Page 29 - 07.06 p1-56 (Final Print)

NEWS PROJECTED FUTURE OF GOLF
t started as a minor news story out of China,
Iand for weeks, it stayed there. Then, reports
of the deadly new virus grew ominous with
various experts saying the fatality rate of the
new virus was over three percent. Early models
from Imperial College in the United Kingdom
predicted that 2.2 million people would die in the
United States if no mitigation procedures were
undertaken and 1.1 million would die even if
they were.
The COVID-19 coronavirus is not only the
biggest story of 2020, it will undoubtedly be one
of the biggest stories of the 21st century when the
history books are written. The virus has upended
daily life all over the planet. It wasn’t long before
government officials worldwide began imposing
“lockdowns” in an effort to combat the virus.
People were ordered to stay home and venture
out to only “essential” businesses that provided
what were considered the necessities of life, such
as food and personal items. Businesses deemed
“non-essential” were ordered closed, putting tens
of millions of Americans out of work.
Unfortunately, the sport of golf was deemed
non-essential by many U.S. governors, and courses
by the thousands lay idle. This, despite evidence
that being outdoors was one of the best ways to
not get the virus. This, despite the fact that the
game of golf requires no one to get closer than six
feet of another person (one of the mandates of
“social distancing”), or that no one had to touch
anything that someone else touched. However,
other, more enlightened governors realized the
benefits of golf and deemed courses essential
businesses. These courses were allowed to remain
29
SUMMER 2020
WHAT DOES THE
WHAT DOES THE
FUTURE HOLD FOR
FUTURE HOLD FOR
THE GOLF INDUSTRY
THE GOLF INDUSTRY
AFTER COVID-19?
AFTER COVID-19?
open, with many choosing to alter some aspects.
Namely, bunker rakes were removed and pool
noodles were inserted in the hole so that retrieving
a ball from the hole did not require removal of
the flagstick or touching the bottom part of the
flagstick in removing the ball from the cup. Water
coolers were also taken away.
Many private clubs limited play to members
only, with no guests or outside play allowed. Some
courses closed their pro shops, taking payment
outside and not accepting cash. One-rider-to-a-
cart became the norm, and tee times spaced out
at 15-minute intervals were implemented at many
facilities. Course dining rooms and clubhouses
were closed.
With economic damage mounting, states
across the U.S. realized that they had to open
businesses back up or risk a catastrophe on their
hands that would eclipse any of the damage that
the virus itself may have imposed – and that point
may well have already been passed. Time will tell
if the economy will recover or if tens of millions of
lives will be destroyed in the sense of mental well
being and financial health.
Scientific information is now coming in,
showing that not only the shuttering of golf
courses was completely unnecessary, but that
many of the policies that courses implemented
in the name of safety were virtually useless in
combating the spread of infection. The Centers
for Disease Control (CDC) recently stated that
the virus is not easily spread through touch points
disease.” According to Dr. Prober, a series of
highly unlikely events would have to occur. First,
Continued on page 30
Golf Teaching Pro ®