Page 6 - BusinessWest April 3, 2023

“We’re in good shape ... we’re in as a good a shape as we’ve been in a very long time,” he said, adding quickly that courses have to be careful and smart with their spending to stay in solid shape financially.
On the downside, if it can be consid- ered that, it is somewhat more difficult to get a tee time at some courses, said Menachem, and there are now waiting lists at many private clubs. So accessi- bility is certainly not what it was in the pre-pandemic years.
But for those in this unpredictable business, those are definitely good problems to have.
“We saw levels jump considerably in 2020 and into 2021. In 2022, we were able to sustain levels and continue to grow. Overall, we’ve been able to retain the new golfers and the golfers who were brought back into the game by the
years, it isn’t played at all due to inclem- ent weather, especially when Easter comes earlier rather than later.
This year, it’s set for April 7, and Perez is hoping his luck with the weather in 2023 holds, because there are 140 signed up for golf and the din- ner to follow it. Meanwhile, April 7,
or thereabouts, is when most courses in the area project to be open, if not a week or more earlier — a solid head start over most years.
And as they open, they’re expecting to see roughly what they’ve seen for nearly the past three seasons — more business than they were seeing in the years leading up to the pandemic. In most cases, much more.
Indeed, through the end of the 2010s, golf was in the doldrums, con- tinuing a downward trajectory that started in the early 2000s. For many, and especially the younger genera- tions, the game was too time-con- suming and too expensive, and they were putting their time and money elsewhere.
Public courses struggled to get daily play, often despite attractive specials, and private clubs, many of which had been historically full and boasted waiting lists, had plenty of spots available and were marketing themselves far more aggressively than ever before to bring in new members — and much-needed revenue.
The downward spiral was punctu- ated by the closing of several courses in the area, including Hickory Ridge in Amherst, Pine Grove in Northamp- ton, and Southwick Country Club. Despite this thinning of the herd, many area courses continued to struggle.
Then, the pandemic came.
Golf was still slow and still com- paratively expensive, but suddenly, people didn’t seem to care, or care as much. People of all ages and other demographic categories were looking for things to do, ways to keep active as they were eating and drinking more, and opportunities to socialize — and golf could check all those boxes, to one extent or another.
Then-Gov. Charlie Baker lifted tight restrictions on golf in early May 2020, and for the rest of the year, clubs saw surges in play, member- ships, and retail sales.
Elkins said Amherst Golf Club (AGC) received a huge boost from stu- dents, most of them from UMass, who were still living in the area but not attending classes in person. Looking for things to do with their time, maybe 30 bought attractively priced member- ships at AGC, a semi-private course.
“We got a huge COVID bounce from students who couldn’t attend classes in person,” he said. “It was a one- or two-year bump, and now it’s gone away.”
Still, membership remains solid — it’s currently at about 265, down from the peak but certainly up from the pre- COVID years — and daily play (there’s
JESSE MENACHEM
Green Lights
pandemic.”
It’s called Good Friday, Bad Golf. That’s the name of the first orga-
nized golf outing of the year at East Mountain Country Club, and, as that name suggests, it’s played every year on Good Friday, which means that some
Celebrate the Difference Makers!
Helix Human Services,
formerly the Children’s Study Home
Nathan Costa
President, Springfield Thunderbirds
Burns Maxey
Board President, CitySpace
Claudia Pazmany, Executive Director, Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce; and Gabrielle Gould, Executive Director, Amherst Business Improvement District
Join us as we honor the 2023 Difference Makers with a celebration of their contributions to our community. Come get inspired!
Thursday, April 27, 2023 5:30 - 9:00 p.m.
The Log Cabin, Holyoke
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Tickets $85 (Tables of 10-12 available) | (413) 781-8600 x 100 businesswest.com/difference-makers/difference-makers-tickets/
Gary Rome
President and CEO, Gary Rome Auto Group
Henry Thomas
President and CEO, Urban League of Springfield
Steven and Jean Graham
Owners, Toner Plastics Group
Springfield Ballers
PARTNER SPONSORS
6 APRIL 3, 2023
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