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Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy had Covid-19 just a week ahead of the start of this year’s Open Championship, McIlroy has revealed. 

According to an interview published Sunday in the Sunday Independent, McIlroy began to show Covid symptoms on the morning of Thursday, July 7, and Woods that night. Both golfers then played the Open at St. Andrews a week later, with Woods being photographed on property on Saturday, July 9, and McIlroy two days later. 

McIlroy said in the interview that he had quarantined himself at Adare Manor in Ireland, where, days earlier, he and Woods had played the JP McManus Pro-Am, and that he started to feel better on Sunday, July 10, though the story did not say whether McIlroy was ever tested for Covid. Woods’ recovery was also not reported, and messages by GOLF.com to Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, and the Open Championship were not immediately returned.  

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At St. Andrews, Woods missed the cut, then denied speculation that he had played his last Open. Two days later, McIlroy began the final round of the tournament with a share of the lead, only to finish third, two shots behind winner Cam Smith. 

In the Sunday Independent interview, McIlroy said he and Woods played golf the day he started to feel Covid symptoms, and that he then called Woods later to tell him he wasn’t feeling well. At that point, McIlroy said, Woods said he was OK, then hours later, Woods texted McIlroy that he had taken a turn. 

“Chills, fever, and I’m like, ‘F*****g hell, I’ve just given Tiger Covid!” McIlroy said in the interview. “‘This is horrendous!’ [The story said McIlroy laughed at this point.) 

“So we both had Covid going into the Open.”

Below is the complete exchange between McIlroy and journalist Paul Kimmage in the Sunday Independent, and you can read the entire interview here. 

Kimmage: “A week before you played in the JP McManus pro-am in Adare?”

McIlroy: “Yeah.”

Kimmage: “And got Covid?”

McIlroy: “Yeah.”

Kimmage: “I heard everyone had Covid there?”

McIlroy laughed at this point, the story said. 

Kimmage: “Go on.”

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McIlroy: “Tiger needed a rest on Wednesday. We had played two days of golf at Adare and the plan was to play Ballybunion on Thursday. I woke up that morning feeling a bit achy but didn’t really think anything of it. JP gave us his chopper and we went down with Sean [O’Flaherty, McIlroy’s manager] and Tiger’s manager, Rob [McNamara]. We got around fine, flew back to Adare for lunch, and as I’m getting up from the table, I’m sore and stiff and super tired. I said to Erica [his wife], ‘I’m feeling a bit weird. I’m just going upstairs to lie down for a bit.’ I slept for maybe two hours, and the sweat was just pouring off me, then Erica took my temperature and it was sky high. I rang Tiger: ‘I’m not feeling so good here.’ And he goes, ‘Oh, I feel OK.’ But he texted me at 10 o’clock that night, chills, fever, and I’m like, ‘F*****g hell, I’ve just given Tiger Covid! This is horrendous!’ [McIlroy laughed at this point, the story said.] So we both had Covid going into the Open.”

Kimmage: “F**k!”

McIlroy: “I had planned to go to St Andrews early but ended up quarantining at Adare, and it probably took me until the Sunday to start feeling better. If it had happened last year, with everything that was going on in my game, I would have been in a panic, but I was in a good place and thought, ‘I’ll be fine.’ On Tuesday night, I went to the Champions Dinner and it was lovely. I was sitting there drinking water and they poured a glass of wine, a lovely 2005 Bordeaux, and I was like, ‘Ahh, I’ll just have a little sip,’ but I couldn’t taste it. The whole week of the Open I didn’t have any taste, and everything smelled like vinegar to me. Everything. It was really strange.”

Kimmage: “When did it come back?”

McIlroy: “Probably a week later.”

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The post Positive Covid-19 test forces Cameron Champ to withdraw from Tournament of Champions appeared first on Golf.

The post Positive Covid-19 test forces Cameron Champ to withdraw from Tournament of Champions appeared first on Golf.

The rising surge in Covid-19 cases across the United States has struck the PGA Tour.

On Tuesday night, the PGA Tour announced that Cameron Champ had tested positive for Covid-19. The unfortunate test result forced Champ to withdraw from this week’s 2022 Sentry Tournament of Champions, the first PGA Tour event of the new year.

“Cameron is naturally quite disappointed not to be able to return to action in Maui,” Champ’s representative said in a release. “Thankfully, however, he feels good and we were able to confirm this breakthrough case whilst he was still at home in Houston.”

Champ was set to be one of the 39 competitors teeing it up this week at Kapalua, in the year-opening event that features only players who won PGA Tour events in the previous season.

Champ earned his spot in the tournament with a two-shot victory at the 2021 3M Open in Minnesota last July. The win was the third of the 26-year-old pro’s career.

The field will now be reduced to 38 players. Champ was set to tee off alone in the first group on Thursday at Kapalua’s Plantation Course. As of now, the rest of the tee times will be unaffected, with the pairing of Garrick Higgo and Joel Dahmen now opening the tournament at 2:40 p.m. ET.

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The post Jon Rahm withdraws while leading Memorial due to Covid: Questions and answers appeared first on Golf.

The post Jon Rahm withdraws while leading Memorial due to Covid: Questions and answers appeared first on Golf.

Jon Rahm, during Saturday’s third round of the Memorial, shot a back-nine 30 at Muirfield Village Golf Club, grabbed a whopping six-shot lead and walked off the 18th green. Below is what happened next, and what happens going forward, in a question-and-answer format:

What happened after Rahm walked off the green?

Within seconds of holing out, Rahm was met by Dr. Tom Hospel, the PGA Tour’s medical director, just off the 18th green, where he was told that he had tested positive for Covid-19 and would have to withdraw from the tournament, per Tour protocols.

“Oh my god, not again,” CBS cameras caught Rahm saying upon hearing the news. He’d put on a mask and jump aboard a cart to begin his 10-day isolation period, which is in accordance with CDC guidelines.

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When did Rahm test positive for Covid-19?

Rahm tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday. According to the Tour, Rahm was notified on Monday that he was subject to contact-tracing protocols, as he had come in close contact with a person who was Covid-19 positive. (The Tour did not name this person.) From there, the Tour said in a statement, “Rahm was given the option to remain in the competition and enter our tracing protocol, which includes daily testing and restricted access to indoor facilities.”

Rahm, who is asymptomatic, had tested negative every day until Saturday. According to the Tour, his test taken after the end of the second round, which was completed on Saturday morning, came back positive, then a confirmatory test on the original sample came back positive at 6:05 p.m., when Rahm was in the 18th fairway and walking toward the green. He’d take two putts after that.

Will Rahm be allowed to retest on Sunday?

Andy Levinson, the Tour’s senior vice president of tournament administration, said yes, but Rahm still won’t be able to play.

“So the CDC’s protocol regarding asymptomatic positives is that they can get — if they can get two negative PCR test results spaced a minimum of 24 hours apart, then they can come out of isolation early,” he said. “But they need to, those tests do need to be a minimum of 24 hours apart. And we have followed those guidelines since the beginning.”

Is Rahm vaccinated?

The Tour declined to say, and his statement he posted to Twitter also did not say.

“I can’t speak to Jon’s vaccination status,” Levinson said. “That’s an individual situation.”

However, Levinson said that Rahm was still part of the Tour’s testing program. Levinson was then asked if Rahm were vaccinated, would he had to have tested every day like he did.

“Not necessarily,” Levinson said. “If someone had been fully vaccinated, and fully vaccinated under our protocol is, and it’s defined by the CDC, is 14 days past the full cycle of a vaccination. They do not have to test as a result of being a close contact.”

Later in the interview on Saturday night, Levinson was asked if a player had gone through the vaccination cycle, would they have to go through contact-tracing testing. No, he said, then added: “Unless — I’m sorry, unless they develop symptoms. I should reiterate that.”

Are Rahm’s playing partners vaccinated?

Rahm played with Patrick Cantlay and Scottie Scheffler on Saturday, and Cantlay said he has not been vaccinated, while Scheffler declined to answer.

Said Cantlay: “I’ve already had Covid, so, yeah, I got to imagine I have antibodies, so I don’t feel too concerned, but obviously it is somewhat of a concern, but I got to imagine that I had it earlier this year, so I’m feeling pretty OK about it.”

Said Scheffler: “Yeah, we played golf outside in the sunlight and everything, I don’t feel very concerned. I had Covid. I’m not going to say whether or not I got vaccinated. I had Covid in the fall and, I mean, I still feel great. I mean, I — yeah, no.”

Why was Rahm forced to withdraw?

Tour protocols require any player who tests positive for Covid-19 to withdraw from a tournament.

Do Rahm’s playing partners have to withdraw?

Levinson said that Cantlay, Scheffler and Collin Morikawa, who played with Rahm on Saturday morning, were to be interviewed by the Tour’s contact tracing team on Saturday night, “and we will make a determination as to whether or not they meet that definition of close contact, and if they do, then they will take a test in the morning.”

Levinson said the Tour’s contact tracing protocol “does allow players to continue to participate as long as they are following our testing protocol and facility restrictions.”

Who is the leader of the tournament now?

Morikawa and Cantlay, who had trailed Rahm by six shots, now share the lead. Scheffler and Branden Grace are three shots back. Rahm had been the defending champion.

Has a player in the lead ever had to withdraw from a tournament due to Covid-19?

No. According to the Tour, in the 50 events played since play resumed last June after a three-month pause due to the pandemic, Rahm is the fourth player to test positive during play. The Tour also said that Rahm is the first positive, asymptomatic case as part of the Tour’s contact-tracing protocols.

How much money does this cost Rahm?

The winner of the Memorial is to receive $1,674,000, with the runner-up receiving 1,013,700.

Rahm, according to Tour protocols, will still receive a stipend. “There is a stipend program for players to assist them with lost earnings and potential costs of isolation and so forth,” Levinson said.

What’s next for Rahm? When will he be allowed to play again?

Rahm is required to go into isolation for the next 10 days, which would be Tuesday, June 15 — two days before the start of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego. Rahm won the first of his five Tour titles at the course, in 2017 at the Farmers Insurance Open.

In a statement to Golf Channel, Craig Annis, the USGA’s chief brand officer, said: “Provided CDC requirements are met, after 10 days of isolation, he would be eligible to compete in the U.S Open.”

However, as mentioned earlier and explained by Levinson, should Rahm get two negative PCR test results spaced a minimum of 24 hours apart, then he can come out of isolation early.

Why was Rahm notified immediately after walking off the green?

Rahm was told in front of the fans circling the green and during the end of the CBS broadcast, and it made for a confusing and awkward sight. But according to Levinson, it was “difficult to find an ideal opportunity to notify him, but our medical advisor notified him before he went into scoring and that was how it was conducted.”

Has Rahm issued a statement?

Yes, at 9:14 p.m. ET. It reads:

How many PGA Tour players are vaccinated?

While the Tour has not required players to get vaccinated, Levinson revealed that the “fully vaccinated population is north of 50 percent.”

Levinson was asked if he was happy with that number.

“We are,” Levinson said. “You know, of course we would like to see the number higher, but full vaccination is two full weeks past the completion of a cycle. So let’s look at the Moderna vaccine, for example. That’s a six-week process. And you’re looking at a population of a lot of young people who may not have even necessarily been eligible in their hometowns until mid-April. So we’re really starting to see that percentage of people uploading their full vaccination record, that’s really starting to increase significantly over the last two weeks and I expect it to continue.”

What’s been the reaction socially?

Jack Nicklaus, the 18-time major winner and host of the tournament, tweeted the following statement:

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Ed. note: GOLF senior writer Alan Shipnuck is counting down the six most impactful and enduring stories from a golf year that was at once weird and wonderful, unnerving and uplifting. We begin with the PGA Tour’s decision to play on, and how its players came together to power golf’s return after a three-month hiatus.

***

It’s easy to forget now, but back in June the PGA Tour’s season was on the brink. The coronavirus pandemic had wiped out three months’ worth of tournaments, forcing the Tour to rejigger its schedule and enact a series of new safety protocols for a movable feast that travels to a new town each week. Golf was one of the first professional sports to return in a changed world, though the second tournament after the restart landed in Hilton Head, where the locals were still partying like it was 2019, and players and caddies were also still acclimating to the new standards.

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The following week, as the Tour reached Hartford, the chickens came home to roost. Among the handful of players forced to withdraw because of the virus were headliners like Brooks Koepka, Webb Simpson and Cameron Champ. “That gave all of us a pretty big wakeup call,” Collin Morikawa says of the spate of withdrawals.

Then something beautiful happened: a tour of rugged individualists came together for the greater good. Players and caddies began aggressively policing each other’s behavior and following more stringent rules that the Tour nimbly put in place. “The whole organization had to dig really deep to get this show back on the road and to keep it going,” Adam Scott says.

Commissioner Jay Monahan, who froze his salary while tournaments were shuttered, deserves much of the credit but reflexively shares it, saying, “It took a tremendous team effort to make this work. There was buy-in from the entire Tour community. I’m just incredibly proud of the way we all came together to create a safe environment for the players to showcase their talents and deliver tremendous entertainment to the fans at a time when they really needed it.”

What happened between the ropes in 2020 will long resonate.

Dustin Johnson emerged as a player of historical importance, with a record-smashing victory at the Masters preceded by a run of wins that landed him the FedEx Cup. Before Johnson put a stranglehold on the top spot in the World Ranking, other emergent talents got a taste of being number one: Justin Thomas, 27, whose explosive game carried him to a pair of marquee victories; and Jon Rahm, 26, who has matured into a threat to win every time he tees it up. Rahm’s walk-off 66-footer to beat Johnson in a playoff at the BMW Championship was one of the highlights of the restart, which featured a series of outrageously clutch putts.

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Collin Morikawa, 23, won the PGA Championship with a thrilling Sunday charge while and Matt Wolff, 23, contended to the bitter end at both Harding Park and Winged Foot, moving to the front ranks of a pack of extravagantly talented young players.

Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau used the Tour’s sabbatical to bulk up and then, once the competition restarted, redefine our notion of how the game can be played, infusing a sleepy sport with stunning athleticism and the edgy rebellion of the iconoclast.

“I think this year has set up the Tour for the next generation,” Scott says. “Seeing these young guys break through is great. The standard of golf right through the Tour is incredibly high. In Las Vegas the cut was seven under par, and there have been a lot of five-under cuts throughout the summer — it’s unheard of week after week. The standard is incredibly high because everyone is incredibly professional and pushing themselves to the limit.”

Bring on 2021.

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The post How the largest owner of private golf clubs is fighting against Covid-19 appeared first on Golf.

The post How the largest owner of private golf clubs is fighting against Covid-19 appeared first on Golf.

Not only is Covid-19 a deadly and unpredictable virus, it is an isolating one. As it continues to rage throughout the U.S, we find ourselves more (physically) distant and detached from our community and loved ones. However, one organization in the golf community is taking matters into its own hands, and coming together to help those in need.

ClubCorp — the largest owner and operator “of private golf and country clubs, city and stadium clubs in North America” — has hosted 75 blood drives at over 50 of its clubs across the country. According to David Pillsbury, CEO of ClubCorp, members and employees have donated over 2,300 pints of blood to the American Red Cross — which will save 7,500 lives.

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“When we came to our membership, we said, ‘Hey,  Covid-19 has created a major problem that no one has really thought much about, and that is … no one is going to give blood,” Pillsbury said. “And as we reopen the economy and people start driving again and there’s accidents and there’s elective surgeries and so forth. There’s going to be a massive need, with an amazing shortage, because blood has a shelf life … So predictably our members quickly embraced this as a very important local community activity that would make a difference in their communities.”

Pillsbury credits the immense generosity found in these clubs to the people who comprise them. As Pillsbury notes, it is important to recognize these clubs not solely as establishments, but “a nexus of citizens in a community — and communities are made up of moms and dad’s business people and business owners and employees and retail establishments, charitable establishments.”

When asked about the origins of the idea to donate blood, Pillsbury credits a somewhat unlikely source: his wife.

“[My wife and I] were sitting around in quarantine,” Pillsbury recalls. “And we were talking about, ‘what can we do to use this platform to make a difference? And she said, ‘How about if [ClubCorp] organizes a blood drive?’ And I said, ‘Brilliant idea!’”

Pillsbury envisions a future where ClubCorp members continue to embrace this trend of philanthropy, with the goal of becoming one of the American Red Cross’ top contributors. His hope is likely to become a reality, as there are already 15 more blood drives planned for ClubCorp partnered clubs.

Pillsbury also hopes to see other clubs and organizations follow suit, and use their platform for the social good.

“I would encourage other clubs to reach out to us and we’ll hook them up with the right people at the Red Cross. And they can join the cause. This is certainly not something that’s exclusive to ClubCorp, and we’d like to see all clubs participate, and see the industry become a major partner for the Red Cross,” Pillsbury said. “I think we could make a huge impact.”

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The post Why Tiger Woods memorabilia has been booming recently appeared first on Golf.

The post Why Tiger Woods memorabilia has been booming recently appeared first on Golf.

The desire for valuable and rare memorabilia items is not uncommon in golf, a game that prides itself on tradition and history. Ranging from tournament winning putters to greens jackets — serious golf fans have been known to pony up the cash when an item they seek becomes available. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a serious uptick in a certain, perhaps long overlooked, type of memorabilia: Tiger Woods memorabilia — including trading cards, large format prints, and posters amongst other collectibles. One quick eBay search, and you’ll find his Upper Deck cards selling at prices ranging from below $20 into the thousands.

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As Gabe Garcia, the Senior Brand Manager at Upper Deck, notes, demand for Tiger products has been steadily increasing since even before the pandemic. Even during Rory McIlroy’s dominant run in 2014, and Jordan Speith’s championship performances in 2015, demand for Tiger stood out.

“I think, even during the slower times, so we saw people buying Tiger Woods memorabilia because I think it was more of an appreciation for his past attributes and achievements throughout the years,” Garcia said.

Yet, it was his Tour Championship victory in 2018 and subsequent victory at the Masters in 2019 that really cemented the increase in demand.

“Having Tiger Woods back, winning in 2018 (the Tour Championship) was very good in regards to Tiger and [his] memorabilia,” Garcia said. “And you know, he put a complete stamp on it when he won the Masters in 2019. And we haven’t seen a slowdown since.”

TIGER WOODS AUTOGRAPHED “82” 36 X 18

Brand New: An item that has never been opened or removed from the manufacturer’s sealing.

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While demand may be extraordinarily high, Garcia also stresses caution when purchasing any memorabilia; according to Garcia, about 90% of the items on the marketplace are either forged or contain a fake signature.

“There’s a lot of interest and a lot of demand for memorabilia and collectibles,” said Garcia. “ And It’s not worth spending four, five figures on something and not having that guarantee that your product and your investment, and your hobby is not authentic and it’s not real… so it’s a huge issue in the marketplace.

Consumers have less to worry about Upper Deck Tiger memorabilia. Tiger has had a long-standing relationship with Upper Deck — over twenty years — and his signed items have gone through the rigorous Upper Deck five-step authentication process, which includes: his autograph being witnessed by an Upper Deck representative, the autographing session being recorded, a unique serial number hologram being affixed on each piece — each of which also includes a separate certificate of authenticity.

Nonetheless, when a Tiger product is authenticated and actualized, there is often a real, significant desirability to it.

“When you have these athletes such as Tiger, Michael Jordan, LeBron James to name a few that are under the Upper Deck authenticated umbrella. You know, they’re hard to get. They’re rare. And they’re just a lot of value there,” Garcia said.

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The post These 2 sporting grounds are a case-study for golf during Covid-19 appeared first on Golf.

The post These 2 sporting grounds are a case-study for golf during Covid-19 appeared first on Golf.

As Covid-19 continues to surge across the country, two completely unrelated locations — a golf course in Atlanta, Ga., and a minor league baseball stadium in Biloxi, Miss. — are serving as a fascinating juxtaposition and case-study on the role of golf during the pandemic. 

Every Tuesday until sometime in mid-August, Chastain Park Golf Course — located in Atlanta’s largest park — transitions from a widely played course into a public greenspace ripe with Atlanta residents walking, picnicking and relaxing. The idea to turn the course into a public space arose in June when the the course reopened after being shuttered for three months. The rationale behind the idea? By using the park as a greenspace, the public would go outside and exercise while still practicing appropriate social distancing measures.

“If you can do it in the birthplace of golf, we can do it here in Atlanta, Georgia,” District 8 Atlanta City Councilmember J.P. Matzigkeit told Buckhead.com. Matzigkeit was referencing the famed St Andrews Links in Scotland, which, on most Sundays, turns its course into a public space.

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While this decision has been approved by the Atlanta city council, a recent survey done by the National Golf Foundation (NGF) shows many golfers aren’t as keen on the idea. The NGF Survey found that 28% of golfers would be in support of using a local course as a cost-free, public park for one day a month. However, 54% responded that they were opposed to the idea, while 18% indicated that they were indifferent or unsure.

In a slightly different use of sporting grounds, the Biloxi Shuckers — double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers in Biloxi, Miss. — have turned their stadium, MGM Park, into a part-time nine-hole target course. The nine greens are all located in the outfield and those who sign up to play pay a $25 greens fee for the opportunity to hit two balls from each of the nine tee boxes situated all throughout the stadium — including home plate, party decks and the concourse.

Each hole has a white circle that, if the ball is it hit into, is considered par. A smaller red circle within the original white circle is considered a birdie, and a shot that lands anywhere else is a bogey or double-bogey, depending on how far off target your shot lands.

“We wanted to offer something unique with this crossover between baseball and golf that people can’t get anywhere else and allow our community to enjoy this great facility while we await Minor League Baseball’s return,” Shuckers General Manager Hunter Reed noted. 

While these two venues are serving as models for the flexibility and accommodating nature of golf, it will be exciting to see if any similar venues follow suit.

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The post Jack Nicklaus reveals he tested positive for Covid-19 in March appeared first on Golf.

The post Jack Nicklaus reveals he tested positive for Covid-19 in March appeared first on Golf.

In a surprise announcement during CBS’s broadcast of the final round of the Memorial Tournament Sunday, 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus revealed he and his wife Barbara tested positive for Covid-19 in mid-March.

Nicklaus, who is 80 years old, revealed he suffered from a sore throat and cough, while his wife Barbara, who is the same age, was asymptomatic.

“Back in mid-March, Barbara and I both contracted coronavirus,” Nicklaus told Jim Nantz in an on-camera interview. “Barbara was asymptomatic and I had a sore throat and a cough. It didn’t last very long and we were very, very fortunate. Barbara and I are both of the age, both of us 80 years old, that is an at-risk age.”

Nicklaus said he tested positive on March 13, the same day the PGA Tour postponed the season due to the spread of the disease.

“We were home from the 13th of March and we were done with it by about the 20th of April,” he said. “We stayed at home for the next month to make sure we were well.”

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The 18-time major champion said he tested positive four times for the virus, while Barbara tested positive three times.

“Our hearts go out to those who did lose their lives and their families,” Nicklaus said. “We were just a couple of the lucky ones.”

In the time since his recovery from the virus in April, Nicklaus has established a charitable campaign aimed at providing personal protective equipment for frontline health care workers.

To that end, the “Wear The Bear. Show You Care” campaign has raised more than $250,000 for the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Covid-19 relief fund, with the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation matching every donation dollar-for-dollar.

“The workers are the people who are sacrificing their lives every day,” he said. “We feel very strong about trying to work with the people that are working with and are taking care of those that have Covid-19.”

Earlier this week, Nicklaus raised eyebrows when he said he’d shake hands with the eventual winner of this week’s Memorial Tournament. In his interview with CBS, Nicklaus walked back his initial statement, but noted he’d tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies as recently as this week (which scientists believe may provide some form of protective immunity from the disease). Ultimately, Nicklaus said, he’d still be open to shaking hands with the eventual winner.

“They asked me if I was going to shake hands on the 18th green with the winner,” he said. “If the winner wants to shake hands that’s fine, but I wouldn’t want to put them in that position.”

Those who wish to donate to Nicklaus’ “Wear The Bear. Show You Care” campaign can do by purchasing a hat ($100) or making a custom donation HERE.

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The post Youth on Course statistics prove more kids are flocking to golf courses appeared first on Golf.

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to change the way we live and how sports are played, golf — outdoors where it’s easy to social distance — has remained a strong option for all ages. Youth on Course, a nationwide membership program that offers kids ages 6-18 access to over 1,400 courses across the country for only $5, is a prime example of how the game has continued to thrive.

When comparing its membership from Jan. 1-July 7 in 2019 to the same dates in 2020, the results are astonishing. The organization has seen 154,146 rounds played in the first six months of the year, a 76% increase from last year. Some states have seen absurd rises: The Massachusetts Golf Association rounds increase went up 3,322% (yes, that’s not a typo) and the Minnesota Golf Association went from 6,676 rounds played to 29,993 (up 343%).

While this immediate uptick in rounds played may be shocking, Youth on Course has been steadily growing in membership since 2017, when it had 30,000 members nationwide. Now, by mid-2020, Youth on Course features over 85,000 members across the U.S. and Canada.

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Ashleigh McLaughlin, the VP of marketing and communications for Youth on Course, credits the increase in numbers in part due to the pandemic, but also to how valuable affordable golf options are for families who may struggle to afford it otherwise.

“We’re wholeheartedly committed to helping eliminate one of golf’s biggest barriers and to get kids on the golf course regardless of cost or circumstance,” she said. “We often hear from parents that golf simply would not be an option for their children without Youth on Course. So the surge in new membership and the rounds they’re playing tells us pretty plainly how valuable this initiative is for our collective industry.”

McLaughlin is confident these numbers aren’t solely attributed to the current, unique availability of golf, but rather their members are forming lasting devotion to a truly special sport.

“We’re getting the impression that a deeper love for the sport is settling in, in part because it has given them opportunities to enjoy the elements of normal life they’re otherwise missing out on in quarantine,” said McLaughlin. “We’re confident that this is a game they’ll be returning to for the long term.”

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In support of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation initiative, Raymond James will match up to $20,000 in donations. You may donate here.

***

Jack Nicklaus’ accomplishments as a golfer need no introduction even to the most casual of sports fans. His achievements as a philanthropist, equally impressive, are generally less well known, as are those of his wife of 60 years, Barbara. The couple’s longstanding focus on children’s health began in near-tragedy. In 1966, unbeknownst to the Nicklauses, their 11-month-old daughter, Nan, swallowed a crayon, causing ongoing struggles to breathe, recurring choking episodes and, eventually, pneumonia. The doctors at Columbus (Ohio) Children’s Hospital (now Nationwide Children’s Hospital) figured out the mystery and saved Nan’s life — and focused Jack and Barbara’s charitable impulses on young people’s well-being.

In 2004, the couple founded their legacy project, the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation (NCHCF). Its numbers are as staggering as Jack’s 18 major championship wins. The Foundation has raised $125 million and granted more than $80 million toward leading-edge pediatric healthcare in less than two decades. One outgrowth of its generosity: In 2015, the Miami Children’s Hospital in their adopted home state of Florida was renamed the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, a facility that has helped children from every state in the U.S. and 119 countries worldwide.

Fast-forward to today, and the grim, world-changing Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. For starters, masks became a necessity for everyone at hospitals, where universal mask policies have become standard practice. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital found itself spending upward of $20,000 per week in personal protective equipment (PPE) for its frontline workers, patients and patients’ families — a number that is likely to increase in the months ahead.

“The need for supplies has gone up tremendously,” said Patty McDonald, CEO of Nicklaus Children’s Health Foundation. “It’s a big additional expense for hospitals. Additionally, children’s hospitals around the country have been losing about $1 million per day — this virus has affected children’s hospitals in a very significant way.”

A surgeon at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Dr. Chad Perlyn, had an inspired idea to advocate for Covid-19 safety — one’s own and others’ — as well as to promote support for the hospital and foundation. The Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation’s logo is Jack’s iconic Golden Bear logo set within a red heart. What about having the bear where a mask?

The image became a slogan: “Wear the Bear. Show You Care.”

The slogan became an initiative.

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Working with headwear maker Ahead USA, the foundation came up with the idea of creating a limited-edition hat with the new masked bear logo and matching slogan. Normally, of course, the profit margins on hats wouldn’t be enough to raise significant funds, at least in a short period of time. Circumstances demanded something bolder: an appeal to generosity.

The foundation decided in advance of Father’s Day to sell the hats for $100 each, with a matching $100 donation made by NCHCF itself — $200 to the Covid-19 Relief Fund at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in the recipient’s name, along with a card that tells the heartwarming story of “Wear the Bear. Show You Care.” You can donate here.

“This pandemic has reminded us of the things we hold dear — our families and our health,” said Barbara Nicklaus. “As the threat continues, we want to make sure the professionals who risk their health to care for us have the protective equipment they need to stay safe. We have to pull together to get through this challenge.”

From Father’s Day to Independence Day, the “Wear the Bear. Show You Care” initiative has raised $155,000, including the foundation’s match. Sadly, the number of coronavirus cases has only continued to rise, with Florida particularly hard hit. As such, the foundation decided to keep the program going for the foreseeable future.

“Whatever we can do as an organization dedicated to advancing and enhancing pediatric healthcare for children, we want to do that,” McDonald said. “That’s the heart behind the organization, and behind Jack and Barbara’s involvement.” 

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