COVID saved golf. But will it stay on the upswing?

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Jessica Youn and her husband, Scott Iseri, at the Rancho Park Golf Course driving range. Photo by Benjamin Gottlieb.

Roughly 3 million Americans picked up a golf club for the first time last year. That spike in popularity is playing out across Southern California, where courses are completely booked and golf stores can’t fill their shelves fast enough. Since most pandemic-era restrictions have been lifted and options for outdoor activities have expanded, some Angelenos wonder if these new golfers will continue playing.