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COVID-19: Changing Our Lives | April 8: Michigan golfers flock to Ohio

After Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer closed down courses late last month, golfers began heading south. Some Ohioans wonder if that's a good thing.

Brian Dugger

Brian Dugger

Published: 6:54 PM EDT April 8, 2020
Updated: 6:54 PM EDT April 8, 2020

On Wednesday, Michigan surpassed 20,000 COVID-19 infections and will surpass 1,000 deaths on Thursday.

On the same day, the state's residents flooded into Ohio - to golf.

At the end of March, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered golf courses closed in the state. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine initially did the same, but the state agreed to reopen courses a week after they were temporarily shut down.

A concerned Ohio resident emailed me on Tuesday, saying that golf course lots were filled with Michigan plates. This afternoon I went to three different golf courses in the area. The first course had 41 Michigan plates out of about 100 in the lot. The second course was 24 out of 50 to 60 cars. Farther south, a course had seven out of 50 cars. That's 72 cars, or probably about 150 people.

During an interview with Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz last week, the mayor admitted being concerned about the explosion of cases in Ohio's northern neighbor, and he said that the city has discussed with DeWine the possibility of the state shutting down the border.

News of Michiganders flocking to Ohio to play golf has to be a concern.

Michigan's stay-at-home-order has been extended until the end of April. The order says residents can go to the grocery store, pharmacies, and to do essential business. It adds that outdoor exercise is also allowed, as long as people stay 6 feet apart.

On Wednesday, the number of cases in Michigan grew by 1,400, by 23 in Monroe County to Toledo's north. 

Exercising is great during these unprecedented times. But plenty of Ohioans may be concerned about Michiganders doing it in Ohio.

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