Golf course usage has surged in The Villages during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There were nearly 100,000 additional rounds of golf played in May 2020 over May 2019, according to a report provided Wednesday morning to the Amenity Authority Committee by Director of Executive Golf Mitch Leininger.
There were about 70,000 more rounds of golf played in June 2020 over June 2019, Leininger said.
He attributed the surge to people staying longer in The Villages before heading north. He also said residents want to spend more time outdoors due to the Coronavirus.
Leininger also said that The Villages will start cracking down on Reasonable Accommodation and Course Access Passes beginning Jan. 1.
On the executive courses, golf cars, in most cases, are not permitted off the golf car path. However, the passes currently allow some golfers to drive onto the greens to provide a “Reasonable Accommodation.”
Those abusing the rules are damaging the greens, Leininger said.
A system which mirrors that of the Department of Motor Vehicles will discourage resident from bringing in doctor’s notes and medical records which the District does not want to store as public records.
