It seems like just yesterday when we golfers were free to go about our activities, chasing the little white ball down the fairways. But as Korea enters its seventh month since the outbreak of COVID-19, many golfers here are quick to adapt to the new realities brought on by the novel virus.

Back in February, when the virus was just starting to catch the general public’s attention, Korean golfers remained largely indifferent since golf season hadn’t begun as yet. But with spring came an alarming increase in the number of infections, and most locals took heed and practiced social distancing by staying home and off the golf course.

Although the end of 2019 season showed a significant increase in the number of new golfers taking up the game, experts predicted that the golf industry was headed for a huge financial downturn. Or so they thought.

What had actually happened was the opposite. Except for courses around the city of Daegu where an initial cluster of the outbreak was reported, almost all golf courses in Korea have been enjoying robust business. In fact, the number of golfers during the first half of 2020 has been said to have increased by 30 percent over the previous year. Lockdowns? Courses closed? Not on this peninsula.

Reasons attributed to the increased number of golf rounds vary, but most here agree it is mainly due to overseas travel restrictions. Each year, tens of thousands of golfers travel to Japan, China, and nearby Southeast Asian countries (Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc.) to play golf. Since Covid-19 has closed off these options, Korean courses have enjoyed an unexpected rise in the number of golfers staying put. Just not at home.

But aren’t golfers worried about catching the virus? Even though golf is played outside and allows for plenty of social distancing, we still ride the same power carts and use the same lockers. So what drives golfers here to take their chances?

COMBATING COVID-19 IN KOREA

(Effective network of emergency alerts and text updates to help steer clear of affected areas)

Part of the reason that Koreans feel safe to venture outside is the swift and detailed (sometimes even pervasive) information available to the public. In Korea, over 95 percent of the population owns a mobile phone through which the government, both local and federal, provide an endless stream of real-time emergency text warnings.

Without revealing personal information, these messages detail the date, time and all the places an infected person(s) has visited over the past few days. Tracing back all the travel routes of the patient, the information is quickly made public on local government sites and SNS platforms. The visited locations are disinfected and closed for a period of time, and all those who visited the establishments are contacted to take the test.

The quick response measures seem to be working as Korea has managed to keep the number of daily new cases down to single digits. For golf, only one course had reported back in April that an infected individual had visited the course. The news had reached practically every golfer within hours, and the course also acted quickly in shutting down and contacting all golfers within a week of the incident to be tested.

(A new routine in the age of COVID-19 includes masks, heat scans and temperature check at golf courses)

In addition, most golf clubs and courses are now equipped with heat-sensing cameras and thermometer-wielding personnel at the entrance.

Upon pulling up to the front gate a country club, golfers are now greeted by a masked staff member who takes your temperature, name, and contact information. At a minimum, face masks are required to enter the clubhouse and locker room, and hand sanitizers are never more than a few steps away. (I’m still kicking myself for not investing in companies that make heat-sensing cameras and sanitizers.)

(CleanCU film protecting flagsticks and rakes from transferring the Coronavirus at the 42nd KLPGA Championship)

Another safety feature to emerge in the new COVID-age is “Clean CU” flagsticks and bunker rakes. Developed by GKnetworks Inc., the company donated its patented antimicrobial copper plastics and film products for the 42nd KLPGA Women’s Championship in May.

The tournament was broadcast around the world as the first sanctioned golf tournament post-COVID-19 outbreak. According to the company, the inherent properties of copper prevent the virus from surviving on the surface where the film is applied. Clean CU product was also used on doors, handles, desk surfaces and elevators at the tournament, with more courses and businesses following suit.

(Antimicrobial copper plastic film on doors, desks and elevators for day-to-day safety measures)

The last precaution aimed at preventing the transmission of the novel Coronavirus is a new type of face protection shield developed and patented by Atem Korea, a local firm specializing in PVC film for computer and mobile screens. The face shield aims to protect the face, including the eyes, and prevents one from touching their own face.

Admittedly, the ultralight face shield is aimed at the general public for daily use and not specifically for golf. But I found that its outdoor version with UV protection came in quite handy on the course as well. The antimicrobial, anti-fog coating made for comfortable protection from both the sun and the virus, although it did initially draw curious looks from others.

I don’t actually see it catching on with the general golfing public, though I did get some inquiries from the caddies and non-golf activities like fishing and customer-service related fields.

(Personal trainers, sports fishermen, and drive-thru service attendants all seem to see the benefits of the face shields)

Whatever the case may be, it doesn’t look like the virus will be going away anytime soon. At the same time, it apparently takes more than a life-threatening novel virus to keep Korean golfers off the golf course—even if it means looking like a faceless alien while playing

What is the golf course situation in your corner of the world?

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