Golf business rebounds at Transcona CC

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/08/2020 (2062 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After a scary start, the 2020 golf season at Transcona Country Club is going strong.

Like everyone in the industry, TCC golf director Steve Witiuk began closely watching news of the pandemic early in 2020.

“We were very scared at the beginning because we didn’t know if the golf season would open or when it was going to open,” Witiuk said.

Many members also took a wait-and-see approach before paying their annual dues, but they have since returned.

“The feedback’s been very good,” Witiuk observed. “At first they were very scared. We have an older population here and we want them to feel very safe.”

A key part of the club’s strategy was communicating the steps staff were taking to keep everyone safe, Witiuk explained. Ball washers and sand trap rakes were removed and the cups in the holes were left upside down so players could easily retrieve their balls. To space groups out more on the course, tee times were extended to one foursome every 10 minutes instead of every seven or eight.

Early in the season, staff greeted golfers and explained the new rules and the steps being taken to keep everyone safe. The big winners are the area’s young players, Witiuk added. Membership levels have stayed steady, thanks to an influx of younger golfers looking for an activity they could actually do. They tried golf and they liked it.

“At the beginning there was no baseball, soccer or indoor stuff,” Witiuk said. “The only thing you could really do was golf and that’s been a very good thing.”

More young people have also been hired at the course, as extra staff are needed for cleaning and sanitizing, Witiuk said. While larger courses with bigger catering and events businesses have qualified for federal wage subsidies, Transcona Country Club has not for most of the summer but course activity has provided the revenue to keep them employed.

Things are slowly returning to normal, Witiuk said. The restaurant, which was initially limited to walk-through service, is now seeing more activity. Sand and seed boxes are back, as are the driving range and locker room. Tournament play has resumed, albeit with half the usual number of golfers and no gatherings after. Players submit their scores via email.

But that could change in an instant, Witiuk warned. As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has risen in recent weeks, the club has been forced to reduce the number of people allowed in the locker rooms from 80 to 48. A flexible approach is needed, as current conditions may stay into next season too.

Considering where the year started, there is plenty to be thankful for, Witiuk said.

“We’re in a great business right now,” he concluded.

Tony Zerucha
East Kildonan community correspondent

Tony Zerucha is a community correspondent for East Kildonan. Email him at tzerucha@gmail.com

   Read full biography