(file photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Lots of Golf

From tee to green: Golf thriving amid COVID-19 pandemic

Sep 9, 2020 | 12:11 PM

The COVID-19 pandemic shut down sports in the middle of March as concern grew for the virus.

Some professional sports began playing in bubbles, and most sports have played without fans. Youth sports and local sports have slowly begun as well, but one sport that has been allowed since mid-May in Saskatchewan is golf and its popularity seems to be rising.

According to the National Golf Course Owners’ Association, rounds played were up substantially across the country in the month of July, but most of all in Saskatchewan, where there were 40 per cent more rounds of golf played compared to 2019. For a brief period of time, golf was one of the few sports that people were allowed to play, and Golf Saskatchewan Executive Director and CEO Brian Lee said because it is a ‘COVID friendly’ sport, it makes it easier for more people to play the game. He says it seems like the usual golfers are out playing more, but there’s more to credit.

“We also saw not only new golfers coming,” he said. “But golfers that may have exited the game a while back, saying that they want to give it another shot. And I know that a number of facilities said that they welcomed back some members and green fee players that they haven’t seen in a few years.”

Lee said more families also seem to be going out to play a round of golf.

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There’s been a number of restrictions put in place for golf this season including not removing the flagsticks from holes, no ball washers on the course, and people are asked to keep a six-foot distance apart whenever possible. Tee times have also been spread out a bit at some courses in Saskatchewan. Lee said most courses see a constant flow of golfers.

“A number of facilities have stated that they’re pretty much busy from sun up to sundown provided that the wind isn’t too high, and that it’s not raining,” Lee told northeastNOW. “So that’s really exciting news for the overall play of golf in Saskatchewan.”

There hasn’t been any local tournaments held at courses either, but Golf Saskatchewan has held a few of theirs including the junior, amateur, and senior championships.

And as the season slowly dies down in September and into October, Lee said hopefully this growth of golf can continue in Saskatchewan.

“Go ahead and support the golf club as best you can,” Lee said. “And if you get a chance, invite somebody new to the game and let’s see if we can’t grow this game and increase our participation numbers in this sport for years to come.”

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6