Golf and COVID-19: Latest news on course operations
UPDATED August 30 — The positive news regarding pandemic travel has shifted course as the Delta variant is causing spikes in cases, hospitalizations and even deaths across the U.S. Sunbelt.
While some vaccinated golfers have been able to take their dream links golf trips overseas to Scotland and Ireland, that window appears to be closing. The European Union has taken the United States off the "safe country" list, according to USA Today. It is recommending its members stop easing restrictions for nonessential travel for Americans.
Foreign countries aren't the only ones asking Americans to stay home. The CDC recently asked unvaccinated Americans not to travel over Labor Day weekend. Hawaii's governor is also asking all tourists to stay away as its hospitals show signs of overcrowding. Hawaii had been experiencing tourism in record numbers throughout the summer, too, despite limited rental cars, restrictions in restaurant capacity and a worker shortage.
The U.S.-Canadian border has remained reopened to fully vaccinated Americans since Aug. 9, according to USA Today.
Travel within the United States this summer has been chaotic in certain places. Flights remained expensive and rental cars in many airport locations scarce, which drove up the price as well.
Heading into fall, things are less certain. The debate over mask mandates and government lock downs and restrictions is starting to heat up again. The Boston Globe is reporting another predicted surge in Massachussetts that will likely mirror other states.
Latest golf course and industry news (8/30/21)
- U.S.-Canadian border reopened August 9
- NGF reports course supply leveling out
- Golf Datatech indicates rounds are down in July
- Hawaii governor asks tourists to stay away
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.
How to play golf safely during the COVID-19 pandemic
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.
Golf Course Operators
Headlines archive
- Tourists renting U-Hauls in Hawaii due to rental car costs
- CBC: Ontario golf courses lobby government to reopen
- Michigan golf course fined for COVID-19 violation
- Japan: Hiroshima courses enjoy bump in play amid pandemic
- WSJ: Summer air travel will be close to normal, but fares high?
- NPR: Vaccinated US travels will be allowed to visit Europe
- 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)
• GolfChannel.com: Biggest questions in 2021 for PGA Tour
• 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