Safe golf return

Like one of the many golfers in the Country I am missing my golf, as secretary of my local club I have an invested interest in golf returning. I feel my club is ahead of the curve in terms of the safe return of golf and have already issued a set of rules and guidelines for our members when we return.

Firstly our club is planning to open to members only initially, it’s easier to set out rules to people we can communicate with quickly and regularly. All members will be booking online for their tee times which will be in a maximum of a 2 ball, the intervals will be every 10 minutes (or longer if required), without a booking you cannot play.

Players will be asked to turn up in their own cars and not pick up any other players, once at the club they will be expected to change their footwear/clothing at their car ready for their tee time. They MUST not come up to the tee area until 10 minutes before their time and at this point they will be allowed to use the practice putting area, meaning when 2 players are starting there will be 2 on the putting green until their tee time and so on, we have a device on all the pins meaning the ball can be removed from the hole without touching the pins. All other equipment and benches have been removed from the course so there is nothing man made on the course for the members to touch. None of our buggies will be available for hire at all.

All members are aware they must socially distance throughout their round, pretty simple considering the distance you need to be from someone when they are swinging!

Upon completion of the round members will head straight to their car and leave, no hanging around at the club at all.

The clubhouse will be closed however we will open our toilets for emergency use, the complete toilet area will be fogged and sanitised using a chemical called Sterizar which will kill 99.9999% of all pathogens and continue to work for 30 days, this will be done every 20 days. We also plan to coat our pins with this chemical which will mean if for any reason people were to accidentally touch the pin there is protection there.

We have sanitisers in place at the club already for our members so are prepared for our members to use the course and club if required.

At the moment we have no intention to run club competitions but if our management system can provide us with a mobile online entry system using members phones then it may be considered as then there will be no handling of any scorecards required.

The procedures we have in place are miles ahead of other businesses that have been allowed to open and the extra Sterizar cleaning means we will likely be the safest club in the area to be a member of.

Keeping clubs closed is putting a huge financial stain on a sport that is already struggling to make ends meet, fortunately members are continuing to pay even though we are closed, however like many other clubs if they ask for a refunds then it will close the clubs, not to mention the lost revenue for visitors throughout the year, bearing in mind our season pretty much only runs from March to September, losing 3 months means we are unsure if we will be able to open successfully next year.

I know from speaking to our members that this is having a huge impact on their mental health, some of them use golf as their only method of exercise and are getting increasingly depressed at not being able to play.

I realise it may not be high on the priority list but surely if we can prove it’s possible then it’s worth looking at for exercise and mental health.

Thanks

Why the contribution is important

As discussed above our members health and mental health, as well as being able to guarantee a facility will still be there in the future.

by MICKYD8881 on May 09, 2020 at 08:03AM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.2
Based on: 22 votes

Comments

  • Posted by godboy19 May 09, 2020 at 08:30

    I agree brother.
    They closed down golf simply so that people got the message and i can see that but at this stage there is no reason to keep them closed. That applies also to angling. Strange that you are still allowed to cycle and shop and travel on buses but not pursue a healthy safe outdoor activity.
  • Posted by BSL May 09, 2020 at 08:31

    Totally agree
  • Posted by Spats01 May 09, 2020 at 08:31

    Golf should be lifted from the lockdown agenda immediately to allow exercise while maintaining a social distance. Given the area of a golf club and the quality of amateur golf, this should not be a problem!
  • Posted by sunshinethrough May 09, 2020 at 08:43

    Sounds a well thought out reopening plan MickyD. My advice would be to consult with local community NHS trust to determine how far members can travel in order to play. Travel from cities to countryside would not be a good idea at this time.
  • Posted by Fatfish May 09, 2020 at 09:02

    Totally agree, no reason under restrictions already set out Golf for members should return for exercise and specifically mental health.
  • Posted by Don May 09, 2020 at 10:18

    If the lockdown is partially lifted in England and Wales , then stopping people in Scotland from pursuing healthy and almost risk free activities such as golf, tennis, fishing etc is just being petty minded. Its a typical Socialist policy, everyone should be equal - miserably equal!
  • Posted by golfoutdoors May 09, 2020 at 10:39

    I think that allowing playing golf as part of the permitted daily exercise would provide not only physical exercise but would ease the mental issues associated with lockdown. Of course it would be necessary to maintain social distancing and other rules of the current situation, but this could be readily achieved given the open spaces on which golf is played.
    This is not a case of trying to bend or break the necessary rules associated with covid-19, more a positive proposal to relieve the physical and mental aspects of lockdown, a proposal which could be achieved without infringing the principles of social distancing, and yet give daily exercise and hope to all of us.
  • Posted by Damasust May 09, 2020 at 10:45

    Get the courses open now. We are all adults and have learned social distancing over past 7 weeks.
    Sadly we have probably already missed all the good weather🙁.
    No reason why people from same household cant play together.
    2 is an arbitary number. Why not 3?
  • Posted by Dawr May 09, 2020 at 11:21

    I agree a well thought out and written proposal.
    Sadly I think logic and sense will not affect the process.
    Two months down the line we are not a lot further forward. No treatment, except support under stressful risky conditions for those delivering it. No vaccine, arbitrary predictions varying from 6, 12,18 months in the future. Less than comprehensive data on how many have had it or have been exposed.
    Look around the streets increasing groups around shopping outlets all be it mostly social distancing yet small groups in the open air following a route without markers on the ground not allowed. It does’nt make a lot of sense but neither does allowing people to come in to the country with no quarantine but we will in a months time. Probably to ensure the stable is empty before we close the door.
    Let’s hope for some good news soon
  • Posted by Craigieboy May 09, 2020 at 11:55

    Totally agree with the correct measures golf course could and should be opened, and for the record I do not play golf
  • Posted by Emmab85 May 09, 2020 at 16:49

    I'm not even a golfer and I agree with you!
  • Posted by Ccd May 10, 2020 at 21:46

    The instruction page for this documents states
    "posts that duplicate existing ideas will be locked to keep the conversation in one place" why then are there so many about opening golf courses.
    Please improve the moderation and lend validity to this site
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