The pandemic affected people, businesses, and industries in many ways. While most were negative, the golf industry saw a positive surge in business and overall rounds played. The golf industry boom happened because it was one of the only leisure activities deemed safe enough to continue.
If you were an avid golfer before the pandemic, you have likely noticed this surge firsthand. Whether it’s a lag in wait time for equipment you ordered due to so many folks picking up the game and needing to place orders, the inability to get out on the golf course because of a freshly crowded tee sheet, or the plethora of new members at your club you don’t recognize, these things weren't everyday issues golfers faced before.
Before the coronavirus, the golf industry was slowing down; many were concerned for its future. As we hopefully stay on the other side of the pandemic with the worst behind us, the tune has changed and business is booming.
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How Golf Courses Adapted for Play During the Pandemic
Among the few leisure activities deemed safe to continue during the pandemic, golf was one of the few not forced to shut down. As an individual sport that is played outdoors where you don’t have to share equipment with anyone else, it was hard to deem it unsafe to play.
However, there were adaptations to the game made to accommodate an even safer experience for those who still wished to golf. For example, course staff often took rakes and bunkers out of play so multiple people didn’t have to touch the same item, potentially exposing them to infection. Instead, players were allowed to move their golf ball if it was in another person's footprint in the bunker. They could not move the ball closer to the hole or out of the bunker but could take relief at the nearest point to where the ball would come to rest in the bunker, outside of the footprint, while still staying in the bunker, no closer to the hole. If relief in such a manner was unattainable, players could pick up their golf ball, smooth out the disturbed sand, and replace their ball.
Thanks to a rule implemented before the COVID-era, flag sticks were already allowed to remain in the hole while putting for golfers who preferred it. In COVID times, though, most courses required flag sticks to remain in the hole, and, many times, pool noodles were cut and placed in the bottom, so balls hovered just above the cup’s edge for easy retrieval.
Some golf courses created other ways to make it easier to get your ball out of the hole with variations to the foam. Some courses had a touchless lever you could hook your putter head under that would lift the ball out of the hole or PVC piping in the bottom of the cup, all to have fewer opportunities to pass germs to others.
The adjustments to retrieving your ball from the hole weren’t the only temporary changes. Some courses spaced out tee times and only allowed one player per golf cart unless they were living in the same household, sanitizing each cart as they came in. Instead of going into the clubhouse to check in, some courses created outdoor check-in stations. And for those courses allowing two riders to a cart, plastic partitions were often placed in the middle to separate each player from potentially harmful germs.
More People Playing Golf Than Ever Before
Not only are more people playing golf due to the impact the pandemic has had on the golf industry, but the total purses on tour for professionals have also seen a spike.
In 2022, the PGA Tour saw an increase in its overall purse total for the season to $427 million, and the LPGA’s 12% increase in total prize money for the season rang in at $86 million.
With all the new people picking up the game during this time, retailers also saw a parallel surge in business. The PGA Superstore alone has seen a nearly 70% increase in sales over the last two years. A customary fluctuation one way or the other of just 1-2% in sales for the PGA Superstore is a testament to how drastically the golf industry was impacted.
With such massive growth, logistics were a nightmare for retailers and manufacturers alike. Not being able to anticipate the 6% increase in rounds played nationally, equaling almost 30 million rounds, you can imagine how many more golf balls, gloves, tees, hats, shoes, clubs, etc., were being purchased. As good as it was for companies to see the rush in business, it made it tough to keep up with the newly established demand.
The pandemic's impact on the golf industry didn’t level off as we came out on the other side of it. People have continued to play golf in record numbers, country club memberships are up, and manufacturers and retailers are still trying to catch up to the demand.
For those unable or not wanting to go to a course and risk being around others, getting a dose of golf indoors in your own home became an option many hadn’t previously relied upon heavily. With indoor putting mats and launch monitors you could set up in your backyard, practicing at home became a soothing release from the working-from-home grind.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Did the pandemic negatively impact the golf industry?
Quite the opposite happened. The golf industry saw a surge like never before, both in the number of rounds played and sales for retailers and manufacturers.
Did people still play golf during the pandemic?
Yes! Golfers made many adaptations to the game to make it safe to play, and not having to share equipment helped golfers feel comfortable enough to continue playing during the pandemic.
Did the golf industry go back to normal after the pandemic?
The golf industry hasn't seen the same number of rounds played or dollars spent at retailers since before the pandemic, but while the increase has leveled off, a decrease hasn't occurred. When the increase stopped, it set a new standard for what is normal in the golf business.
