Golf: The Best Game in COVID

By William Bradford Nichols
February 2021

Safety. According to several golf clubs in the area, it all comes down to that one word. Safety is probably the biggest reason for the explosion of interest in golf last year. 

The year 2020 ended up being the sport’s biggest ever, even though the National Golf Foundation, or NGF, reported that the industry lost approximately twenty-million rounds last spring due to course shutdowns, lockdowns, and anxiety around the pandemic. As states began to reopen, more and more people took to the links, shattering almost all records. Susan Green, the Director of Membership and Marketing at the Oaks Club in Osprey, believes that part of that growth stems from golf’s inherent safety. That when it comes to outdoor activities, almost nothing is safer. 

For starters, golf is an open-air game. Sure, there are lots of games you can play outdoors, but golf has some important differences. You can play by yourself for one, although it is much more fun to play with others. Not only that, but you also get to choose the others you play with and avoid interacting with people outside of your group on the green. You don’t even have to touch anyone else’s equipment. 

This distinction separates golf from other outdoor sports. In racquet sports, like tennis or pickleball, the game itself demands you touch the ball your opponent has touched. But in golf, it is recommended you never touch another player’s golf ball as most golfers prefer to mark their own positions on the course. On top of that, many clubs sanitize their rental equipment.

In today’s climate, many are choosing to buy their gear. Golf equipment sales topped 1 billion for the months of July through September. This amounts to the most sales recorded since the NGF started tracking sales 24 years ago. This could be due to the large number of new players, which the NGF reported jumped 20% last year. That is half a million more than the 2.5 million new players in 2019, a number that had already blown past the previous record set at the height of Tiger Woods’ fame.

While safety is built-in to the game already, the most complicated part of golf’s upsurge has been safely accommodating this large number of new golfers. To facilitate this influx, The Oaks, which already had an immense fleet of 300 golf carts, purchased more to match the 30-35% increase in rounds they have seen this year. 

In addition, The Oaks chose to get rid of shotgun rounds. Shotgun rounds are when up to 18 groups of players start at different holes and meet up at the same time at the end of the round. Traditionally, a shotgun blast marks the tee time, though most clubs now use a bullhorn. Since The Oaks cannot have their employees staging all of those carts at the same time, these had to be canceled. Greene says that most of their golfers, rather than being resistant to the change, are grateful for the new rule. Especially since it opens up more time slots for regular rounds. 

To golf in this private club this year, you’ll need to join the long waitlist. So long, in fact, that it is now closed. The fastest way in is to buy a home in The Oaks. And if that’s what you want to do, you will have to move quickly. They normally have anywhere from 60 to 80 homes available at this time of year. Currently, they only have around 15. Proximity to Pineview school means that they have a good mix of young families too.

Dennis Bundy, Director of Membership at the Sara Bay Country Club, has noticed a similar rise in golf’s popularity. Founded in 1926, Sara Bay has been serving the golf community for almost 100 years. They have also taken similar precautions to protect members from the virus. As a result, they too have noticed an increase from last year’s numbers. Though still a private club, Sara Bay is not attached to any of the local communities. Membership comes with year-round reciprocal privileges with Bird Key Yacht Club, but to become a member, you will need sponsorship or a referral from a current member.

Those in the Sarasota area who might not be able to get sponsorship or a referral at the moment might try their hand at the Esplanade Country Club at Lakewood Ranch, where the course wraps around a nature preserve. The Esplanade is currently open to the public, meaning that you do not have to be a homeowner or a member to hit the links or to practice your tee at their driving ranges, according to Cammie Longenecker, President of Active Lifestyle Brand, and Erin Kennedy, Taylor Morrison’s Communication Manager. If you like the club and want to stay in it, you will need to purchase a home. As soon as the Esplanade Country Club at Lakewood Ranch and its sister community, the Esplanade at Azario at Lakewood Ranch sell out of homes, the course will go private. 

One thing all the clubhouses and courses agree on is that golf is the game for these somewhat perilous times. It is a social sport that allows for human connection. It also has the added benefits of fresh air, the outdoors, exercise, the fact that it can be (and is being) enjoyed by people of all ages, and what’s more, social distancing is practically built-in. Whether you are a seasoned player, a novice, or have never even tried it, golf may be just the thing to get you outside, active, and keep you safely social.