The Rob Report

There’s reason to be optimistic as we thankfully say goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021.

Even with the formidable and unexpected challenges they had to face while steering their clubs through 2020, many managers still jumped at the chance to also find ways, and the time, to continue to give back to others in need.

A sport that has been struggling to attract fresh participation for more than a decade doesn’t help itself by body-shaming women and setting off an alarm over a cold-weather clothing option.

While on the surface it doesn’t seem like Bryson DeChambeau, Matthew Wolff, Cameron Champ and their peers bombing drives that approach 400 yards would hurt the game for the masses, there is evidence to the contrary.

Rounds are up from Maine to California, and the sport I fell in love with as a youth is making a comeback. The best news for our industry…it’s not all middle-age men. Research shows the number of junior golfers could grow by as much as 20 percent this year.

Once carrying my bag becomes more of a burden than a pleasure, I’ll gladly strap it to a pushcart and stroll the course with pride.

Not long ago, our country was doing a solid job of flattening the curve and clubs began the reopening process…cautiously. The tables have turned, however, as club-heavy states like California, Florida and Arizona are seeing major upticks in COVID-19 cases.

Seeing the familiar fairways of Colonial CC and iconic lighthouse at Harbour Town will be welcome sites, but it was uncommon viewing that gently ushered us back into watching golf on TV.

While thousands of golf courses began to reopen in late April and early May, we’re not at the finish line yet. We are much closer to the start.

There’s a resurgence on the horizon, and clubs that weather this storm will be poised to reap the rewards, once we return to “normal.”

I was having trouble breathing and felt an intense pressure on my chest. I thought I was having a heart attack. Turns out, it was a panic attack.

Does your club have a signature cocktail or affiliation with a local brewery, distillery or winery? Every good drink has a story—what’s yours?

Golf isn’t dying—it’s just adjusting, adapting, modifying and acclimating. And the new forms of the game don’t always need to come with libations and merriment. 

Young or old, male or female, people are trying to improve their golf games, and that’s all good news for the future of the industry. The better everyone plays, the more likely they are to continue playing.

The golf industry is embracing one trend—alternative forms of on-course transportation—that may intrigue a large percentage of golfers and possibly attract new golfers to the game.