Ohio Golf Journal June 2020

Golfers are Ready to Travel Again FRED ALTVATER You are a Golfaholic if: You can’t wait to get back to the golf course after being self-quarantined for two months. Golf is not a Fair Game, so Why Build a Course Fair?...... I ts June and although COVID-19 is still a factor, golfers have escaped from their shelter in place and are visiting golf courses at a record clip. Being cooped up for two months has only made the heart yearn for losing a few golf balls and taking some serious divots. We took the opportunity to play the Nightmare in northern Michigan with our grandson and had a wonderful day. The weather was perfect, and the course is nowhere near as horrific as its name implies. College sports programs are under tremendous pressure to slash budgets. This has led to several colleges dropping certain sports altogether. Unfortunately, one of the least profitable sports is golf and it seems to be an easy choice for an Athletic Director to completely shut down their golf programs. An IvyLeague school, Brownannounced this month that it was dropping its Men’s and Women’s golf teams to club status only. Akron University also cut it golf teams. With the weather warming up and coronavirus concerns lessening, golf resorts are re-opening. French Lick, Boyne, the Greenbrier, Pinehurst and several other familiar resorts are open for business. Although some golfers may not be willing to jump on an airplane, driving trips to nearby resorts appears to be a growing trend this year. If you are thinking about taking a golf vacation, you may want to book it now. Prime resort packages may not be available later in the year. Mike May takes us to Cornwall in England and makes us want to travel to Great Britain. Len Ziehm tells us about an aggressive renovation at Jensen Beach in Florida. We didn’t forget Dad. We have several pages of gift ideas for your golfing father. Don’t tell my kids, but I am completely over this COVID-19 hibernation, maybe I will see you on the Back 9. Pete Dye on a plaque by his statue at French Lick Resort Ohio Golf Journal