Reader Response: Could golf courses benefit from lockdown?
We asked our readers if golf courses could benefit from the coronavirus lockdown, here's what they had to say.
Golf coures have been shut for over a month as clubs in the UK were forced to close their doors after Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered a lockdown, ruling out golf as a form of exercise.
But it now seems that the reopening of golf courses could be just around the corner, so we asked our readers whether golf courses could actually benefit from the coronavirus lockdown.
RELATED: Northern Ireland confident of golf restart on May 18
We posed the question through our social media channels and had many comments and messages, with a wide range of opinions. So check out below as we pick out some of your answers, on whether golf courses could benefit post lockdown.
"Absolutely. During lockdown my local club has definitely been thriving in terms of course condition. Greenkeepers are able to still work and not have to worry about being in the way of golfers, so from what I've heard, the course is looking in prime condition for when members can once again enjoy some golf!"
"Unfortunately I can't see my club looking any better. A high number of staff members have been furloughed, including greenkeepers, so they haven't been able to give the course the TLC it needs during this lockdown."
"I live near my golf course and there's been so many people using it to get their daily exercise that it's probably looking worse than it was before! Why can't these people use the local parks or fields, instead we've got hundreds of people walking and running on the course and even on the greens! I've seen families and children on bikes going up and down the fairways. I wish my course didn't allow members of the public access because I think the members are going to be disappointed when we get back."
"Yes I think the courses will look incredible when they reopen! We've been so lucky with the weather during lockdown, with some really warm and sunny days, but also a decent amount of rain to help the grass grow and stay healthy. We had such porr weather before lockdown, most courses have been flooded for months after the winter we had, so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how beautiful my local track will look."
"We'll be lucky if there's any courses left to play on if this lockdown continues! So many clubs will be struggling and laying off staff, a small nine-hole course in my area has closed its doors for good because of this! Forget about course condition, we need to be allowed back on the course to help these clubs survive. It's ridiculous."
