Haywards Heath Golf Club reports HUGE rise in new members

UK golf membership appears to still be booming up and down the country since golf's restart at the end of May during the coronavirus lockdown.

News is reaching us this week that both Haywards Heath Golf Club in Sussex and Nairn Dunbar Golf Club in Scotland have both acquired a huge increase in new members signing up at both venues. 

"To date we've had 167 new members, so we're up to over 780 in total," Haywards Heath GC secretary Helene Issom told The Telegraph. "Out of those, about 70% are under 40, so it's really good for the industry."

These stats are being echoed by a number of other clubs in the UK, especially with younger golfers in the 24-34 age category now dominating the pay-and-pay green fee market with a total of 28%. This time last year, it was the over 60 years of age category that topped the green fee charts. 

RELATED: YOUNGER GOLFERS DOMINATE GREEN FEE MARKET IN 2020

Furthermore, the 18-24 age category made up 15% of market for green fees when previously such age range had "not even been registered historically."

Elsewhere, Scotland's Port Glasgow Golf Club is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a bang as the club has announced a record 200 members for the first time in 30 years, while fellow Scottish venue Nairn Golf Club is also reporting a rise in new members with 80 signing up since the course reopened in mid-May. 

A surge in new golfers, particular younger players, have taken up the sport this year following the coronavirus pandemic.

Much of this has been down to golf being given a green light to resume play during the lockdown ahead of the majority of other sports in the country. 

With many holiday destinations requiring people to quarantine upon their return, it would appear some interested golfers are instead choosing to either spend money on signing up to a golf club rather than splashing out on that sun-kissed trip to Greece. 

The golf equipment world is also seeing the benefits, with Silvermere Golf Club recently telling GolfMagic that they "have run out of electric trolley and golf bags due to the demand."

Custom-fitted clubs and even off-the-shelf clubs are also selling like never before with the Surrey store announcing record figures throughout the summer months.