Michael Donohue
ASU Student Journalist

While businesses suffered due to COVID-19, golf courses soared and AIA golf teams competed

November 16, 2020 by Michael Donohue, Arizona State University


Apache Creek Golf Club in Apache Junction, Arizona. (Photo via Apache Creek website.)

Michael Donohue is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned  to cover Apache Junction High School for AZPreps365.com

The coronavirus pandemic brought businesses new challenges over the summer. With stay-at-home orders being implemented in Arizona, many businesses struggled to create revenue. However, golf courses not only remained open, they saw an increase in business despite COVID-19 cases spiking throughout the state. 

Besides being outdoors, golf courses have an advantage over other businesses such as bars and gyms because golf is a naturally distanced sport. This allowed them to stay open during June and July when Arizona became a hotspot for the virus.

Another reason golf courses remained open is because of group size. The initial stay-at-home order during April and May prohibited social gatherings of more than 10 people. Golfers tend to play in groups of no more than four to six people. This limited number reduces a person’s chances of contracting COVID-19 compared to the risks from visiting a bar or a restaurant.

“You’re naturally getting your six feet of distancing,” said Ed Matlosz, coach of the Apache Junction boys golf team. “Even when you play a scramble, you’re still giving your partner distance to swing a club.”

Golf courses around Arizona implemented guidelines to help stop the spread of the coronavirus such as increased sanitizing of golf carts and modifying flag pins so people did not have to remove them.

Apache Creek Golf Club in Apache Junction limited the use of golf carts to just one person or multiple people if they were family.

“When we were slower, we did individual carts if requested so people could take their own cart,” said Scott Brown, professional instructor at Apache Creek Golf Club. “As it got busier, we had to take some precautions and had people ride together who were family members.”

With people stuck mostly indoors during quarantine, some turned to golf to avoid “cabin fever.” As a result, golf courses around Arizona saw an increase in business. 

Across six Phoenix area golf courses, all of them reported an increase in rounds played over the summer. Those golf courses saw a 36.9% increase in rounds played in June, according to the City of Phoenix Open Data. Even after Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey ordered bars, gyms, movie theatres and waterparks to re-close in late June, golf courses still saw an increase of 56.8% increase in rounds played during July. 

Brown estimated that Apache Creek saw a 20% increase in business over the summer months compared to last year. 

The Apache Junction Unified School District switched to remote learning on Nov. 6 due to an increase in coronavirus cases. The district also canceled extracurricular activities. However, Apache Junction High finished its golf season.

The Arizona Interscholastic Association started the golf season sooner than usual. While sports like football struggle to finish their season because of an increase in positive COVID-19 cases, the high school golf season has already ended.  

The AIA also mandated masks off the course and required players and coaches to fill out a health questionnaire before tournaments and matches. However, players were allowed to use their discretion regarding masks while on the course. Players could remove their masks if they distanced themselves from others.

Matlosz also checked the temperature of his players before practice and encouraged them to stay home if they experienced any symptoms.

Scorekeeping switched to an online format this year. Teams kept score through an app called iWanamaker instead of the typical pencil and scorecard. This allowed for a faster pace of play.

With kids and adults stuck inside over quarantine, golf allowed people to take a break from their computer screens and go outside to learn a “lifetime skill,” according to Matlosz. A skill that people can use forever.