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

[mchepp]

Yes, I am ready to be done with molding foam. Also it would be great to get bunker rakes back.

[DeadMan]

I would like to have water jugs on the course before all that. Very tired of having to carry around multiple water bottles every time I play. (To be fair, a lot of places have made the water on the beer cart cheaper, but I’d still like to get water from a jug for once)

Edited January 20, 2021 by DeadMan

[NCGolfer]

Our course has been open the entire time and gone through phases of PVC, foam, etc in the cups.  I don't know of any cases here that have been spread on the course. The club does have tournaments but they have nearly all been tee-time based and not shotgun to prevent mass gatherings.   

Personally, I've played more golf last year than the previous two years combined (at least) and not been sick at all.  I don't see why all courses can't follow basic safety for indoor spaces and gatherings and open the courses up for play.  The way many play, golf is socially distanced anyway.  😉

And I agree with @DeadMan, especially in summer, I missed the water jugs more than anything else.

[Yukari]

22 hours ago, iacas said:

These were the cup liners where @NCGolfer sometimes plays golf, and where he used to play a lot of his golf.

I thought they were a good blend of not making the hole behave oddly (like a foam noodle that's a bit too tall) and not getting in the way like some of the "ejector" sticks.

Also, though, I look forward to the day when we get back to just letting the ball go in the hole, all the way, and getting it out. There seems to be virtually NO data to support the idea that COVID could be spread this way, and if you were still worried about it, rub some hand sanitizer on yourself now and then (and don't pick the ball up and immediately lick your fingers or rub your eyes).

I never understood why people do that, especially on a golf course where a large amount of fertilizer is often used.  Besides, that is just disgusting no matter where one does it.  

[bkuehn1952]

By the end of the season in the Mitten, all but a handful of public courses were back to 8-10 minute splits.  Maybe 20% of the courses were still using hole modifications.  A few courses had put out rakes in the bunkers but they were definitely in the minority.  Almost all courses required 2 to a cart.  A few charged a fee for a solo cart.  Water jugs and ball washers were uniformly absent. Virtually no course allowed walk-ins; tee times were always required.

The clubhouses all required masks.  Food service was limited or shut down.  Carts were sanitized after each use.

All courses encouraged online sign up for tee times which resulted in an interesting phenomenon.  Most courses were booked solid a week in advance, 7 days a week. People would sign up for any open spots.  If a 2-some had an 8:10 tee time reserved, another 2-some would sign up for the open slots, forming a 4-some.  Prior to the pandemic, few people "forced" their way into an established tee time.  There were always open times so the next twosome would take 8:50 rather than sign up with an unknown pair of golfers.

I think this is a good development for situations where a course is near capacity.  The days of "we'd rather play as a twosome" is dead.

Looking ahead, our club is planning shotgun starts when our tournament season begins in May.  Our hope is a large number of our age 50-95 membership will have been vaccinated by then.  Based on how the Mitten is handling the vaccination process so far, our plans may need to change.  It will also be interesting to see how the surge in popularity of golf works out once the pandemic is under control.  Will our courses remain packed or will we return to midweek open tee times?

[cooke119]

Between the two I haven't played in months. I made it to the range a couple of time, not good, I really need to play again. I guess that is what I get for living in NY. Anyone else feeling the pain?

[mchepp]

On 1/22/2021 at 8:10 AM, bkuehn1952 said:

It will also be interesting to see how the surge in popularity of golf works out once the pandemic is under control.  Will our courses remain packed or will we return to midweek open tee times?

I very much agree that this is the big question. Will it stay or drop off like it did in in the early 2000's. I think it will be slow drop off to back to where we were. Probably a year or so. But when the kids sporting events like soccer and little league come back and people are going into the office again, it will drop off again. But who knows.

[Ole Duffer]

We're at the 1-year/second golf season mark, and my course is looking for seasonal course maintenance and player services staff.  Of course, SOP has changed, customer service having been eliminated, but they were heading in that direction BC.

I'm not sure what I'll do, maybe just volunteer like I did last season.

[dennyjones]

I'm not real sure what the precautions are going to be around here but they were pretty laxed at the end of the season last year.