Border courses are near 'chock-a-block' with Thurgoona Country Club Resort recording an incredible 100-plus competition players in Saturday's miserable conditions.
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Meanwhile, Howlong Golf Resort re-opened for competition last Wednesday when the week's heavy rain started and yet still had a handful of players willing to start.
"Absolutely, there were a small number of golf tragics who couldn't help themselves," Howlong president Kim Gray laughed.
Gray said it's easy to sum up the general consensus from members as the coronavirus continues to impact on lives.
"Can I use the words, deliriously happy to be back on course," he quipped.
"I would expect we'd be as close to full as we can possibly accommodate on the course, certainly there's pent-up demand by members who are very keen to get out here.
"I'm expecting it to be full (fields) virtually every day."
Howlong had previously shut down on March 25, but re-opened for social play only from April 6 to 28.
During that time it averaged 41 players per day, but that was restricted to those living within the town's 2643 postcode, while the club also took the added security step of introducing course marshals to ensure players were following guidelines.
However, Howlong altered its policy last week.
"The course is now open to full paying members within a 50km radius, those people can now play in our competitions and that includes Victorians," Gray said.
To the frustration of so many Victorians, including high-profile golf advocate Sam Newman, the sport is still not allowed to be played in the State.
Of course, all NSW courses are following strict social distancing regulations, which has basically halved the amount of players allowed.
There's only two allowed to play together, instead of the usual four, with longer intervals between groups amid a raft of changes.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thurgoona could field a maximum of 130 players on course, but that's been lopped to 65.
On Saturday, the club had 107 competition players in horrendous conditions, which included a top temperature of only 13 degrees, wind gusts of 48km per hour and rain.
"If that was in normal conditions (pre-coronavirus), I wouldn't think we'd have nearly got those numbers," general manager Adam Fitzgerald said.
The response indicates the fanaticism of golfers as they look to cope, both physically and mentally, with coronavirus.
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"If we get a nice day, as far as filling up our allocated spots, we will do that nearly every day," Fitzgerald said.
"That wouldn't normally happen that we could book in full fields."
