Numbers show golf is still booming in Tucson despite coronavirus concerns

Golfers played more than 24,000 rounds on Tucson city courses during a month in which the coronavirus crippled the sports industry, leading to the cancellation of the NCAA Tournament and the postponement of the NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and golf’s major tournaments.

The 24,551 rounds played in March at Tucson’s five city courses was down from the 24,614 played in March 2019. But revenue rose, from $884,181 in March 2019 to $886,347 last month, in part because of the city’s “dynamic pricing” model.

That golf was still humming at Randolph North, Dell Urich, El Rio, Fred Enke and Silverbell in a month in which Americans have been told to stay home is, advocates say, a sign that the sport is safe in an age of social distancing.

On March 17, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero shuttered local gyms to help stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The city of Tucson has since shuttered public pools and volleyball courts. Outdoor fitness equipment is off limits, and city tennis courts were closed Tuesday.

This effectively makes golf the only game in town.

“I spend a lot of time observing what’s happening in our parks,” said Tucson Parks and Recreation director Brent Dennis. “People — rightfully so — want to stay healthy and fit, and they’re looking for safe and socially-distant activities that they can do.”

Golfers were packing the city courses well before the coronavirus cancellations began. In February, there were 21,301 rounds of golf played at city golf properties — thousands more than the 17,640 played in February 2019. One reason is weather: February 2019 was unseasonably cold and wet, with 2.03 inches of rain recorded — 1.22 inches above average. Temperatures averaged just 51.5 degrees during the month.

This February, by comparison, was a golfer’s dream, with average temperatures of 55 degrees and rainfall that was well below average.

Weekday play has stayed consistent over the last month, though there has been a slight uptick on weekend rounds. One reason for the busy Saturdays and Sundays, general manager Robb Palmgren guesses, makes perfect sense: There’s no sports on television.

‘Golf by nature allows for social distancing’

Spring marks the busy season for Tucson’s city parks, with soccer, baseball and softball taking center stage alongside the ubiquitous barbecues, playdates and birthday parties.

“Now, the unfortunate presence of yellow caution tape to mark closures of so many park amenities,” Dennis said, adding that it’s been odd for him to witness the transformation.

“Five months ago, I wouldn’t have focused on any of that.”

Weeks before city parks were closed to the public, Tucson City Golf officials implemented proactive measures and recommendations with hopes that people would want to enjoy “some fresh air and sunshine during this difficult time,” according to its website.

Last month, all golf shop and guest service employees began wearing gloves and stocking their workstations with hand sanitizer. Restaurant and maintenance employees began sanitizing their hands and equipment more frequently, and the doors to golf shops and restrooms were propped open to avoid contact with door handles and surfaces.

Tucson City Golf workers now sanitize all door handles, countertops, faucets and toilets every hour. Self-service water and cookies are no longer available.

Golf carts are sanitized before and after each use, and community items — such as scorecards, pencils and tees — have been removed from the carts to limit points of contact.

Flagsticks at each hole are sanitized each morning. All cups have been turned upside down, so that players can retrieve balls from the holes without removing the flagsticks.

Ball washers and bunker rakes are now absent from courses; golfers are being asked to bring their own towels from home and use their feet to smooth out sand traps.

Tucson City Golf encourages golfers to pay their greens fees via a mobile app. Golfers are being asked to observe social distancing of 6 feet at all times, frequently wash their hands and refrain from sharing golf clubs. Courses have also instituted a strict one-person-per-cart rule.

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

Dennis has been working from his empty office, located across the street from the Randolph and Fred Enke courses. He is an on-site watchdog, ensuring that golfers are following the rules.

“Everybody’s been complying,” Dennis said, adding that some people have questioned the one-person-per-cart rule.

Dennis said many golfers choose to walk instead of ride, avoiding the cart question altogether.

“That’s better exercise for you anyways,” Dennis said. “People are being smarter about it and seeing it as exercise and physical fitness.”

Despite the modifications, the fundamental elements of the game have not changed. Palmgren said golfers are just glad that courses are still open.

“Golf by nature allows for social distancing: You play in groups of 4 or less, there is plenty of open space on the course and really no need to be closer than 6 feet apart,” Palmgren said.

‘The uncertainty is what’s so crazy ’

Tucsonan Jeff Day has been playing golf on a fairly regular basis since 1992. He said he appreciates the big and small actions the city courses have taken to keep him and others safe. At Silverbell, he noted, the credit card scanner now faces outward so that employees don’t have to touch patrons’ cards.

“I think they’re doing due diligence,” Day said. “I might wear a face mask to check in, but I don’t feel inhibited on the course. We all kind of just keep our distance from one another and go about our business.”

Day said he’s surprised — but relieved — that golf is still considered an essential service. Day golfs twice a week, logging 15 miles or more as he walks. Day said he’s noticing more people on the course in the late mornings, but has yet to have a problem getting a tee time.

Dennis said the perception of more golfers is similar to what happens when a person buys a new car. All of a sudden, he or she is acutely aware of all the other cars of the color and model that are out on the road.

“Maybe people out on essential trips are seeing vast abandoned retail parking lots, very few people out on the roadways, and then they drive by a golf course and see people out golfing,” Dennis said. “Perhaps people didn’t pay that much attention to golf, but now it’s hard not to, next to the absence of everything else.”

And if golf goes away? Dennis said city manager Michael Ortega has already expressed his desire to open the courses to the public so people can walk or hike.

“He’s been very thoughtful that should that day ever come, we can hopefully open it up for additional miles and miles of walking opportunities,” Dennis said.

The city could adjust the space between tee times or modify the number of holes played per round should the pandemic continue for an extended period of time. And with tee times already spaced between 8 and 9 minutes apart, an increase in golfers just means they’ll start later in the day, Palmgren said.

“The uncertainty is what’s so crazy about this,” Dennis said. “We try to plan our best, but there’s a zillion questions we can’t answer right now.”