WHILE most sporting clubs across the Central West have been hit hard by the coronavirus, there is one code which has seen a growth in membership.
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It's golf.
As other sports were suspended, golf in New South Wales has continued, albeit with measures such as flags sticks left in the holes, no rakes in bunkers, no swapping of scorecards, groups no bigger than two and social distancing.
In another positive for the sport, as of Friday the NSW Office of Sport has confirmed the resumption of golf in groups of four.
However, Mudgee Golf Club have made the decision to keep groups to a maximum of three.
Central West District Golf Association secretary Peter Mitchell, who is also the chairman of Golf NSW, feels the easing of restrictions will benefit clubs and members even more.
"It just allows every member to play a game of golf because across the Central West, some members have missed out on a Saturday," he said.
"They've had to scramble for tee times because there's only been groups of two.
"Some clubs have been putting on competitions on Sundays to accommodate those who have missed out. Wentworth has been doing Sunday comps which have been well received, Duntryleague has been doing comps which have been well received ... in fact I think Duntryleague has been doing a comp every day to accommodate people that want to play."
Mitchell reported that as a whole memberships of golf clubs across country New South Wales have grown during the pandemic as people have looked for a sporting activity to be involved with.
Clubs in the Central West are amongst those that have seen an increase.
"It's probably been good for golf because it's been the only thing that's been available apart from walking the dog and there's a heap of cranky dogs out there because they don't want to go for a walk every day," Mitchell laughed.
"Across the Central West I think you'll find that Bathurst membership has grown a little bit, you'll find that Duntryleague has grown a little bit and Dubbo membership has grown during this two-month clear period in excess of 60 members.
"I think Bathurst is lucky, they're a one-horse town as far as golf courses are concerned so they would have been very busy over the last two months and Dubbo being 27 holes, they've been very busy as well.
"At the end of the day golf has done well, some friends of mine in Sydney who run public golf courses have likened the activity on their golf courses to the 80s when Greg Norman was at his peak.
"It includes driving ranges as well, they've just been been smashed from the minute the sun comes up to the minute the sun goes down."
On a more sombre note, Mitchell said that "it has been a difficult pill to swallow" for those clubs which have been forced to stand staff down during the pandemic.
But the easing of social gathering restrictions by the NSW Government could help with that aspect of a club's operation.
"Green fee wise they have been making plenty, clubhouse wise they haven't, so that needs to kick in a bit more," Mitchell said.
"Allowing people to mingle in groups of 10 will allow the clubhouse to open to a point where people can sit inside and have a chat in a group of 10 with social distancing in play of course."
Golf NSW is still urging clubs continue to implement modified playing conditions that reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 by contact.
