Page 14 - Golf Guide 2021

“Golf, by its nature, sets up for social distancing. I have
a job because not everyone hits the ball down the middle of the fairway.”
—Bella Vista Golf Club’s Kyle Ruane
Golf ’s unique business mix also generates much-needed revenue from weddings, tournaments and outings, pro shop sales, and food and beverage—all
of which were impacted last season by capacity regulations. This season should begin with many of those same restrictions in place—but Horton sees some good signs. “We already have a demand for lessons and teaching clinics in the pre- season, and I think we proved to the state
at the end of last season that we were able to host golf events safely,” he says. “I know the nonprofits that generate a lot of their fundraising through outings are especially interested in getting back to having events again so they can make up for last year.”
In Pennsylvania, Bowman is looking forward to the easing of capacity restrictions governing indoor dining and outdoor gatherings. “I think 50 percent capacity is the magic number,” he says. “Once that happens, family reunions, weddings and events come back. We’re already seeing lots of golf outings getting pre-booked.”
Still, it seems a cruel and sad irony
that years of initiatives to grow the game largely fell flat, while a devastating virus accomplished what golf’s keepers could not. But the sport’s new role in people’s lives is not to be diminished—and with
it comes the most optimistic entry into a spring season in recent history. “It was very rewarding to see golf as a beacon of hope in such dark times for so many people,”
GOLF BEFORE COVID
GOLF AFTER COVID
Riding.
Walking.
Flagstick out.
Flagstick in.
Rakes in bunker.
What rakes?
Handshake after 18.
Elbow bump after 18.
Pay at the pro shop.
Pay with an app.
Augusta in spring.
Augusta in fall.
Drinks at 19th hole.
Beers in the parking lot.
“YOU DA MAN!”
Crickets.
COVID PLUSES AND MINUSES
+ More golf balls sold.
— More golf balls lost.
+ Morebeginners.
— More beginners looking for balls.
+ Record course rounds.
— Crowded tee sheets.
+ Morewalkers.
— Slower pace of play.
+ Single-rider carts
— Running out of carts.
+ The Masters in November.
— The Masters in November.
+ Golf revenue up.
— Food and beverage down.
+ Playing a private course.
— Crowded as a public course.
new level of unknown,” he says. “And it seemed like Gov. Carney’s restrictions would change from Friday to Monday.”
Montgomery County was the first region to close in Pennsylvania. “Golf helps drive our hotel sector, and when our occupancy rate dropped from 60 to 5 percent in a few days, we knew a major hit was coming,” says Mike Bowman, president of the Valley Forge Tourism
& Convention Board. “But like all of us during the pandemic, we adapted.”
As courses adjusted to a new way of doing business, resilient golf pros leaned heavily
on both technical and human resources. “We implemented a park-and-play strategy, adapting our online reservation system to take credit cards so players could pay in advance and not come into the pro shop,” says Dan Malley, head pro at Paxson Hollow Golf Club in Media, Pa. “I think a lot of clubs will be doing this permanently after the pandemic. It’s a better player experience, and it keeps our staff and customers safer.”
Obviously, safety was key to Jeff Robinson’s pandemic strategy. “We were so thorough in making sure everything was secured for the golfer’s safety—eliminating shared surfaces, reducing touch points, reducing cash transactions—that we
had to be just as careful to protect our team,” says Robinson, who oversees club operations at Deerfield, Garrison’s Lake and Jonathon’s Landing, all in Delaware. “I was continually impressed by the determination and thoroughness our staff showed through the ups and downs.”
GG12 Golf Guide 2021 | todaymediainc.com
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