Golf club memberships continue to soar, despite second lockdown

Golf clubs across the UK have witnessed a 260% spike in members since the Prime Minister announced an easing of the England’s first national lockdown in July.

The data from PlayMoreGolf, the UK’s largest flexible membership offering with 12,000 active members, shows that in the past four months almost 6,000 new golfers joined the platform that links players with hundreds of golf courses in the UK.

The online golf brand also found some interesting trends within the data, with the average age of male members dropping by six years and the average age for female members dropping by seven. One explanation for these figures is that younger players are returning to the sport or trying their hand at golf for the first time.

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The positive uplift in interest around the game has come as many were starting to doubt the demand amongst younger golfers.

It’s likely that the good weather throughout the summer also contributed to this huge boost in membership. Additionally, some clubs were forced to stop their ‘pay and play’ offering to non-members due to pandemic restrictions to the total number of people allowed on the course.

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This led to many players taking the opportunity to explore alternative memberships. This new flexible approach was more convenient for those wishing to play, and even more so for those with traditional working patterns and family commitments, who could now take advantage of more affordable off-peak golf.

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Commenting on the sustained surge in demand after lockdown restrictions were lifted, Alastair Sinclair, CEO, PlayMoreGolf, said: “We recognise that 2020 has been incredibly tough for so many people in different industries and golf has been a much-needed outlet for many people. It’s brilliant to see that the physical and mental health benefits of the game are being brought to a wider audience.

“No-one wants the renewed interest in golf to be a flash in the pan. Therefore, as an industry, 2021 is an incredibly important year. We must encourage committees and boards across the nation to widen their membership offering to attract the future generations of members to their club.”