Is Golf Available Where You Live? (COVID-19 Edition)

[ghalfaire]

On 4/17/2020 at 12:54 PM, dennyjones said:

road trip!!!!

If you're serious better hurry.  It is likely to get to 100 degrees this weekend.

[Yukari]

On 4/21/2020 at 7:06 AM, DeadMan said:

Courses in the Denver area are pretty much all open now, as far as I can tell. All of them have the same restrictions: don't touch the flag, don't get within 6 feet of each other, pay over the phone or online, no rakes in bunkers, etc. The only thing that I find a little interesting is that practice facilities are pretty much all closed. I don't think there's a single driving range open, and most have closed putting or chipping greens. I know of one course that will let you putt on the putting green before the round, but that's it. While it makes sense to close areas where people will gather and get close to each other, I wonder how long that will last. 

FYI.  Driving range and the practice green on Raccoon Creek is open.  So far that is the only course I know in the Denver area that has all the practice facilities open.

[RoberX]

I live in Indianapolis, In. Which is located in Marion County. The Mayor of Marion County has closed all golf courses until May 1st but all surrounding county golf course are open. I live less than 15 minutes to courses that are open. I have been playing every weekend and find that the course are crazy busy! I couldn't even find a parking space last Saturday when i played! I had to park in the grass!

[mcanadiens]

3 minutes ago, RoberX said:

I live in Indianapolis, In. Which is located in Marion County. The Mayor of Marion County has closed all golf courses until May 1st but all surrounding county golf course are open. I live less than 15 minutes to courses that are open. I have been playing every weekend and find that the course are crazy busy! I couldn't even find a parking space last Saturday when i played! I had to park in the grass!

That's basically what I'm dealing with.

I'm a pass-holder for City of Dayton OH golf courses. They are all shut. Everything else is open.  Being on my own and trying to get tee times has been hit or miss. The courses are extremely busy.

The one silver-lining in this sorry deal is that my "home-away-from-home course", is doing great. May become just my home course next year at the rate the city is going.

[DeadMan]

2 hours ago, Yukari said:

FYI.  Driving range and the practice green on Raccoon Creek is open.  So far that is the only course I know in the Denver area that has all the practice facilities open.

Thanks. That's not too far from me, so maybe I will make a field trip there in the next few weeks...

[Shindig]

3 hours ago, ghalfaire said:

If you're serious better hurry.  It is likely to get to 100 degrees this weekend.

Summer golf in Arizona is awesome.  The only problem this year is finding a place to stay (might be difficult given the circumstances).  

I'm glad that O.C. has opened courses -- now I don't have to worry that the nearest open course to me is named Corona! 

[cutchemist42]

Just announced golf will be allowed May 15th in Saskatchewan. Single cart and raised cups.

I dont like them publicly gloating about doing this in time for May Long weekend. I think it creates too big a rush personally and I could see people playing loose with the rules on that type of weekend.

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by cutchemist42

[cutchemist42]

Province Announces Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan

---

Today, Premier Scott Moe and Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health...

So here is a link to the PDF at the bottom of the page. There is a whole section on golf. I know Golf Saskatchewan lobbied for 20 mins between groups to be overkill, they landed at 20 minutes between tee times with this basically not allowing for singles. No practice area as well so this pretty much determines I wont buy a membership this year.

I'm mostly a single golfer who had a twilight membership who would walk on to my course. Had no problem meeting people on the course but the 20 min tee time means I wont be able to book and wont be able to walk on. Even if golf opens May 15th, I likely wont be playing for a long time.

Might try to post on reddit for any other single golfers in my area in a similar situation.

I'm also expecting some big green fees if they need to cover 20 min tee times.

Anyone else living with the 20 min tee time interval?

I just personally feel 2-3 holes between groups isnt much different than 100-200 yards between groups with a slightly smaller interval.

Edited April 23, 2020 by cutchemist42

[Double Mocha Man]

On 4/22/2020 at 9:53 AM, Shindig said:

Summer golf in Arizona is awesome.  The only problem this year is finding a place to stay (might be difficult given the circumstances).  

I'm glad that O.C. has opened courses -- now I don't have to worry that the nearest open course to me is named Corona! 

Shindig, you look familiar.  Were you on Real Golf Husbands of Orange County???

59 minutes ago, cutchemist42 said:

Province Announces Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan

---

Today, Premier Scott Moe and Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health...

So here is a link to the PDF at the bottom of the page. There is a whole section on golf. I know Golf Saskatchewan lobbied for 20 mins between groups to be overkill, they landed at 20 minutes between tee times with this basically not allowing for singles. No practice area as well so this pretty much determines I wont buy a membership this year.

I'm mostly a single golfer who had a twilight membership who would walk on to my course. Had no problem meeting people on the course but the 20 min tee time means I wont be able to book and wont be able to walk on. Even if golf opens May 15th, I likely wont be playing for a long time.

Might try to post on reddit for any other single golfers in my area in a similar situation.

I'm also expecting some big green fees if they need to cover 20 min tee times.

Anyone else living with the 20 min tee time interval?

I just personally feel 2-3 holes between groups isnt much different than 100-200 yards between groups with a slightly smaller interval.

20 minutes between groups is ridiculous.  It solves nothing and eats into the course's revenue, which is sorely needed right now.  It sounds like a deal worked out with a County employee who knows nothing about golf.

[gbogey]

10 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

20 minutes between groups is ridiculous.  It solves nothing and eats into the course's revenue, which is sorely needed right now.  It sounds like a deal worked out with a County employee who knows nothing about golf.

The municipal courses here are doing that.  Not sure how that helps as much - there are still foursomes.  I'm guessing it has to do with skipping every other tee time to space things out more.  15 minutes should have been more than enough.  Or do twosomes every 10 minutes.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, gbogey said:

The municipal courses here are doing that.  Not sure how that helps as much - there are still foursomes.  I'm guessing it has to do with skipping every other tee time to space things out more.  15 minutes should have been more than enough.  Or do twosomes every 10 minutes.

Distance between groups should not be an issue.  Distance between members of a group can be a problem.  The focus is in the wrong place.

[cutchemist42]

38 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Shindig, you look familiar.  Were you on Real Golf Husbands of Orange County???

20 minutes between groups is ridiculous.  It solves nothing and eats into the course's revenue, which is sorely needed right now.  It sounds like a deal worked out with a County employee who knows nothing about golf.

See the thing is, with the benefits the Canadian government has been giving out, I'm not sure if it might not make sense for some courses to open.

City courses have already set their rates before this, and I'm not sure if they are allowed to adjust them as whole new green fees are likely needed to make 20 min tee times make economic sense. Semi privates might be able to accommodate it.

I just dont get the difference between groups of 4 having maybe 150 yards of clearance vs 2-3 holes or clearance?

Edited April 23, 2020 by cutchemist42

[cooke119]

Long Island New York, nothing open so no I'm not playing.

[Shindig]

4 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Shindig, you look familiar.  Were you on Real Golf Husbands of Orange County???

20 minutes between groups is ridiculous.  It solves nothing and eats into the course's revenue, which is sorely needed right now.  It sounds like a deal worked out with a County employee who knows nothing about golf.

To the first, no, I wasn't on that.  Moved here too recently.

For the latter, L.A. City courses, before they closed down, limited tournaments to 50 people.  But they didn't change tee times, and people were allowed out afterward.  How that was different was never explained, other than it appeared the city might be run by the one politician who doesn't play golf.  

[Edsland]

May 1st Illinois I have 3rd time 6:30 am hope its not snowing. 

[dennyjones]

Rumor has it that Michigan is going to open up to golfing soon.   The governor is going to talk tomorrow.   

[bkuehn1952]

As @dennyjones mentioned, today (4/24) the Governor amended her emergency order to allow permitted recreational activities to include golf and motor boating.  She specifically stated "no carts" which I suspect was a disappointment for quite a few golfers and courses.  The golf industry will likely present plans to her office to show how single rider cart use can follow social distancing guidelines.

In the mean time, courses will need to figure out how to properly protect their staff and golfers while instituting social distancing practices.  There will likely be a period of adjustment as people who have rarely walked a course find themselves carrying or pulling golf bags.  The order gave no specific rules so each course will make their own "distancing" rules.

Edited April 24, 2020 by bkuehn1952

[dennyjones]

1 minute ago, bkuehn1952 said:

As @dennyjones mentioned, today (4/24) the Governor amended her emergency order to allow permitted recreational activities to include golf and motor boating.  She specifically stated "no carts" which I suspect was a disappointment for quite a few golfers and courses.  The golf industry will likely present plans to her office to show how single rider cart use can follow social distancing guidelines.

In the mean time, courses will need to figure out how to properly protect their staff and golfers while instituting social distancing practices.  There will likely be a period of adjustment as people who have rarely walked a course find themselves carrying or pulling golf bags.  

I've posted this in the "Michigan Club".   I expect one guy in our foursome won't be playing because of the no-cart rule.   I may head out later today.   I still don't have my 8-iron back from warranty but did call today and talked to somebody to expedite it.   

The problem I see so far, neither course mentioned anything about cautions when paying or anything about the flagstick.  

Stay safe!