The pandemic hit a lot small business hard, but others actually flourished. Taylor’s Par 3 represents was one of those rare cases that as when COVID-19 cases went up, so did their business. Golf was becoming popular with it becoming one of the only activities people could do outside while socially distancing, keeping them away from the unknown virus that was the talk of the world. Married couple Vince and Chris Taylor bought the small golf course in 2001 and renamed it to their own name, Taylor’s Par 3. It was previously known as Bloomington Par 3. They took it into their own hands and that includes cutting the grass, the greens and checking in tee-times. On top of that, Vince is still a lawyer working through his office at the course. When the pandemic hit, they closed down just for a couple of weeks until other businesses and courses started to re-open. The restrictions were not directed towards golf courses which made it safe to open up their doors again. This is where they started to get more and more customers with word of mouth and one of the rare places that were open while everyone was in lockdown. Their story on how they met and where they are at today is a special one. Very rarely do you hear of married couples working together on a small business and being successful, especially during an epidemic in which small businesses struggled financially, mentally and physically.

Finding true love can cause some pretty sticky situations, especially if the person you are interested in works ahead of you or below you. That is how Vince and Chris crossed paths. They both worked at the same law-firm where they met many years ago. They knew it was not a smart idea to have their relationship be exposed to their co-workers because Vince was the higher-up in the law-firm. When they both knew they were right for each other,  Chris decided she needed to find a new job. At her going away party at the firm, that is when they told the company about what was truly going on behind the scenes.

Being only a two-person team can be difficult, but it makes it even more difficult if it a Par 3 golf course with acres and acres of land to keep in shape. Vince and Chris mow the grass and keep the greens with specific tools and instruments. They have not hired outside workers to try to save money even if it were to make their lives a little bit easier. But they enjoy the task at hand, with the way Vince talks about all the machinery in depth, you know he enjoys his job. As he has said before, “We are dirt people, like tortoises.”