Posted on 03/25/2020 3:38:04 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
Washtenaw Golf Club, one of the oldest courses in Michigan, typically only has to worry about the weather in March.
Now there is a far more serious issue to contemplate: the new coronavirus.
“This is the one thing we didn’t think of,” said Dave Kendall, a PGA professional and operating partner at Washtenaw, which dates to 1899. “You know, as far as making plans. But we’ll fight through it together.”
Even as the pandemic has shuttered restaurants, bars and beaches, many golf courses around the country have managed to stay open with all sorts of precautions in place to promote social distancing, from sanitizing carts to removing rakes from bunkers.
The hope is that golf can provide a safe outlet for the stir crazy, some fresh air and exercise, perhaps even a dose of normalcy.
It’s not hard for golfers to keep their distance on the fairway, but greens and especially tee boxes can become more crowded — and golf is popular among age groups most vulnerable to the virus. Can it really be safe?
“I do think that golf is a relatively easy sport to socially distance while playing,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. His work focuses on emerging infectious disease, pandemic preparedness and biosecurity.
Golfers can leave flagsticks in the holes, untouched. Grounds crews at some courses have installed the cups upside down, so the ball doesn’t fall in the hole and people don’t have to reach inside.
Carts can be limited to one player at a time, and players can be allowed to walk the course without one. Clubhouses and golf shops can have restricted access or be closed entirely. Players can prepay for their rounds online.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Hoping to play tomorrow...
Golfers can leave flagsticks in the holes, untouched. Grounds crews at some courses have installed the cups upside down, so the ball doesn’t fall in the hole and people don’t have to reach inside.
Sure but they will not
My three time a week golf schedule has continued. One to a cart, no ball washers, no bunker rakes, no touching the flag, 3 ft putts are good. No hand shakes at the conclusion of the round. Downside: no 19th hole.
These precautions actually make golf more enjoyable.
They have at our course. The cups are raised above the ground about one inch so the ball doesn’t go in the hole. No rakes. They were allowing carts out with one person per cart, but that has been discontinued. You can only walk now. That leaves this old dude out.
With Governor Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order, nobody in Michigan is allowed to travel just to play golf.
My club in Huntsville AL, has implemented most of those recommendations except the upside down cups. We allow on person per cart since many of our members own their own. Our club restaurant remains open, take out only. That’s great because we live about 500 yards away. We can call in our order, park our cart by the patio, and they bring out our order. Works well.
The big problem is the rain. We’ve already received half the annual rainfall amount.
You’ll be fine if you don’t wash your balls.
“Fore!”
Shouldn’t that be “Six!”?
Played Saturday and had a blast. You don’t have to worry about getting close to anyone.
Upside down cups seem over the top. Unless a contagious golfer slobbers all over the ball and hits a hole in one I can’t see much realistic risk of spread, especially if the ball is retrieved with the gloved hand. Maybe Governor Cuomo will make an impassioned plea today for more green cups and golf gloves.
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