Golf In A Plague Year – March 19

Golf In A Plague Year – March 19

Rain conspired to keep me away from the course yesterday, but a flurry of Wuhan coronavirus news kept coming.

Michigan golf superstore Carl’s Golfland has closed it retail operations. Fortunately, you can still order online. Michigan customers can actually drive to the store for free curbside pickup. That’s good to know if I run out of golf balls.

My local pro shop, Miles of Golf is open for now, but has closed their bar and simulators.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office clarified the state’s stand on golf course openings.

“Golf courses are allowed to stay open for play. Indoor facilities like clubhouses or restaurants must close for on-premises consumption, but may continue to offer food and beverage through walk-up service and other means expressly permitted by the Executive Order.”

Office of Governor Whitmer

One of the Facebook groups I’m on has started a list of courses that people have played recently or are known to be open. This likely changes very quickly.

• Alpine, Grand Rapids  
• Cattails, South Lyon
• Cherry Creek, Shelby Township  
• Devil’s Ridge, Oxford  
• Diamond Springs, Hamilton  
• Flushing Valley, Flushing
• Fox Hills, Plymouth  
• Indian Trails, Grand Rapids  
• Lapeer Country Club, Lapeer  
• Links At Whitmore Lake, Whitmore Lake
• Maple Hill, Grandville  
• Oxford Hills, Oxford  
• Pigeon Creek, Grand Haven  
• Riverview Highlands, Riverview  
• Scott Lake, Grand Rapids  
• The Mines, Grand Rapid  
• Timberwood, East Lansing  
• Woodside Meadows, Romulus 

If golf courses can stay open, it is a drop of good news in a sea of bad for Michigan’s economy. Michigan has more than 650 courses and some 500,000 players. Overall, the golf industry has a $4.2 billion impact on the state’s economy and generates 58,000 jobs.