From the Clubhouse: 10,000 visitors and £600,000 lost - how can clubs like Crail survive the pandemic?

Crail Golfing Society is the seventh oldest club in the world. It plays host to thousands of visitors every year – enchanted by the stunning sea views on the Fife coast and a Balcomie layout designed by Old Tom Morris. But while, domestically at least, the coronavirus pandemic has handed golf a most unlikely fillip, for those courses and businesses that rely on international tourism, the reality is somewhat different. In a House of Commons debate, North East Fife MP Wendy Chamberlain outlined the bleak prospects that could await if tough international travel restrictions are still in place this summer. She revealed that Crail Golfing Society lost £600,000 in visitor revenue last year, so Steve Carroll is joined on the NCG Podcast by the club’s manager, David Roy, to give a fascinating insight into how they are surviving the pandemic.