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.”
While #StayAtHome trended across social media in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, clubs and golf courses have been fighting to keep their numbers up and fill their tee sheets.
Myriad stories have been written in recent years about golf’s declining numbers, but according to a National Golf Foundation (NGF) report, 2020 was off to a banner start before COVID-19 hit. Rounds were up “significantly” (+15.2 percent) through February, and early March numbers showed evidence, both anecdotally and according to NGF consumer research, that golf in some areas (those before or still without government restrictions) had been in greater demand.
Speaking of government restrictions: In areas where golf was shut down and deemed non-essential by lawmakers, various groups formed to voice their displeasure and overturn those mandates. While the state of Ohio and the city of Myrtle Beach, S.C were among the areas that succeeded in reversing government orders and reopening their fairways, some other localities were holding firm, as of this writing.
A change.orgpetition titled, “Let Wisconsin Golf” received over 100 virtual signatures in the first hour after it was posted on March 25, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinelreported. Like many other initiatives that helped to position golf as a safe recreational option even when stay-at-home orders were in force and most other activities were forbidden, that petition asked Gov. Tony Evers to reopen golf courses with required operating modifications—electronic payment only, closed clubhouses, no flagsticks, holes placed two inches above the ground, no golf carts and adherence to all social-distancing guidelines.
Minnesota golf course owners and the Minnesota Golf Association (MGA) were hoping Gov. Tim Walz would also add their sport to the list of outdoor activities permitted under that state’s stay-at-home order, KSTP ABC 5 of Minneapolis reported. Walz fueled hope for that action at a press briefing when he said he intended to consult with medical advisors to examine if golf was reasonable to include on the list of approved activities.
As of March 31, however, courses in Wisconsin and Minnesota remained closed. Those are two of the northernmost states where many properties weren’t scheduled to officially open until April 1st or later. At the end of March, the NGF showed that 74 percent of “in-season” courses remained open despite the pandemic. Daily-fee (78 percent) and private (77 percent) operations were slightly above the average, with public courses (54 percent), not surprisingly, bringing the numbers down, out of an abundance of caution and the fact that many are run by government entities.
Living in a state (Ohio) with a stay-at-home order in place, I know my family and I have taken every opportunity to get outside and enjoy the mild spring weather and sunshine. No sport takes advantage of that more than golf. And superintendents have been remarkably proactive in keeping their golfers safe by removing all touch points—rakes from bunkers, ball washers, water coolers, etc.
In lieu of raising cups, many superintendents have fashioned makeshift obstructions—such as sanitizer-soaked pool floats or PVC piping—so golfers have the satisfaction of watching their putt go in the hole, but don’t have to reach deep into the cup or risk touching the flagstick.
Insert whatever cheesy saying you’d like—”You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone” or “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” I may be wearing rose-colored glasses, but I believe the early returns of golfers in January and February were more than an anomaly. There’s also evidence that by their efforts to win the right to keep their courses open during the coronavirus outbreak, operators have advanced the grow-the-game effort, by enticing new players to overcome their aversion to golf out of sheer desperation for something to do.
For all of these reasons, I have confidence there’s a resurgence on the horizon—and that the clubs that weather this storm will be poised to reap the rewards, once things do return to “normal.”
Rob Thomas
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