Pandemic-induced golf boom drives sales for Lonsdale’s Dynacast Group
Lonsdale-based Dynacast Golf’s last heyday was in the 1980s and ‘90s when the global success of Greg Norman drove the sport’s boom in Australia.
Top of its game
But after a series of lean years and a number of distribution deals with global brands such as Garmin and Bridgestone, the company is again on top of its game as golf enjoys another resurgence.
“Between us and pushbikes we’ve been at the forefront of what can be done (during the pandemic) so we’ve been incredibly fortunate and we’ve just got to ride it while we can,” Dynacast Group general manager Daniel Rowe said.
Golf courses have stayed open in South Australia and in most states throughout the coronavirus pandemic, despite most other sports closing down for at least part of the time.
Rowe said just as he was about to introduce reduced working hours for the company’s staff after a slow March and April at the height of the pandemic last year, the phones started ringing.
“May started picking up and from then onwards it just went nuts,” he said.
“A lot of the local clubs were offering things like COVID memberships over winter when they were traditionally a bit quiet and it absolutely boomed.
“There were a lot more social players coming back to golf and those who were playing were all of a sudden playing a lot more.”
Mini-golf surge
Dynacast became the Australian wholesaler and distributor for Garmin Golf GPS devices in 2011.
Dynacast also specialises in the niche area of mini-golf, supplying putters and other equipment to courses around Australia.
Rowe said although it only accounted for a small part of Dynacast’s business, the popularity of mini golf was also on the rise and had been partly fuelled by the popularity of TV show Holey Moley in February and March.
Shanx Mini Golf is set to open a new course at Regency Park on July 1.
Adelaide City Council is also exploring options to develop a mini-golf course near War Memorial Drive alongside its North Adelaide Golf Course.
It follows a report last month that shows the council’s golf operations are set to make a profit this financial year after many years of losses.
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