During the series of pandemic-induced lockdowns, ardent golfers were known to suffer from withdrawal symptoms, many garden patches were turned into putting greens and some even ended up with divots. With borders opening and lockdowns now a distant past, the post Covid world is seeing golfers return to the fairway in stages albeit cautiously.
According to the “How COVID 19 is Changing Golf in Asia – Playing Habits” 2021 survey by the global research firm Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS), 63 % of Malaysian Golfers surveyed were “Going Crazy” while courses were closed waiting to open up again. 15% of those surveyed in Malaysia had started the game within the last 3 years reflecting worldwide trends of golf growth during the COVID period. Also, more than half of Malaysian golfers surveyed said they would encourage someone else they know to play golf over the next 12 months. This is most likely to be a golfer’s son, spouse/partner or daughter.
David Wong, CEO and co-founder of Deemples, added the demand to play golf via the Deemples platform has been increasing every year and with additional safety precautions in place there has been a noticeable increase in interest in golf.
September 2021 was the first full month of activity after a 4-month lockdown, which saw them reach almost 90% GMV of their best month. This also included a 17% increase in ticket size per transaction on the Deemples app. Though a small sample size, the quick rebound highlights an active and eager market of golfers in the country.
However, golf has changed amidst the pandemic, according to the survey, golfers are likely to play with people whom they do not know personally, with the majority of the respondents (71%) stating that they are receptive to playing with strangers if their friends are not available. This shows a stronger willingness to play golf with or without the regular ‘golf kakis’.
The survey also highlighted that one third of golfers believe that they would use the clubhouse differently, and over a quarter of them think that the types of group they play in would be different.
Golf courses are also increasingly employing the usage of technology and golfing apps. People who may have been reluctant to use digital payments or online booking solutions are now used to it as it had become part of daily life during the MCO. Working with the golf courses, Deemples has already been able to help drive revenue generation for courses through the app, making it more convenient to book rounds on courses throughout Malaysia.
The survey results back this up as more golf members in Asia aim to golf on a golf course (67%) and driving range (53%) after the pandemic is over, presumably to make up for lost time. This should also see a rise in revenue for courses, as over half (51%) of golfers surveyed said that they will spend more in six months to the year.
Eric Lynge, Special Advisor Asia to SMS said, “With data supporting an increase in golf participation in Europe, North America and Australia, we thought it was vital to run this first of its kind research across many markets in Asia. The result mirrors global statistics showing golf participation increasing during the pandemic.”
