Even given record member pay there has been no restrictions to speak of.

[David Amarnek]

My club in St. Louis has had normal guest play for the past month or so.
My club in Philly restricts the number of guests to 15 per day.
I also belong to a club in the UK which has very restricted guest play.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Unrestricted guest play in Chicago since June 1.
Course has never been busier as everyone is home.

[jeffwarne]

The figure "82%" would be very dated information in many regions.
Most clubs initially did, then relaxed as things began to open up.
The biggest reason guest restrictions have remained on a limited basis in many places is member demand using space available for guests.
Unaccompanied guests are not allowed at many/most places for same reasons.(we have done none this season)
Interestingly, I've had more than a few members suggest dues should be reduced due to restrictions on guests.
One even famously(a viral email) suggested we weren't allowing guests to SAVE money.
Exactly the opposite should be true with member rounds(non additional revenue)up over 50% and guest rounds(revenue) down.


dated August 165th, 2020

[Tim Martin]

I would think that a lot of golf professionals have seen requests from members to arrange outside play diminished in the current environment. It’s a leap from “guest” play to “unaccompanied” play.

[Rob Marshall]

No restriction of guests at my club in upstate NY. I played two reciprocals in the area last week so they have no restrictions.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Unrestricted guest play in Chicago since June 1.
Course has never been busier as everyone is home.

BTW, dining at club is also at record highs. Guests welcome.
Masks everywhere until you are seated. No more than 6 per table.


It's been working well.

[jeffwarne]

I would think that a lot of golf professionals have seen requests from members to arrange outside play diminished in the current environment. It’s a leap from “guest” play to “unaccompanied” play.

yep, saving me 2-3 hours per week...

[Wayne_Kozun]

At Scarboro G&CC in Toronto we initially had no guests at all after opening in mid May, a couple of weeks late due to coronoavirus retrictions.  Initially the course was packed from member play.  After the tee sheet started to be a little less full, guest play was introduced in July, initially only on Mon-Wed.  In August a few more restrictions have been lifted and we are now close to regular guest policy.


But no Member-Guest tournaments this year.  We had the Club Championships this past weekend, but very little other tournaments are being held this year.


(Note that Canada has been a lot more restrictive than the US and we are down to an average of about 400 new cases per day which is about 10% of the infection rate of the US on a pre capita basis)

[Matthew Petersen]

Based on their web sites, the majority of the truly private (as opposed to resort/private) Troon Prive operated private clubs in Arizona are still suspending outside play, which is normally a feature of being a Prive club member.

[Edward Glidewell]

Public golf in Atlanta has absolutely been booming; you have to make a tee time a week (or longer) out if you want to play in the morning even on a weekday.


I know of one private club that banned guests originally but eventually reopened to guest play.

[Ira Fishman]

The figure "82%" would be very dated information in many regions.
Most clubs initially did, then relaxed as things began to open up.
The biggest reason guest restrictions have remained on a limited basis in many places is member demand using space available for guests.
Unaccompanied guests are not allowed at many/most places for same reasons.(we have done none this season)
Interestingly, I've had more than a few members suggest dues should be reduced due to restrictions on guests.
One even famously(a viral email) suggested we weren't allowing guests to SAVE money.
Exactly the opposite should be true with member rounds(non additional revenue)up over 50% and guest rounds(revenue) down.


dated August 165th, 2020

Our club in Maryland felt need to explain the no guest policy because some Members were asserting is that bringing guests is part of what they paid for. I would not be surprised if they also asked for a partial dues rebate given that some Members wanted the club to suspend dues when operations were shut down.


Ira

[Wayne_Kozun]

Many clubs may have an assessment rather than a dues rebate.  Revenue at such clubs will be down due to the cancellation of events like weddings, charity tournaments, corporate outings, lower F&B revenue due to Covid-19 restrictions and lower guest fee revenue.  Even high end courses - for several years I used to play at a corporate outing at Merion where they got a lot of $$$ from a Wall Street I-Bank to bring out guests on a Monday afternoon.  Clubs don't generally make more revenue when members play more rounds, excepting ancillary revenue like carts.