Membership waitlists increase as hundreds flock to play the Club’s courses
More than 900 Members returned to play golf on the both 18-hole courses at London’s Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Club since playing golf re-opened on May 15th. These Members have played over 8,300 rounds during a five-week period.
After nearly eight weeks of official lockdown were lifted, the Club has been faced with unprecedented demand for tee times from Members and Membership enquiries for the 2020/21 season.
The Club was able to accommodate a record turnout of 330 golfers playing two-ball games on the first day back, over the pristine conditioned JH Taylor and Pam Barton courses with social distancing requirements strictly adhered to.
Despite clubhouse closure and being denied access to playing the courses from late March onwards, an impressive 99% of annual Membership renewals were secured in April at the Club in Richmond. In addition, 40 new Members in all categories were welcomed into the Club.The Club is also proud to manage the country’s largest women’s golf club section, with more than 360 female Members.
“We have never seen interest and reaction like this.,” said Chris Holt, Royal Mid-Surrey Chairman, “We have received in excess of 200 enquiries asking about joining the Club a month after the lockdown was introduced and are now back to the waitlist position that we were fortunate enough to enjoy before the pandemic,” he added.
During the lockdown period, the Club operated a Community Support Network, with more than 40 volunteers providing help to vulnerable Members keeping to self-imposed isolation, while a temporary Walking Membership enabled non-members to take exercise over the courses alongside the River Thames and Kew Gardens. Walking members paid a modest fee raising money for the Truants Charity, the Captains’ charity for this year
“It is very encouraging to see the remarkable response from our Members to the reopening of the courses and so much demand for Club Membership” said Chairman Chris Holt. “I was extremely proud of our staff and volunteers who came forward during the lockdown period to help our vulnerable Members. It reflects well on the Club’s spirit of community and we can see a brighter future than might have been expected now that the courses are back in use.”
Prior to the lockdown, the Club was enjoying the most successful period in its 128-year history. Its thriving commercial operation achieved a record first quarter turnover thanks to R&A workshops for the Women in Golf Leadership Development Programme, two 6-Nations rugby match lunches with over 250 guests and popular social and charity fund-raising events.
For more details about the Club visit www.rmsgc.co.uk