COVID-19 and local golf (NO POLITICS)

[MountainGoat]

Day 4 (Sunday, mid-Maryland)

Pretty normal day at the course...if it were the first day of Summer. Crowded but not abnormally so. The big difference was the the number of kids. School's out! Other than that, the tee sheet looked like a typical summer Sunday. The range was about as busy as always. The same guys were sitting at their same spots at the bar, drinking the same drinks and having the same conversations. A few jokes about ordering a Corona. Nobody looks particularly worried. No sports on TV, though. This time of year everyone would normally be watching college basketball.

 

 

[Minarets]

Hmm, yes, wonder when these start closing too

[Joe Duffer]

Several golf courses in the Palm Springs area have closed operations...

California just now is asking all bars to close and residents over the age of 65 or with chronic health conditions to stay home in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday.

The policy applies to bars, nightclubs, wineries and brewpubs. Restaurants have not been ordered closed, as they have been in Illinois and Ohio. Officially, the closure is a "guideline" that businesses are expected to follow, Newsom said, but the state could enforce it if necessary.

The home isolation order for seniors is effective immediately, Newsom said.

[deadsolid...shank]

Here in northern Colorado the course was packed. But since the governor has banned any public gatherings over 250 people, I fully expect he’ll find a way to include the courses before too long. Hoping to get in another nine holes tomorrow after work before anything happens.

[philsRHman]

Played the last two days. County courses not taking cash, credit only. Food and facilities closed. At one they were wearing gloves, keeping distance, just looking at county card. Across the county at another, it seemed like BAU, they took my key ring with my county card to scan, etc. Website says they can close any minute.

I was thinking this is the perfect isolation activity. Outside, no physical contact. Then I start noticing...

Guy in the shop exposed to 100+ golfers (they could go all online payments and station a starter to monitor if they felt so inclined).

On the course, I hit a wedge, instinctively spit on the face and wipe my towel.

instinctively grab the flag stick that someone else insisted on taking out each hole.

Guy in my group firing snot rockets.

its 50 degrees and windy, runny nose, watery eyes, end up on a sleeve or hand, and even though we all talked about COVID all round both days, still had the awkward moment at the end where we don’t know if we shake or fist bump or just say bye.

In other words, stuff you never think about, but is real life. All could be remedied easily but just an example of how even a wildly non-contact game is still exposing you to others. Personally I feel like we need less contact with others but not zero contact. Others (my wife included) thinks this is a full quarantine. I think she lets me golf because of the mood I’ll be in if she says no lol

[mallrat]

I know in Oregon golf circles it is being discussed (gm’s and higher level people) but no consensus has come from it. Some are expecting something to come down soon from the state government level as Gov. Brown seems to follow or look at what Gov Inslee (WA’s governor) does as a roadmap.

SORRY mods, not meant to be a political comment just what some GM’s & Supers are saying.

But they also think that they are in a good place where you don’t really have to have much interaction and are outside and can essentially keep to yourself. Now the restaurants are a different story and I know ours is monitoring things very closely and keeping the staff updated on governmental policies and changes. Especially about businesses paying hourly workers and then being reimbursed by the gov’t. They are trying to encourage people to stay home if sick and trying to figure out how to let the hourly employees know they will be ok.

 

I actually think the private courses will close before the public or at least the courses in good standing monetarily speaking.

[Noles]

I played 90 holes this week. I did not touch one flagstick. They took the rakes in and said preferred lies in the bunkers so no touching the rakes. No one shook hands or made an attempt to either. No one picked up another person's ball or clubs. The only thing I touched in the clubhouse was the faucet prior to washing my hands (I used the paper towel to shut it off). It can be done.

[duckhook33]

I don't see much danger in playing if you walk and don't shake hands or get too close to your playing partners. I always wear 2 golf gloves when I play so if I touch a rake or ball wash machine I'm not too concerned. Always wash my hands as soon as I'm finished playing.

Bigger concern is the front desk staff, starters, etc. They have to interact with a lot of people and (at least at the public courses I play) tend to be old guys/retirees. I suspect they might start closing, it is not worth risking people's lives or health, as much as I would miss playing.

 

 

[philsRHman]

Totally agree. Trust me, the thought of playing golf is what’s getting me though the down days—I’m supposed to be going on my dream trip to Scotland in Late April. I was just saying that all these things I never think twice about are now top of mind.

[Sean2]

One of our local courses just closed for the nonce. Played today at my home course and business was brisk.

[cbbaron]

Braintree and Presidents are closed now as well

[3_Jack_Par]

FWIW, I was texting a little with my sister, who is a doctor (urologist, so this isn’t her specialty, but she works in a hospital bracing for what’s to come, so she knows what’s going on), and she agrees that golf should be a low risk activity, provided that you take steps that many have mentioned:

walk, don’t ride in a cart with someone you haven’t been social distancing alongsideif you take a cart, disinfect surfaces beforehandleave the flag in, don’t use rakes or share clubs, & if anywhere is dumb enough to have water coolers out, steer cleardon’t shake handsNo post-round gatherings in the barThe biggest issue that I think is going to wind up closing most courses is that having someone in the pro shop handling cash and cards from hundreds of people turns them into a prime candidate to become a vector for spreading the virus, so while the act of playing golf itself can be done pretty safely with just a little care, unless a course can accept online payment, that transaction could become a big obstacle to keeping courses open, as the reality of this situation starts to come into focus.

As someone who has been waiting for winter to break so the golf season can start (I got to play last weekend, which was nice, but looking back at the guys I played with who were hitting the same vape pen, I shudder), so it’s a bummer that it might be delayed, but there’s a bigger picture, so I can deal with a little longer delay if it saves lives.

[Neurotica]

Played at Muni in Austin today. Normal day considering it was a bit chilly and raining. Not too concerned about the course as it was enough rain to rinse away any contaminants. Did use a portable hand sanitizer after paying my green fees and settling my bets. No shaking of hands and the closest interactions were fist bumping.

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

My driving range was packed. Used hand sanitizer after touching the ball machine, per my wife’s instructions.

Course was too packed to play.

Talked with my instructor, and he said it’s the safest activity since there’s usually distance between players. Pretty safe.

[PepsiDuck]

Leaving the flagstick isn't really going to do a whole lot...you're still going to have everyone reaching their grubby hands into the hole, inevitably fondling the bottom of the pin with their hands as they try to pry their ball from the hole....you'd have an easier time not touching anything if you have someone else pull the pin out...

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

And offer hand sanitizer to the victim you have remove the stick and pull the balls. hahaha!

[tacklingdummy]

To me, golf would be one of more safer activities to do being outside in the fresh air and limited contact with people. The golf closures are probably mainly to protect the employees and to limit assemblies in the clubhouse that could potentially spread the coronavirus.

[MountainGoat]

I agree. We're not all going to sit around the house for a month or two. We gotta do something, and golf seems comparatively safe.

[Noles]

Don't you use the 2 finger method to take the ball out when the flag is in? Most people did that even before the rule change. You must not have been good at Operation as a kid!

[tad950]

The governor of California has recommended that anyone over 65 stay at home. Since that represents the majority of the people playing weekdays in the mornings at my home course(public), it will be interesting to see the head pro responds to that. Some courses in my area are claiming to be sanitizing carts. My course hasn’t made that claim.

As far as not touching the rakes in the sand traps, some golfers in this region must have had a premonition about this outbreak. I’ve had to put up with footprints in the bunkers for years. I just thought these people were being a**holes. ?.

[Roadking2003]

"California just now is asking all bars to close and residents over the age of 65 or with chronic health conditions to stay home in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday."

 

I don't understand how those over 65 will spread the disease more than those under 65. What does age have to do with spreading the disease?

[RichieHunt]

Duran GC in Viera, FL is running like normal. The range is still under operation. Probably slightly fewer people on the range, but still fairly busy. Weather has been beautiful lately as well.

 

 

 

RH

[tad950]

People over 65 are at high risk for the Coronavirus. The governor is trying to protect the elderly, not protect younger people from the elderly. He’s basically advising older people like me to avoid public contact as much as possible.

[cbbaron]

Because if you are over 65 your mortality rate is much higher if you contract it. For example I deal with the public therefore I will not go near my elderly parents in case I am carrying it

[jwhite86]

It's still cold here... but i set up the hitting net in the garage until the weather warms up and courses start opening

[Baitkiller]

My local ranges and clubs are still rolling full tilt. (Naples FL.) I just called my proshop to get a feel for the situation. I asked if there would be any issue just walking on this afternoon, dude said better make a reservation. The range I drive by on Collier was at capacity with people waiting when I drove by yesterday.

[cbbaron]

Following are Munis here in Mass that are closed

Braintree

South Shore Country Club

Presidents

Olde Scotland Links

Played 36 at OSL on Thursday

[darpar1]

65° here in So.Utah and all the local courses seemed to be staying pretty busy....for now.

I know GreenSpring was packed yesterday!

[zebra2955]

Have a 10:00 tee time for tomorrow at the Sanctuary in New Lenox. Hopefully it's not the last tee time for a while

40* at 10:00 but suppose to warm up quickly after that

[DatSliceDoe]

I'd be out there playing as much as I could if the weather cooperated! Working from home also means I can work from my phone...