Coronavirus: Golf businesses in Scotland starting to feel pinch already

The owner of a golf centre praised recently by R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers for being constantly busy fears it could be forced into temporary closure by the coronavirus.

The owner of Wellsgreen Golf Centre in Fife is hoping to stay open but fears that may not be possible over the coming few weeks

Slumbers used Wellsgreen Golf Centre in Fife as an example of a successful family golf centre when he spoke about golf having to come up with a product people want to buy.

"Go there on any day of the week, they're full," he said in trying to highlight how he feels golf clubs need to change how they operate to arrest declining membership.

However, owner Stewart Whiteford is fearing the worst for Wellsgreen in the short term as the coronavirus starts to take its grip on golf businesses.

"The past few days have been a bit of a whirlwind," he said. "Signage going up, risk assessments put into place and staff on hand trying to keep themselves and their surroundings as clean as realistically possible. It's all happened so quickly!

"We have had a number of staff members call in sick, which has caused real organisational problems already. I have cancelled forward orders from some suppliers and moved others later in the year.

"The upcoming days, weeks and months are deeply concerning for all small businesses and full of more questions than answers.

"My hope is that we can stay open and somehow keep the business ticking over throughout, however, that is looking increasingly unlikely.

"The health of our customers and staff is, of course, the most important issue and we will do whatever is necessary to help with this."

According to Robert Arkley, who runs another successful family-owned golf centre at Kingsfield on the outskirts of Linlithgow, the weather had already been proving enough of a headache before the coronavirus hit.

"It's another hardship for golf clubs that they probably didn't need, to be honest," he said. "Golf clubs have had a really difficult spell, bearing in mind it started raining last August and it has hardly stopped since.

"We are definitely a bit quieter, but it's hard to tell if that is down to the conditions or the coronavirus.

"We are following all the Government guidelines on cleaning processes etc and, for mental health and people's well being, it is good for them to get outside.

"People can't be stuck in the house 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and golf is one of the safer things to do at the moment."