Sorry to be the bearer of doom and gloom but the golf industry is facing the dilemma of dealing with serious issues arising from the many problems of the Covid-19 shut-out.
What to do with staff that were hired to do jobs that have now disappeared, and should members be reimbursed for the loss of play?
These are just a couple of headache examples that golf club owners must now tackle.
On the face of it, members may feel that they are entitled to some form of money back for a fee they have paid while their club is shut.
However, on the other side of the fence, golf clubs have little room for manoeuvre when many normal revenue streams such as green fees, society bookings and hospitality have been severely curtailed while costs of maintaining the course -- which usually accounts for around 50 percent of a club's cost base -- continue as always.
Those with marketing responsibilities will be sorely tested in the weeks/months ahead, as they must come up with some new ideas.
Perhaps one worth considering would be for a particular group of golf courses (established clubs) joining together to allow their respective members to play a selection of courses at no added cost.
Out of bounds: Take a step back and think about what your score would be if you one putted every hole in your next round. Australian Cam Smith accomplished this incredible feat that equalled the all-time PGA Tour record for the fewest putts in a round as he posted an eight-under 62 at the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational this month.