Membership Update: January 2021
21 JAN 2021
Dear Member,
On behalf of everyone at ClubLink, we hope that you and your family are keeping well in these extraordinary times and we wish you a healthy and happy New Year.
While we are currently experiencing unfavourable Covid-19 numbers locally, vaccinations are now being administered and the light at the end of the tunnel appears to be getting brighter. Although we can not say for certain, our expectation is that we will be able to open under the same set of protocols that we operated with during the summer and fall of 2020. We also anticipate an earlier start to the golf season in 2021 due to the fact that we were able to operate safely last year.
Aside from keeping everyone safe while operating during the pandemic, one of our biggest priorities will be accommodating the expected demand for tee times. The extraordinary increase in demand we experienced from Members last season has led us to review our tee time booking policies and procedures along with the privileges associated with certain membership categories.
We have concluded that it will be necessary to make some adjustments to maximize access to the tee. There is more to consider but we want to provide you with an update on what has been decided thus far:
Member Count Limitations – We have implemented a waiting list for new Members at a number of our Clubs that have reached capacity and we’ve halted the sale of Intermediate and Junior memberships at all of our Clubs.
Expanded Hours of Operation – Our Turf Superintendents have come up with some innovative workplans and scheduling to allow for earlier openings Monday to Friday. This will create more tee time inventory and not compromise playing conditions.
Corporate Events – These rounds were down substantially in 2020. We plan to again strategically and significantly keep our Corporate Event rounds down at our Member Clubs to increase the availability of tee times to our Members.
Social Members and Guest Play - Social Members and guests will not have access to play prior to 11 a.m. on weekends and holidays at Member Clubs.
Full Privilege and Restricted Junior Members – Restrictions on access to the tee have been adjusted to free up more inventory for Full Golf Members Wednesday through Sunday. Juniors are very important to us and we recognize them as Full Golf Members of the future. However, these temporary measures are necessary at this time to maximize availability for Full Golf Members.
Should the demand for golf return to more normal levels at some point during the season, we will be prepared to readjust accordingly.
We are making progress with our technology partner to complete the necessary enhancements to our online booking engine to ensure it will perform in 2021. The five-day window and staggered approach to daily opening of the booking system will continue, although we are planning some adjustments to ensure the process is equitable and effective.
Stay tuned for further updates about our on course experience, hospitality and other service area initiatives in the coming weeks. As always, we welcome your feedback in the meantime.
While the outlook for 2021 remains somewhat unpredictable, we are committed to providing the best possible experience and operating as safely and responsibly as possible.
If you have questions or need assistance with your membership in any way, please contact us at memberservices@clublink.ca or call 1-800-273-5113.
Thank you for your continued loyalty and support.
Sincerely,
John Finlayson
Chief Operating Officer
ClubLink Corporation