Courses like the Kamloops Golf & Country Club have been significantly busier this year amid the pandemic (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

COVID-19 SPIKE IN GOLF

Golf courses in Kamloops seeing major upswing in number of players

Jul 22, 2020 | 4:21 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s been the one and only sports to endure the pandemic. While the lights went out on other sports, golf survived —and is in fact thriving.

“We’ve seen lots of play,” said general manager at the Kamloops Golf & Country Club Alec Hubert. “June was a rainy month, but saw 15 per cent more rounds than normal, so the rain didn’t keep anyone away. We’ve had busy tee sheets every day.”

The Kamloops Golf & Country Club is cashing in on the golf craze that’s swept through not only this city but the entire province. The Kamloops club has attracted more than 100 additional members during COVID-19. There are also a lot more green-fee players, making tee times hard to get.

“You can tell by the tee sheet when you’re trying to book a time that it’s a little tougher,” said member Brian Meadmore. “It used to be you could get on maybe around 1-2 o’clock. Now for the last month or two, you’re looking at three, sometimes four o’clock.”

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Across town at Rivershore, it’s the same story. Demand for tee times is way up, reflected in the amount of rounds played this year.

“We are 7,000 rounds ahead of last year’s pace already,” said general manager of Rivershore Golf Links Kevin Oates. “So over the short period of time since March, an extra 7,000 rounds is impressive for us.”

To date this year, there have 22,000 rounds played at Rivershore. The course usually doesn’t hit that mark until September.

“The people that were coming out earlier in the year have stuck with us this year,” noted Oates. “We’re seeing lots of new golfers, new to the game, new to the course. We couldn’t be more happy.”

Rivershore has also seen its junior golf clinics fill up quicker this year. Parents and kids are turning to golf as a physical outlet amid all the restrictions this summer.

“Yeah, this is our first time doing this,” said parent Tasia Popovic, whose three kids were trying out golf. “There is not a lot going on, so it was nice they had this for the kids, and it’s free. It makes it really easy to get the kids out and doing something, other than sitting at home.”

The hope is the kids will keep picking up a club and carrying on with the sport. The golf courses around Kamloops hope everyone else does the same.