Wednesday, May 6, 2020 was supposed to be an important day for the game of golf. It was meant to be a day where we improve on and celebrate a sport we love (and, sometimes hate).
We Are Golf, a coalition of the game’s leading associations and industry partners, planned to hold the 13th annual National Golf Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., today before the coronavirus pandemic.
Last year, members of Congress from 41 states held a record-high 244 meetings to discuss the game’s $84.1 billion economy and nearly $4 billion annual charitable impact. This year, instead of gathering together in the nation’s capital to celebrate, we’re stuck at home. Or, are we?
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Through the first weekend of May, 79% of US #golf courses were open for play. It's a significant week-over-week jump and the number should only climb higher. https://t.co/8GfGlxWus9 #golfdata #golfresearch #golfbiz #golfsafely pic.twitter.com/tT99pdQzxr
— National Golf Foundation (@NGF_GolfBizInfo) May 5, 2020
Only three states remain closed to golf with no announced plans to open soon, while top resorts including Pebble Beach and Bandon Dunes have announced reopen dates.
So if you have the itch, the means to get to a course and feel you can properly social distance yourself, what better day is there to play? If you can’t make it out to a course, might we suggest watching some of the best final-rounds in Masters history? Our check out some awesome interviews from our Forward Press podcast.
Whether you’re reading this from the clubhouse or your house, from all of us at Golfweek, Happy National Golf Day! Hit ’em straight.