The National Golf Foundation reported on Friday that 48 percent of golf courses in the United States were open over the past week, up from 44 percent the week prior.
The figures in the NGF’s latest COVID-19 update are based on phone surveys of 1,753 golf facilities conducted April 7-10 and are accurate to plus or minus 2 percent.
The numbers of open courses vary greatly by region (shown in the map above with percentages of open courses). The southern U.S. had the greatest percentage of courses open, with 81 percent. On the West Coast, only 14 percent of courses are open in California, Oregon and Washington.
Currently, 14 states are not allowing golf during the coronavirus pandemic: Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
On Thursday, Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin announced that golf courses can reopen April 24 with restrictions such as walking only and paying online to keep players out of pro shops.
While several states remain open, some local governments have shuttered courses within their areas of governance.
The NGF research also shows a split among opinions on if golf courses should remain open or be closed by government restrictions (shown in the chart above). Among core golfers aged 18-34, 67 percent believe course should not be shuttered by government, while 26 think they should be closed. For players aged 65 or over, 30 percent believe courses should not be closed, while 55 percent think governments should restrict play.
