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As golf’s major bodies – the PGA Tour, PGA of America and Augusta National Golf Club – have made decisions about the sport’s immediate future in the wake of a coronavirus outbreak, there has been a trickle-down effect. Jim Demick, executive director of the Florida State Golf Association, is one of those people paying close attention.
Demick, who has been at the helm of the FSGA for 24 years, and his organization moved quickly. All FSGA competitions were suspended on March 14, shortly after the next three weeks’ events on the PGA Tour were canceled. The Masters was postponed shortly after the FSGA announced its decision.
“That comforted us some that the major organizations in golf were concerned enough about not even holding a golf tournament without spectators present,” Demick said.
LPGA commissioner Mike Whan’s statement sealed it. In taking the next three LPGA events off the calendar – which included the season’s first major, the ANA Inspiration – Whan noted that he couldn’t live with the possibility of being wrong and putting people in danger by going ahead with events.
“These are golf tournaments where, in our case, a bunch of amateur golfers go play in a tournament,” Demick said. “It’s just not that important, and I’ve dedicated my life to running these events and building this organization. But in the final analysis, these golf tournaments are just not that important.”
FSGA’s suspension includes all tournaments, trainings and education functions. Players already registered for canceled events will receive a full refund, which signals an understanding on the part of host sites.
Demick said the FSGA’s move was based on the health of its staff, as well as the individuals who might be affected at those sites.
“I don’t think our demographics are dramatically different than most large amateur golf associations, but we do know that in the early part of the season, we run a lot of senior championships for men and women and many of our volunteer rules officials are also seniors, and of course there are seniors at the clubs that we visit with competitors.”
“With them being at a higher risk factor or higher risk level, that was one additional consideration.”
MORE: USGA calls off Four-Balls; changes coming for U.S. Open, Women’s Open qualifying
Farther north, Michigan faced a broader and more complicated issue. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released an executive order on Monday placing “temporary restrictions on the use of places of public accommodation.” The order extended from restaurants to bars to theaters to libraries. It mentioned golf courses explicitly.
Chris Witten, executive director of the Golf Association of Michigan, and the Michigan Golf Alliance spent much of Monday working to figure out what, exactly, that order meant. The Michigan Golf Alliance is made up of several of golf’s governing bodies in the state, including the GAM and the Michigan PGA.
“We’ve been on a continuous email and call loop the last 12 hours trying to get clarity on what that executive order really means,” Witten said on Tuesday, noting that the Alliance was seeking confirmation from the governor’s office on how to proceed in compliance.
Later in the afternoon, the GAM clarified on its web site that courses would remain open for the sole purpose of golf and that indoor restaurant/bar facilities must close for the designated period through March 30.
In the meantime, the GAM has canceled in-person education seminars and meetings through the end of the month. The first event on its competition schedule is not until April 25.
Like the FSGA and the GAM for guidance, many associations have already responded.
On Monday, the Texas Golf Association announced measures similar to the FSGA, suspending all competitions and golf activities indefinitely but at least through April 12. That includes the South Senior Amateur, that was to be played in Beaumont, and the North Senior Amateur, scheduled for Frisco. The TGA will also issue full refunds.
Golf House Kentucky is canceling all events through April 12, the Carolinas Golf Association canceled events through April 15 and the Arizona Golf Association has gone dark through the end of March, but players wishing to play at tournament venues on the scheduled dates can still play (though it won’t be a formal event).
The Alabama Golf Association has postponed the first competition on its 2020 calendar and said it would closely monitor the situation as other events approach. The Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association, located in St. Louis, Missouri, sent a message to its members on Tuesday that competitions – which do not begin until April 27 – would continue as scheduled, for now.
In California, the Northern California Golf Association announced it would suspend all scheduled competitions and events through April 18. The Southern California Golf Association announced it would suspend all gatherings – competitive and non-competitive – indefinitely, with a status update coming in a week.
In Arizona, the AGA has canceled all scheduled competitions in March.
On the junior golf level
The American Junior Golf Association presented one of the most thorough plans on Monday when it called off events through Memorial Day weekend (May 23-25) but revealed a plan to beef up its schedule once life returns to normal.
“We’ve taken the past few days to align with mission-critical partners, host facilities and local leaders and ask for their support in rescheduling spring events,” executive director Stephen Hamblin said in a statement on the AJGA’s site. “We plan to open the season Memorial Day weekend and conduct an expanded schedule with seven events per week to maximize playing opportunities for members.”
Here’s hoping for a busy summer and fall.
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