Ohio Golf Journal May 2020

Let’s Get Back to (Golf) Business The year 2020 will be forever known for the COVID-19 pandemic. Americans were forced to shelter-in-place. Businesses were closed by executive order and millions were put out of work. In March, just as the temperatures were beginning to push the thermometer higher, golfers were dreaming of the Masters and hitting the links in record numbers. However, a new terror swept across the nation, stopping the country and golfers dead in their tracks. By Fred Altvater Although several states allowed golf courses to remain open duringMarch andApril, most governors and state health agencies felt it necessary to close golf courses, parks and other outdoor recreation facilities. Golf associations, in those states that denied courses to stay open, pled their case to the state officials, but for the most part found little success. There seems to be a prejudice that golf is an elitist sport, enjoyed by a small percentage of Americans. Golf is BIG Business In total, golf generates just shy of $200 billion annually to the United States economy. Golf outings, charitable events and professional golf tournaments donate more than $4 billion to charities, of every size and type every year. Over 15,000 golf courses provide jobs for nearly 300,000 and pay out nearly $9 billion in wages. The total number of people employed in the golf industry is 1.9 million and they serve 24 million golfers. Of that number, nearly 6 million (24%) are women and 4.5 million (19%) are non-white. In fact, over the past few years, women account for the fastest growing segment of the golf industry. Ohio Golf Journal