A Golfing Boom in Central New York?

There’s no doubt about it, the coronavirus pandemic has affected industries and companies in New York State and around the world in different and unexpected ways. While restaurants, events venues, and wedding vendors, among others, have been particularly hard hit this past year, a few surprising industries have actually seen a boom in demand. One of those areas, as it turns out, is golf.

Upstaters Love to Love Golf

Golf in Central New York has always been a popular sport. In a region that experiences unprecedented levels of snowfall during the Winter months, it only makes sense that so many Central New Yorkers would wish to spend the Spring and Summer seasons outside enjoying the sunny weather.

Golf is a great excuse to see friends and get outside for some much-needed Vitamin D. Of course, you don’t need to be surrounded by fellow golfers to head out onto the course for an afternoon. One of the many reasons golf is enjoyed by so many is because it’s a sport that can be enjoyed alone and with a group.

Golf in the Time of Corona

When the first lockdowns began in New York State over a year ago now, many sports were forced to shut down. The NBA famously enacted a plan to have teams play in “bubbles” and with a much shorter season than normal. At the same time, recreational sports like volleyball and ice hockey were deemed too high risk and shut down indefinitely by Governor Cuomo’s administration in June of 2020. Meanwhile, golf saw a +14% surge in play last Summer, according to the National Golf Foundation. This bump has been attributed to a few factors, all tied to the coronavirus pandemic.

Remote Work Means Less Wasted Time

In 2018, the average commute time across the United States per person was around 54.2 minutes a day, and that average time was set to increase by nearly 11 minutes every year. That’s quite a lot of time wasted on simply commuting to and from work every single weekday. With the shift to remote work in March of last year, the average worker is likely saving 4 days’ worth of time by simply removing their daily commute.

This time savings is one of the reasons given for the uptick in golf play in 2020. After all, if you get off of work at 5 o’clock in the afternoon and can head out to the nearest golf course with enough time to get a quick game in before dinner, why wouldn’t you? Not only are workers saving time, though, but they’re also saving money. About $2,000 each, to be exact. That’s more money to spend on new clubs and more rounds of golf throughout the year.

Is the Golf Surge Here to Stay?

More and more it seems like remote work is here to stay. Companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Salesforce, and Slack have already announced that non-essential staff will be allowed to continue working from home far into the future. We’re not likely to see the increase in golfing go away anytime soon. Especially since the coronavirus is very much still here.

Golf is played outside, making it a welcome way for friends family to see each other without having to be stuck indoors where the virus is more likely to spread. Golfing provides a relaxing way to quiet the mind after a long week of work, and a welcome way to see friends who might not be fully vaccinated quite yet.

Bring Your Score Card in for a Free Pitcher

The nice weather in Syracuse means that golf courses around the city are opening back up this month. For customers playing at local courses like The Links at Erie Village, Rogue’s Roost, Arrowhead Golf Course, Wa-Noa Golf Club, Green Lakes Golf Course, and others, we’re offering a FREE pitcher of Labatt Blue, Labatt Blue Light, Bud Light, Yeungling, or Blue Moon to the golfer in your group with the highest score on their card. Since we’re still abiding by the New York State Law that allows us to only sell alcohol when it’s accompanied by food, we do ask that you order an appetizer along with your pitcher.