Golf and COVID-19: Latest news on course operations

UPDATED April 27 — Last week, the Canadian province of Ontario's government instituted a new stay-at-home order which included the closure of parks and golf courses. While Golf Ontario, the sport's governing body, has complied with the order but argued to have the order overturned, one course that is not a member of the organization defiantly opened over the weekend.

Adam Stanley at the Toronto Star reports that The Bridge at Tillsonburg near London, Ont. opened on Saturday and hosted 115 golfers. There were security guards in front of the course on Saturday but there were no reported fines handed out and the course reports they are fully booked.

Ontario's Stay-at-home order is currently in place until May 20.

The latest National Golf Foundation report focuses on the increase in domestic air travel passengers, which currently sits at 57% of 2019's levels. That is up from 45% at the beginning of march and 37% at the beginning of February. Their survey indicated that core golfers plan to take an average of 1.8 golf trips this year which is in line with non-pandemic years. Golfers who have taken a trip have ventured 40% farther this year compared to their trips in 2020.

Three-quarters of golf resort properties surveyed indicated that bookings are higher this May-December vs. non-pandemic years.

As for international travel, NPR reports European Union has announced American tourists who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to visit the EU this summer. There is no official date yet for the arrangement, and currently the United States' CDC is warning Americans to not visit Greece, Italy, Spain or the United Kingdom.

The Irish Mirror also reports that Ireland golf clubs are allowed to welcome non-members and guest play to their courses. They confirmed with the country's Department of Sport that visitors are allowed.

Also, breaking news as of April 27th, the CDC has updated its mask guidelines to state that fully vaccinated individuals should not feel obliged to wear masks in outdoor settings and during activities such as walking, jogging or dining outdoors with friends. (WaPo)

Is your golf course open? We are compiling the latest news on city, county and statewide shelter-in-place declarations and social distancing measures and how it relates to golf operations. The following Google spreadsheet has our latest news of city, county and statewide golf course suspensions or reopenings.

Many medical experts believe that golf is one of the safest activities you can participate in during the current outbreak as long as you take proper precautions. These include social distancing with the other golfers at the course and in your group, not sharing a golf cart unless it is with an immediate family member you live with, not shaking hands after the round and not socializing in the clubhouse afterwards. US governing bodies revealed new "Back 2 Golf" guidelines on May 5th that share best practices for golf course operators and players. See their recommendations here.

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GOLF Business Solutions and GolfNow are tracking each market's daily performance, including daily, weekly and year-over-year numbers as well as course suspensions. If you’re a golf course operator and would like to receive their a complimentary report, click here.

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• US State Dept set to issue more international travel warnings
• Limited fans in attendance at RBC Heritage
• Ontario golf course owner calls for regional approach to COVID-19
• Toronto Star: Golfers urge government to reopen courses
• Golf Canada launched nationwide campaign to grow the game in 2021
• Report: PGA Tour will require non-vaccinated golfers to pay for own COVID-19 test
  

• New York Times: Will golf, tennis continue to thrive after COVID-19?
• WaPo: Players marks one year since COVID-19 halted golf
• Golf Channel Live From: Inside the day that golf stood still
• RBC Canadian Open canceled due to COVID-19 travel restrictions
• Coronavirus helps golf bounce back in Japan
• Star-Tribune: COVID-19 Changed the way we play, watch, cheer
• News4Jax: The Players tees off with changes in place
• PGA Championship will cap attendance to 10,000 per day at Kiawah Island this May
• Thailand welcoming South Koreans to play golf to lift tourism
• The Atlantic: Most likely timeline for a "return to normal"
• Oro Valley set to reopen 9-hole Pusch Ridge course following extended closure
• Following reopening announcement, England clubs 'extremely disappointed'
• WSJ: For Golfers, a Covid Winter Brings Unexpected Perks

• BBC: Golfers in England fined for playing golf
• El Paso course to reopen folllowing months-long closure
• College golf adding COVID-19 attestation forms to tournaments
• WSJ: COVID-19 even better than Tiger for golf
• Kamaiu Johnson WDs from Farmers with COVID-19, says mother hospitalized
• Golf Datatech's full 2020 Rounds Played Report
• Will 2020 momentum carry into 2021? (GolfPass)
• High-tech ways hotels try to make us safe during pandemic
• Colorado course closes due to COVID-19 cases
• Impact of COVID-19 on Golf Course Equipment industry
• Free COVID-19 antibody tests offered at Bobby Jones Golf Club
• COVID-19 relief money earmarked for clubhouse may go to payroll
• Golf continues to boom on Long Island (NYC CBS)
• Topeka, Kansas rounds up 10% despite winter weather
• Sky Sports: Should courses be allowed to stay open in GB&I?
• 2022 PGA Championship pulled from Trump Bedminster (NBC News)
•Limited attendance announced for 2021 Masters (Masters.com)
• New dates for 2021 U.S. Senior Women's Open (USGA)

• Shipnuck: 2020 the year of the birdie

• Lynch: Phoenix Open shouldn't have fans
• Newsday: Muni golf sees spike in revenue and play
• Tucker: How private club life roared back in 2020
• Hawaii offering free round trip tickets to work remotely there

• Harford County (Md.) courses experience big year in rounds
• GolfNow reveals latest operator survey on COVID-19 impact
• Las Vegas courses see COVID-19 bump in rounds
• Boris Johnson unveils UK's winter outlook
• New Mexico orders courses closed again
• Old Course Hotel in Scotland closes due to COVID-19 restrictions
• Hoggard: Fall Masters unlike any other
• Waikoloa (Big Island) to reopen golf course after several months
• Western Mass. courses booming thanks to weather
• Cedar Rapids plans to repurpose closed municipal course
• President-elect Biden announced COVID-19 task force
• Ka'anapali scraps redevelopment plans
•Golf Clubs in Ireland to close a second time amid pandemic
• New York Times: The Art of letting go and getting into golf
• Deegan: Golfers got better during the 2020 pandemic
• Best year in a long time for Western New York golf courses
• Guardian: Course turned into park and now no one wants to leave
• Portland's Broadmoor Golf Course closes after 89 years
• Minnesota golf operators say 2020 was 'crazy busy'
• Tucker: New invention proposes rakes in golfers' bags
• Two Hawaii courses close permanently due to pandemic
• Most successful year ever for 50-year-old Jasper, Ind. course
• Villages in Florida allows flagsticks to be removed for putting
• Popular English course to close this fall
• University set to close golf course Nov. 1
• St. Kitts & Nevis to reopen borders Oct. 31
• Cruise industry 'optomistic' to sail by the end of 2020
• Stats say 'optimism' rising for holiday travel
• NGF: Industry leaders on sustaining golf's COVID-19 bump
• WaPo: Golf had its best summer in decades
• Hawaii set to welcome back tourists on October 15
• Golf Datatech: Retail sales up 32%
• "You can bring a bag full of White Claws" - golf hot amongst women, young people (Yahoo Finance)
• WATCH: The GolfNow Industry Report for Sept 29
• Illinois receives $5 million donation for golf course
• Cleveland.com: Exceptional golf summer in northeast Ohio
• Tokatee spared thus far in Oregon fires
• USGA announces second Golf House in Pinehurst
• Delaware's Rookery North Announces permanent closure
• Denver's City Park Golf Course officially reopens

• Pandemic set to give Texas course best year ever

• Endwell Greens Extends Closure To Entire Facility Due To COVID Cases

• Bozeman Business Boom: Why more people are teeing it up at local golf courses during COVID-19

• Possible COVID-19 exposure at Wisconsin Rapids golf course

• Heritage Oaks Golf Course temporarily closes

• Local golfers still playing around coronavirus threats

• Albuqurque courses experiencing huge rounds increases in 2020

• Vail Resorts decides to close Michigan's Mt. Brighton Golf Course permanently

• 67 employees at Georgia club test positive for COVID-19, closes club

• Rabid demand at Aspen Golf Club as tee sheet books out in 3 minutes

• Jack Nicklaus reveals he and Barbara had COVID-19 in March

• Hanover Country Club closes after 121 years

• Northern Michigan course closed due to employee's positive test

• Meriden, CT courses doing record rounds

• PGA Tour: No fans, Pro-Ams for rest of 2020

• Record rounds reported on Utah golf courses

• California's Elkins Ranch closing permanently on Labor Day

• Colorado's Keystone Resort only operating one of two courses this summer

• What it's currently like playing golf at Pebble Beach Golf Resort

• Members pitch in to save Scotland's Brora Golf Club in 2020

• Planning a golf trip this summer? Here are 10 things to consider

• These top-rated golf courses still haven't reopened

• High-quality muni golf coming to D.C. featuring Hanse, Doak and Welling input

• First PGA Tour player tests positive at event

• NGF: Military, municipal, casino courses still not open

• Atlanta-area course will turn into a public course every Tuesday

• (6/13) Yale Golf Course closed until the end of July

•(6/12) Furor over continued closure of New York City golf courses
• (6/8) Tee time intervals are wider, but rounds booked still up YoY

• (6/7) R&A launches £7 mllion COVID-19 relief fund for golf courses

• (6/7) Ohio events including Memorial, Marathon will allow spectators

• (6/4) New normal at Honolulu muni Ala Wai, others

• (6/4) Scotsman: Guidelines for Scotland golf course reopenings

•(6/3) Golf World: Inside look at America's surging desire to get back to golf

• (6/3) Suburban Chicago golf courses celebrate busy month

• (6/1) New York City golf courses devastated by prolonged closures

• (5/30) Non-residents will be permitted to play Delaware golf courses on June 1

• (5/29) Central Oregon resorts and golf courses reopening

• (5/28) Illinois golfers allowed to play in carts and foursomes beginning May 29

• (5/25) We Are Golf Phase 1 grand delivers over $4 million to golf industry

• (5/24) Shackelford: We're out of toilet paper, hand sanitizer and push carts

• (5/23) NOLA's Audubon Park golf course closed indefinitely, future uncertain

• (5/23) USGA: with maintenance budgets reduced, 5 ways golfers can help take care of the course

• (5/22) WaPo: Coronavirus makes golf courses an oasis for stir-crazy Americans

• (5/22) City of Chicago golf courses remain closed

• (5/21) Strong demand for northern Iowa golf courses this spring

• (5/20) Golf courses are thriving in social distancing: CantonRep

• (5/18) District of Columbia's three golf courses remain closed

• (5/17) Golf Business Magazine UK: Some golf courses in Wales are already reopen

• (5/16) Live golf with a different look returns to Seminole

• (5/15) Canada's golf courses aiming for touchless experience as they reopen

• (5/14) Shackelford podcast with NGF chief on COVID-19 response

• (5/10) Ireland's 5-phase plan to reopen golf

• (5/9) NPR: Yelling 'Fore', but two at a time

• (5/9) Clubs in Europe reopening but grappling with new rules

• (5/8) Michigan golf courses are now allowed to use carts

• (5/7) City of Dayton closing to golf facilities permanently

• (5/3) Daily Mail: UK courses hope to reopen by May 15

• (5/2) Alberta courses permitted to reopen May 2

• (5/1) High demand in Washington as courses finally set to open

• (5/1) Morning Read: Golf scrambles to adjust to new world order

• (4/30) Golf returns to Philly on spectacular weekend

• (4/29) New Mexico golf courses can reopen using social distancing guidelines

• (4/29) California Bay Area courses may reopen Monday

• (4/28) Bay Area counties relax social distancing guidelines, opening door for golf return

• (4/27) Alberta golf courses hoping to reopen soon

• (4/26) NYTimes: Guerilla golfers are sneaking onto closed golf courses for their fix

• (4/25) North Idaho golf courses told to limit play to state residents

• (4/24) Shut-out Pennsylvania golfers find fairways in Ohio, West Virginia

• (4/23) Travel Weekly: Golf resorts optimistic for quick return

• (4/22) PGATour.com: Walking makes a comeback, pushcart sales soar

• (4/22) Morning Read: With creativity, Golf Courses could thrive after Coronavirus

• (4/22) PGATour.com: Walking makes a comeback, pushcart sales soar

• (4/21) Ventura County, California, lightens restrictions and permits golf

• (4/20) The Golf industry must re-imagine old practices for it to recover, writes Mike Dougherty

• (4/18) Golfers hopeful their state will reopen golf courses soon, following other states

• (4/17) Star-Tribune: Sold-out tee times and happy golfers in Twin Cities

• (4/15) Pellucid Perspective on state of the golf industry, April 2020

• (4/14) Latest NGF insights on COVID-19 impact to golf industry revealed

• (4/14) Who qualifies and how to apply for the Golf Emergency Relief Fund

• (4/13) Toledo mayor reopens city courses but only to Ohioans

• (4/12) USGA unveils fund to aid state golf associations

• (4/11) Beaumont Country Club opens doors to public as a general park

• (4/9) Bloomberg: Many courses are open despite social distancing mandates

• (4/7) Forbes: Whether golfers can play depends on mandate language

• (4/6) Despite state mandate permitting golf, Florida destinations vary greatly on course openings

• (4/6) Texas Governor closes courses but opens door for walking

• (4/5) Citing bad behavior, Nevada governor closes golf courses in new order

• (4/4) Dr John Torres: NBC News Correspondent on pro golf return this summer

• (4/3) San Antonio bans playing golf on public & private courses with new order

• (4/3) Iowa golf courses open to state residents only

• (4/3) Maine Governor orders golf courses closed until May 1

• (4/2) Dunn County allowing golf members to play despite Wisconsin state mandate

• (4/1) Are Colorado golf courses allowed to open? No statewide answer in stay-at-home mandate

• (4/1) Honolulu mayor orders privately-owned golf courses to close as well

• (3/30) Ohio reverses previous ruling shutting down golf courses

• (3/30) USGA: What happens if you don't maintain a golf course?

• (3/28) Pinehurst auction announced to support employees

• (3/25) Orange County, Florida institutes Stay-at-Home order. Golf Courses exempt

• (3/25) Office of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers confirms golf courses are included in non-essential

• (3/25) Connecticut State Golf Association (CSGA) confirms courses may remain open with restrictions

• (3/24) Bandon Dunes announced on March 24 they will close until April 6

• (3/23) In South Florida, Miami-Dade and Broward counties have suspended operations at their golf courses