Sundown usually coincides with an exodus of players from the course, but that’s not necessarily the case at Geraldton Golf Club.
Between September and April, night golf has become a crowd-pleasing addition to the club’s roster of activities – and it’s only becoming more popular as time goes by.
First introduced in 2015 on a members-only limited basis, the club soon saw the potential to bring the game to non-traditional golfers in a time-slot they could more easily factor into their schedules: after dark.
Once marketed more widely, the idea swiftly caught on with local businesses, who flocked to the opportunity to stage after-hours staff parties on the course in the run-up to Christmas.
As well as making use of the course at a time when it would normally be empty, the clubhouse also proved a perfect destination for post-round dining and revelry, with various food and beverage packages available.
Pre-Christmas night golf has become so popular at Geraldton that’s it’s staged every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in December. From then until April, night golf is available fortnightly on Friday and/or Saturday and is enjoyed by a wide cross-section of the community.
Night golf – how it works
To keep the night golf experience fun, fast and accessible – even to non-golfers – Geraldton GC has four holes in play once darkness has fallen.
Solar lights are used to mark the fairway perimeter, with LED solar ropes outlining the greens. Each flag stick is festooned with fairy lights and a larger-than-normal hole is cut into each green to make putting easier and more enjoyable.
Participants are provided with glow-in-the-dark golf balls that are easy to track and find, and, for safety reasons, all are given illuminated headwear to ensure they stand out as much as possible to their fellow players.
A minimum of 20 players are required for night golf to go ahead, but Geraldton GC rarely has trouble finding willing participants. Indeed, the maximum field size to date was an impressive 96. The shortened format means a round of night golf takes between 60-90 minutes, offering ample time for socialising in the clubhouse afterwards.
Night golf at Gerladton makes for an eye-catching experience
Daniel Bennett, PGA Professional at Geraldton GC, says the initiative has been great for the club and the community.
“Night golf aligns with our goal of making Geraldton Golf Club a place that you look forward to coming to, a place to converse and to connect,” he told GolfWA.
“It’s very rewarding to see businesses, families and groups of friends having a great time together on course and experiencing a different type of golf.”
Bennett added that members are also feeling the benefits of the additional business night golf is bringing in.
“With the club kitchen getting used for night golf, this enables members to get more access to the facilities on these nights,” he said.
“It all helps to maintain a healthy and vibrant atmosphere in the clubhouse, which is good for everyone.”
