PGA Tour to restart

[PGtime]

Agreed, as the sports you mentioned will have player to player physical contact.

I've been playing golf with friends all through this time and we're all keeping more than 6 feet apart, not touching the flag stick, there are no rakes in the bunkers (using our shoes to smooth as much as we can). We also each use a separate golf cart (after wiping them down) or, in my case and others, walking the course with my push cart that only I touch.

 

[Maple_Leaf]

I've been playing golf with friends all through this time and we're all keeping more than 6 feet apart, not touching the flag stick, there are no rakes in the bunkers (using our shoes to smooth as much as we can). We also each use a separate golf cart (after wiping them down) or, in my case and others, walking the course with my push cart that only I touch.

Are more courses on HHI allowing walking golfers? Perhaps more golfers walking the course and the opening of the PGA tour will give the green light to opening more golf courses for the rest of us?

 

[PGtime]

I am not sure if the walking will be allowed after we go back to how it used to be. I have never asked to walk in the past but understood the courses did not usually allow it (other than private courses). Most of the courses are not very busy and, so far, none of them have refused my request to walk.

For those who do not know, you can get through the course walking in about the same time as riding. And faster if the course is cart path only...

 

[csodjd]

I am not sure if the walking will be allowed after we go back to how it used to be. I have never asked to walk in the past but understood the courses did not usually allow it (other than private courses). Most of the courses are not very busy and, so far, none of them have refused my request to walk.

For those who do not know, you can get through the course walking in about the same time as riding. And faster if the course is cart path only...

One of the considerations of our club here in So. Cal., when we reopen, is that, since we'll be limiting carts to one person per cart, and that will increase the number of carts considerably, which damages the golf course, we will probably be cart-path only to protect the course from the damage all the cart usage would cause (with exceptions for certain players with disabilities). We do allow walking, and have a handful of the automated robo devices that follow you automatically. They've proven to be very popular because you don't have to push or pull anything around.

Personally, I see the bigger challenge with golf to the pre and post round times. It's hard to separate the social aspect of sitting around after the round, paying off the bets, having drinks, and just bs'ing for a while from the golf itself. It will feel rather sterile or bland to drive to the club, play golf, and leave. (Plus my wife will discover that it doesn't take 5-6 hours to play golf if I show up back home in 4 hours. )

 

[PGtime]

Fair enough... We often go to someone's place here in Shipyard, stay outdoors, and maintain social distancing. Some of the outdoor spaces (not ours, so much) are absolutely beautiful. I do not smoke but a few of the guys like their cigars and so we've been used to staying outdoors anyway after a round.

 

[PGtime]

Plus, the drinks are much cheaper at a friend's house than a bar at a clubhouse...

 

[csodjd]

Here is a link to seemingly pretty comprehensive info on golf courses open/closed around the Country from the National Golf Foundation. Some huge differences. North Carolina, > 90% open. California, 14% open.

https://www.thengfq.com/covid-19/

 

[VacationForever]

Our golf course is not walkable as it is built in and around canyons and mountains. We have about 180 golf members, and half of them have 2nd homes and we have at most 100 active golfers including spouses. Half of the golfers have private carts. Before our governor shut all golf courses down about 10 days ago, putting players on one per cart was not a problem. Folks with private carts ride with immediate family members if playing together. We had no problem with social distancing and we are all unhappy with how that outdoor activity is taken away from us.

 

[pedro47]

The players will be touching the common ping pong ball, same argument as tennis.

Ok, then the players will be given new ping pong balls for serving and after every point scored and missed. No player would be allow to touch their opponent ball to avoid catching the virus. This will increase the manufacturing of ping pong balls IMO. LOL

 

[Maple_Leaf]

Before our governor shut all golf courses down about 10 days ago, putting players on one per cart was not a problem. Folks with private carts ride with immediate family members if playing together. We had no problem with social distancing and we are all unhappy with how that outdoor activity is taken away from us.

Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have shut down golf and political pressure is being exerted to shut it down everywhere else in Canada.

Golf courses urged to close amid COVID-19 pandemic - TSN.ca

In some parts of Canada, golf courses have already closed but it's business as usual on some courses in Alberta and B.C. Golf would seem to be an activity that could be played without fears of spreading the coronavirus, but maintaining the required social distancing can still be tricky, Bob...

www.tsn.ca

It seems like moving in the wrong direction to me. Golf is one of the easiest activities to conform to social distancing and therefore should be one of the first to reopen IMO.

 

[VacationForever]

It seems like moving in the wrong direction to me. Golf is one of the easiest activities to conform to social distancing and therefore should be one of the first to reopen IMO.

We have a bit of a power hungry governor. When the President said that hydroxychloroquine showed promise in treating COVID-19, he banned all doctors in the state from prescribing and stockpiled them in a correction center so that no one could get hold of it. A week ago he finally allowed doctors to prescribe it to hospitalized patients as an exception. Doctors and pharmacists are now suing the governor to allow them to prescribe to their patients who have not been hospitalized.

 

[csodjd]

It seems like moving in the wrong direction to me. Golf is one of the easiest activities to conform to social distancing and therefore should be one of the first to reopen IMO.

That is true, but there is a bit of an optics problem. I'm an avid golfer, ex-pro, with a +2 handicap. Still waiting to see if I'll be playing in the British Senior Amateur at the end of July (not canceled yet). So nobody wants to play more than me. But it seems many of the most outspoken, "why can't we play golf" people are country club members whining about paying dues but unable to use their private club. I'll count several of my friends among them. I'm a member of my club's Board of Directors so I hear it all. But I feel like it's poor taste for 1%'ers to be whining about how unfair it is that they can't play their country club while others are losing their jobs, struggling to pay bills and buy food, and/or are sick and sometimes dying. It isn't, and shouldn't be, a big priority for government officials. I'm looking forward to being able to play again, but not until the Governor and the County say it is safe.

 

[VacationForever]

That is true, but there is a bit of an optics problem. I'm an avid golfer, ex-pro, with a +2 handicap. Still waiting to see if I'll be playing in the British Senior Amateur at the end of July (not canceled yet). So nobody wants to play more than me. But it seems many of the most outspoken, "why can't we play golf" people are country club members whining about paying dues but unable to use their private club. I'll count several of my friends among them. I'm a member of my club's Board of Directors so I hear it all. But I feel like it's poor taste for 1%'ers to be whining about how unfair it is that they can't play their country club while others are losing their jobs, struggling to pay bills and buy food, and/or are sick and sometimes dying. It isn't, and shouldn't be, a big priority for government officials. I'm looking forward to being able to play again, but not until the Governor and the County say it is safe.

Good observation.

I suspect the optics problem has to do with non-golfers. Their gyms are shutdown, so why are golf courses still open? They need to join us in their sacrifice and it does not matter that golf is outdoors and social distancing can be easily achieved.

We belong to a very small country club and our sentiments is that we want to continue to pay our dues because we want the employees paid and grounds maintained. Our club dues are also high simply because we are so small and they need dues to keep the country club alive. It is a shame that golf courses are closed because to the elderly folks, it is the one exercise that they can do to keep them healthy.

 

[Brett]

Good observation.

I suspect the optics problem has to do with non-golfers. Their gyms are shutdown, so why are golf courses still open? They need to join us in their sacrifice and it does not matter that golf is outdoors and social distancing can be easily achieved.

We belong to a very small country club and our sentiments is that we want to continue to pay our dues because we want the employees paid and grounds maintained. Our club dues are also high simply because we are so small and they need dues to keep the country club alive. It is a shame that golf courses are closed because to the elderly folks, it is the one exercise that they can do to keep them healthy.

right, and the elderly are exercising (playing golf) in other states

 

[Brett]

Tiger, Phil and ..... ........... Tom Brady ?

Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are set to play a golf match for Covid-19 relief

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/22/us/t...y-peyton-manning-golf-charity-trnd/index.html

 

[Maple_Leaf]

Ventura County, California reopens golf courses with sensible precautions.

Ventura County golf courses get back into swing of things

Golfers are out in full force since the county allowed courses to reopen Saturday with restrictions.

www.vcstar.com

 

[csodjd]

Ventura County, California reopens golf courses with sensible precautions.

Ventura County golf courses get back into swing of things

Golfers are out in full force since the county allowed courses to reopen Saturday with restrictions.

www.vcstar.com

In fact... I played 9 holes yesterday. No pins. My club didn't use inverted cups, we used cups filled 3/4 of the way with sand so your ball goes in the hole, but you can take it out without touching anything. No carts. No rakes. Stay 6' away from the other players. No practice facilities except driving range before you play, with hitting areas quite spread out. 12 min. intervals to keep players spread out. All seemed to work out okay. The no pins is the most "interesting" as a golfer. We're using an irrigation flag system on the tee. Red (up), White (center), Blue (back) irrigation flags are on each tee. If at the left tee marker it's left side of green (so a blue flag at the left marker means the pin is back left), etc. That works okay for longer shots. However, it is much more challenging around the greens. Say you're in a bunker and can't see the green. No flag makes it hard to know where to aim. Same with a pitch or chip where you are a bit below the green surface and can't see the hole.

 

[Maple_Leaf]

More good news from British Columbia. Some courses in Vancouver are reopening.

Some Vancouver-area golf courses reopening with health officials' blessing

Some of the Vancouver-area golf courses that voluntarily closed down to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are opening back up with the blessing of public health officials.

bc.ctvnews.ca

Also some private courses are reopening in Victoria...public courses to follow.

Golf courses re-opening cautiously across Greater Victoria

Members-only clubs opening first, public courses may follow

www.vicnews.com

 

[Brett]

More good news from British Columbia. Some courses in Vancouver are reopening.

Some Vancouver-area golf courses reopening with health officials' blessing

Some of the Vancouver-area golf courses that voluntarily closed down to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are opening back up with the blessing of public health officials.

bc.ctvnews.ca

Also some private courses are reopening in Victoria...public courses to follow.

Golf courses re-opening cautiously across Greater Victoria

Members-only clubs opening first, public courses may follow

www.vicnews.com

good news, some golf courses have been open in southeast Virginia

 

[Brett]

Guerrilla Golfers Sneak Onto Greens Closed by Pandemic

Half of all golf courses are shut down. But across America — and especially in Florida — renegades are still getting their fix. They are called renegade golfers. With about half the nation’s courses closed by state or local leaders, and with the weather turning to spring, a few million hard-core golf fans are struggling to restrain themselves. Many are failing.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/...on=click&module=Editors Picks&pgtype=Homepage