Before March 2020, membership at places like the Llanerch Country Club Haverford was strong, writes Michael Bradley for Main Line Today.

 Llanerch saw 20,000 rounds of golf played annually.

When the pandemic struck it looked like golf, with everything else, would take a major hit.

But warmer weather brought isolated restless people wanting to get outdoors. Then Harrisburg lifted its moratorium on golf courses, saying that golf was actually a good way to social distance.

There was a surge in interest at private and public courses.  2020 numbers were outstanding.  2021 was an explosion.  Llanerch saw its annual rounds of golf surge to 25,000, and had to cap its membership.

The Philadelphia PGA reported a 20 to 30% increase in rounds of golf in the organization’s coverage area.

“It’s been crazy to think that a global pandemic would have such an impact on golf,” says Geoffrey Surrette, Philadelphia PGA sections executive director.

Increased demand has meant adjustments. At Paxon Hollow Country Club in Media, there are fewer tee times and plans for a new facility on the first tee will house offices and a restaurant.

Read more at Main Line Today about the pandemic’s impact on the popularity of golf.

Here’s a Yahoo Finance video from September 2020 earlier in the pandemic on the popularity of golf.