Golf is the Key word.
 

NBC is reporting that during the month of July 2020, there were 10 million more rounds of golf played compared to July 2019. What does that tell you? State your opinions, I would be glad to hear them.

People getting out more and very often not much else to do.

One of the safest activities during the pandemic. People got to do something or they will go crazy, so why not T it up?

Golf was up 3% from 2019 but no wear near + 10 million rounds

It was just reported on television during the US Open

Definitely due to so many things we are not allowed, so I would expect golf, kayaking, tennis, beach/surf walking swimming, and nearly every outdoor activity where a mask is not needed to be wildly popular ! ?

Gyms, pickleball, tennis, pools, restaurants, retail, all closed. Only thing available to do ride a bike, walk or play GOLF.

I don’t know where you live, but around here tennis, pools, pickleball, shuffleboard ect.. are open, just not league’s or large group activity’s. Numbers are way down but they are not closed. Most indoor activities are closed.

I Live here, remember when TV closed everything except golf. In February and early March tee times Easy to get on any course. When TV shut everything down, including all club meetings, tee times were harder to get, cause it was basically the only game in town. OP asked why it was popular.

and they were are played here.

I believe it was 10,000 more rounds, not 10 million.

Numbers such as "10 million" are useless unless you know how many rounds are typically played. The better statistics are as follows:

20% increase in the number of rounds played in July 2020 vs. July 2019
42% decrease in the number of rounds played in March 2020 vs. March 2019
3% increase in the number of rounds played in 2020 vs. 2019 year-to-date (through July)
2-6% projected increase in the number of rounds played in 2020 vs. 2019
377 million rounds of golf are typically played each year

I stand corrected there are approx 377 million rounds of golf played annually and 3% would come to over 10 million additional rounds

People working from home. My home course up north has been packed, parking lot overflowing, our once 4 hour rounds are now five, Long wait on every tee. Yahoo finance says companies like Dicks and other golf apparel companies knocked it out of the park in Q2. If the latest Full distribution vaccine information Is correct looks like it may happen next year too

Generally speaking, if one is out of work, they have five extra days to golf each week.