Anyone who has driven along Route 132 past the Hyannis golf course has likely noticed that, no matter the weather, the lot has been full. This caught my eye so I decided to look into what caused the spike in golfing, even in 32 degree weather. 

The main motivation — getting out of the house. Walking around the parking lot, the amount of men tailgating before and after their round was immense. I approached one of these groups of men, dodging the large number of discarded White Claws, and was able to find out why they came.

“My wife thinks I’m grocery shopping right now,” John Williams, 36, said, adding that he sets his curbside pick up for around three hours after he leaves the house and then drives straight to the golf course. “I haven’t been caught yet,” Williams said. Working from home during the pandemic has been chaotic and getting out of the house is “much needed,”  he said.

The ages range at the tailgate though, Carl Andrews who is 66 and retired wants nothing more than to golf on the daily. “I am barely home, it’s great,” Andrews said, describing his situation, “I leave at seven every morning and don’t come back until seven at night. I couldn’t ask for anymore.” 

Williams and Andrews aren’t the only ones escaping home. Some couples hit the links together. Steve and Amy Abrams recently wed before the pandemic hit and have enjoyed golfing together. “I noticed that back in 2020 Steve was going golfing with his friends a lot, that’s when I got the idea that I should go with him! It’s been so much fun and we’re having a blast.” Amy said. Steve nodded in agreement.

I went to find Steve’s friends who were playing Olde Barnstable, doing their best to avoid the couple. “Poor Steve,” one of his friends said, “His swing has clearly been hurt and his handicap is going up faster than our beer count after nine holes.” 

Another one of Steve’s friends nodded in agreement and added that they planned a golf trip to Florida, but the day they were supposed to leave Steve couldn’t find his license. Amy denied any knowledge of this, Steve’s friends are still skeptical.

Everyone has been affected in different ways, but the courses themselves aren’t complaining. Arnold Smith, head of Barnstable Golf, is far from upset. “All I hear is ‘cha-ching’,” Smith said, “I’ve never seen so many golfers in March,” He added. 

As summer nears the amount of golfers will likely climb and the reasons for going, will likely stay the same.