Private Clubs shutting down due to Corona...

[Lefty_3Jack]

Show me one person in line at a grocery store panicking right now that hasn't been to a grocery store in weeks. I'll show you a lot more that are running in and out of these joints buying up things thinking grocery stores are going to shut down despite having plenty of food at home.

Risk management. Don't shame those who are still taking extra precautions despite not living in a cave and praise those who act irrationally. I'll see you when all of this passes and we can all look to sunny days and happy times. I'll still be there with you despite taking another path.

[david.c.w]

My view on the subject is that while golfing right now is clearly not the best idea, it is a heck of a lot better than some of the alternatives. In a perfect world we will all stay at home until this blows over, but human nature tells us that after some time we are going to get antsy and eventually venture out of the house. We might head to the park, or a hardware store to get some house projects done, or some other place where others have gathered. I would argue that a golf course is better than a lot of other places, if not an ideal place.

We just got an email that we are closed until at least 3/31. I do understand but with that being the last place to go i wonder what I with myself for the next 2 weeks.

 

[az2au]

You could have just said yes.

[vallygolf]

SARS-Cov2-Virus stays airborn for minutes in aerosol .....Working in health care I still have not figured out how to use soap or cleaning agent to kill an airborn virus......But hey, what do I know, I only have a post doctorate degree in healthcare. If you could figure out a way to avoid checkin (avoiding the clubhouse all together), then you could mitigate much of the problem.

[Roadking2003]

Ignorant panic is not the solution. Reasonable precautions are fine. So, give your panic a rest, dude.

[Roadking2003]

Exactly! It's like the panic is causing many to try to outdo everybody else. There are many things worse than getting the virus.

[Roadking2003]

"The amount of #coronashaming going on right now is absolutely ridiculous."

 

Correct. Millions of people, mostly on the lower half of the economic scale, will be irreparably damaged because of the panic.

[Roadking2003]

"My view on the subject is that while golfing right now is clearly not the best idea,..."

 

Why? Fresh air and sunshine are quite healthy. I'll be on the golf course tomorrow along with my buds.

[tiderider]

i mean, the rtj sites are still running right now ... yes, the virus is a bad mojo, even if you're young/healthy and it won't kill you ... but, mow the greens & you're done, at least at the rtj sites ... we don't need manicured fairways or anything ... the bunkers can be raked at our site and many others with those rakemowers (don't know what they're called) ... literally no one has to walk within 10 yards of another person for any reason ... close the bar/restaurant ... keep two people at the counter to check in ... hell, eliminate any cash, which no one uses at a golf course anyway when checking in ... don't know what it's like at a private course, but it's not risky to have someone get the greens mowed in the morning & then call it a day for maintenance ... i expect a few of them will welcome the opportunity to get out of the house and ride a mower or a tractor for a bit, and i absolutely believe that if courses are shut down, they'll reopen before this thing blows over ...

[LeoLeo99]

Some courses in NJ are shutting down (Union county) while other ones are removing the rakes, bottle washers, and water stations, and closing the bars, and only accepting plastic for payment. One even says to send in only one member of the foursome into the pro shop to pay. A Covid19 + patient played at my local course last Sunday. It's still open but there were only 5 cars in parking lot when I played today and I was the only one on the course at 6pm. It was a little cold and breezy but thinking they might close all the courses, wanted to get some golf in.

I play with a guy that owns a private club a couple times a year. He said the members are more interested in the food than the golf course.

[az2au]

Just got notice from one of the clubs that I belong to that all events are canceled through April and that they have removed all bar stools and half of the tables. It also says that they expect further actions to be coming shortly. I expect that I'll be getting similar notes from the other 3 in the very near future.

[SkiSchoolPro]

I had heard BCC was keeping course open to members, but no carts or caddies.

[BMC]

That would only be risky if someone with the virus sneezed in the golf shop within the last few minutes? I'll take my chances. Not touch my face and wash my hands.

I'm making an effort to b careful, but I'm not going to live with fear and worry.

[tiderider]

i'd go cut the greens myself ... all 36 ...

[Roadking2003]

Me too. I'm headed to the golf course in an hour. Playing with 11 other guys. No handshakes, etc.

 

I can think of 100 things worse than getting the virus.

[BMC]

The putting yips? Hit 'em well!

[Roadking2003]

Yes, and losing swing speed, and skulling pitch shots, and the stock market, and no golf on TV, etc.

[vinprun71]

Our club in CT closed all dining per state requirement. Course and all outdoor activities are open.

[jdanlaw]

My golf club in Dallas announced yesterday that effectively immediately all facilities closed through the end of March. No member or employee has tested presumptively positive for Covid. Closure to be reassessed next week.

[tiderider]

not surprised, but i hope as this situation lingers, decisions like that will be revisited ...

[Pure_putter]

I am seeing the following closed around Philadelphia:

Philly Cricket

Saucon Valley

Whitemarsh Valley

Rolling Green

[TBD203]

Our opening weekend is this weekend... I have not paid for the year yet, because being in CT means my season is already shorter than I would love. Becomes not worth it if I lose the first 2-3 months of the season due to this crap.

[Philomathesq]

My private course in the Houston area just announced the golf course and tennis courts will stay open, but all other facilities are closed indefinitely.

[cohenfive]

I'm in the SF bay area and we are shut down. Only activities allowed are outdoor activities while maintaining social distancing. Our club closed. I can still hike and get on my mtn bike, but was hoping golf would be allowed. I understand, there are staff there so it makes sense. My new irons are going to stay new for 3 weeks.

[cacophony82]

My private clubs in Durham NC and Asheville NC - have both made dining take out only but have kept golf going. Both are requiring all guest fees to be billed to member rather then credit card

[mlecs03]

My club, Longue Vue in Pittsburgh is closed, but the course remains open to members on a walking only basis.

[theebdk]

We just got our second club update in two days. Yesterday they closed the restaurant and bar and they set up take out dining only. They meet you at your car, which is kind of nice. The take out corned beef and cabbage was delicious this evening. Rest of the facilities are staying open but some interesting changes:

Courses open but the St. Patty day open shotgun tournament shut down. Also the night of champions and the wine dinner closed.Carts available but one cart per person and wipes available to wipe down the carts. Many of our members walk including me.They are removing rakes, ball washers and even the wood benches.Cups will be raised an an inch or two and you just need to touch the ball to the cup to hole out. They advise to not touch the flagstick. Note that our golf season starts on 4/1, not sure if they will have a local rule at that point.Indoor golf facility is still open, but the bar closed. We have 4 trackman bays open and then two more for teaching. Only one person can use a bay at a time and they did decrease the rate significantly. So if you want to work on your trackman stats, now is the time. I guess I could bring in my own beer.In my opinion now is the time to support our small businesses including our clubs. I do worry that the financial impact will be taken out on the hourly employees who do a great job of serving us and then on course maintenance. This is a tough time for cash flow even in the private club business. Spring weather has been upon us and a lot of folks are playing, which means a lot of bar tabs and meals that will be impacted.

[Ereim]

My club is normally closed from January 1st to the third week in March....

They have delayed the opening until May 1st.

[az2au]

New update. I belong to three clubs in the Scottsdale area and one in Cabo. The one in Cabo has not listed anything that I'm aware of but the three in metro PHX have now imposed the following restrictions:

Club 1-No guest play, bag storage to end until this is over, single use carts only (no impact as I would always walk anyway) and only take out food (no gym, it is golf only)

Club 2-No guest play, clubhouse effectively fully closed (have to clean out locker by noon tomorrow or make an appt to pick up stuff), take out food only

Club 3-No guest play, food is now takeout only, gym and locker room still open for now

As of yesterday there was no restriction on locker rooms or guest play at any of them so I would expect this to only get more severe from here. The last update was just issued a few minutes ago. I suspect that by the end of next week all 3 will be fully closed.

I haven't missed a single day going to the gym in almost 4 years when I wasn't on an international flight. No matter how sick (wore a mask if I had any illness), no matter how creative I had to get, no matter how much work I had to do, never have I had a day where I didn't spend at least 30 minutes in the gym. I suspect that this will end this week. Yes, I'll still run outside and will do basic exercises at home but I will miss being in the gym every day. It is a commitment I made to myself and I take it seriously. It makes me sad that this is what needs to be done but I realize that it is the right thing to do.

[drewsaber16]

Our course is open everything else is shut down, gym, pool, restaurant. We are trying to keep our distance and stay away from the normal handshakes etc. Definitely a weird time, but a good outlet to get away from the real world for a few hours and enjoy some outdoor time with a small group of friends.