Home Training Trend... "Backyard Transformed into a Golf Course"

"Unique Scenes Created by COVID-19: Popularity of Home Golf Products Like Mats, Nets, and Launch Monitors"

An amateur golfer named Scott Jones gained attention by turning his backyard into a mini golf course. Photo by PGA Tour website

[Asia Economy Reporter Nowrae Noh] "Turning the backyard into a field."

This is a unique scene created by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The official website of the PGA Tour recently introduced an article about home training by playing golf at home. Scott Jones (USA) is a representative example. He is an amateur golfer living in Fleming Island, Florida, USA. He lives near the TPC Sawgrass, the venue for "The Players Championship," known as the 5th major. He set up a mat and net in his backyard to complete a mini golf course.

He created bunkers around the green and even installed a fountain with flowing water, enabling various types of training. Additionally, he added a launch monitor that can analyze his swing. He proudly said, "I can use all 14 clubs." He named it "Angel Country Club," after the name of his pet cat who had been with him for 20 years. Besides Jones, there is one more "member": his pet dog, Rory McIlroy. "I always take him along when I play a round," he said.

Due to COVID-19, home training equipment has also become popular. The Dinsler practice net, which allows tee shots, costs $99.95 and is seeing explosive demand especially in regions where golf courses are closed, such as Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. A PGA Tour Superstore representative said, "We have seen a strong desire to play golf," and explained, "Usually, people favor hitting nets, chipping nets, hitting mats, and putting mats."

A putting practice device that returns the ball costs $39.99, a SuperSpeed training stick is $199.99, and a swing trainer with an orange-shaped ball is sold for $119.99. These help improve swing tempo and flexibility in small spaces. A shag bag for carrying practice balls costs $19.99, and a shag tube is $12.99. The National Golf Foundation (NGF) reported, "43% of golfers practice at home," adding, "One in five are practicing more diligently than usual."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.