Business as (un)usual

DUBAI-BASED TROON INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT MARK CHAPLESKI DISCUSSES THE IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS ON CLUB GOLF IN THE REGION AND HOW THE DISRUPTION HAS PRESENTED UNFORESEEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE GAME

- KENT GRAY

WE SUSPECT YOU WON'T EXPERIENCED ANYTHING IN BUSINESS QUITE AS CHALLENGING AS COVID-19 PANDEMIC? Coronavirus has impacted all of our properties across the world in a variety of manners. At one stage we only had two courses open in our International Division (in Australia) as we adhered to local Governmental and Golf Federation regulations. All of our courses are now open with the exception of The Allegria in Egypt and we were pleased to see Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in Saudi Arabia open on June 21. The data tells us that COVID-19 may have a more dramatic overall impact on the world than 9/11 and the Financial Crisis of 2008. However, we believe that the golf industry is in a unique position to come out of this in a stronger position than before the crisis started. It has certainly been one of the positive green shoots, due to the inherent nature of how golf is played and operated, in almost every region of the world, as places are emerging from lockdowns. As a game, golf is naturally a socially distanced sport and offers families a sport that they can enjoy together outside in the fresh air.

HOW CHALLENGING, FROM A STAFF WELFARE AND FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, WAS THE IMMEDIATE SHUTDOWN PERIOD FOR CLUBS UNDER TROON INTERNATIONAL'S UMBRELLA?