It’s been a tough few months for Danau Golf Club with the enforced closure during the Movement Control Order, but with play finally resuming last Friday, things are looking up.
While golf clubs in Selangor were permitted to resume operations from May 4, club manager Johan Fariz noted that they had to wait for clearance from the administration of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia as the club is located within the varsity grounds.
“Traffic has been OK since we reopened but it’s a bit quiet in the mornings, this being the month of Ramadan. However, things tend to pick up in the afternoons,” said Johan.
He paid tribute to his groundkeeping crew for getting the golf course playable following a month and a half of minimal maintenance.
Waiting Area
“The team did a good job preparing the golf course for re-opening last Friday. The height of the rough in certain areas is like a professional championship set-up, but this will be better within the next few days. So far the comments from golfers have been good,” noted Johan.
Danau was one of the golf clubs which really struggled during the shutdown, being a standalone property wholly dependent on cash flow from subscription and daily play fees to meet monthly expenditure.
“It was a real challenge finding ways to remain cash positive during the lockdown as we still needed to pay staff salaries and continue maintaining the golf course with minimal staff so that the quality is not jeopardised. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to those members who continued to pay their subscriptions during the shutdown,” he shared.
In terms of social distancing and heath protocols, Danau has implemented strict SOPs within its premises following the guidelines issued by the Malaysian Golf Association and Golf Club Managers Association of Malaysia. There is also an additional check for golfers at the university’s main gate.
“Golfers also need to pass through the university’s health screening at the main gate, so that’s an additional precaution which is good,” said Johan, adding that the club’s changing rooms and F&B outlets remain closed.
Buggy sanitisation
Johan noted that the ‘new normal’ for golf will remain in place for some time and that golf clubs will have to re-look at their business models moving forward.
“This is the new normal for golf. Members and golfers in general will need to adjust to the new SOPs and golf clubs will have to adjust to the new business environment. The business models that we implemented before the Movement Control Order might not be relevant in this new normal,” he stressed.
Danau is currently offering a special package to golfers during the month of Ramadan at the following rates: Weekday – RM100 nett / Weekend PM – RM110 nett / Weekend AM and Public Holiday – RM140 nett (green fee, buggy [single], insurance, mineral water).
“We will revise all our rates in the future and look at ways to promote the game to juniors, which is the best avenue to grow the game and build the base of golfers for the benefit of the industry as a whole,” he said.
For more information and updates, log on to www. danaugolf.com
