• Limiting all play to walking or walking
with a push cart
• For those allowing motorized carts, permitting
only one player per cart, with
vigorous sanitizing standards in place to
ensure safety between uses
• Removing divot mixes, coolers, scorecards,
pencils, tees and towels from carts
• Removing water coolers, bunker rakes
and ball washers from the golf course
• Mandating the flagstick stay in during
play, or removing the flagsticks altogether
• Closing clubhouses or limiting the number
of people allowed in clubhouses/pro
shops to less than 10 to meet government
anti-gathering guidelines
course in the mornings—to see where golf
fits in as some sort of fitness as they deal
with the stay-at-home directives.”
Golf still fits in for many, it seems. On
the weekend of April 3-5—the Friday-Sunday
period after Northam’s second executive
order—VSGA members posted nearly
15,000 scores, just a snapshot of the
amount of people who decided to get out
on the course. Through April 15, nearly
250,000 scores were posted in Virginia.
Through the same date in 2019, 160,000
scores had been posted. No doubt a mild
winter has also played a role in that discrepancy,
but it’s clear that Virginians are
still hitting the course in earnest.
“Golf courses provide many recreational and
environmental benefits to the communities they serve.”
–GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
• Modifying holes by adding elements
that raise the ball when holed so players
don’t have to touch the flagstick, i.e.,
cut-up pool noodles or PVC piping in
the hole
• Limiting the amount of players allowed
on driving ranges to ensure golfers are
far enough apart. For instance, Breed said
Independence went from 30 spots on its
range to 10 to meet this requirement
• Increasing the intervals between starting
times to reduce the chance of crowding
on the course during rounds
• Eliminating teaching, coaching and
clubfitting
Courses have had to walk a fine line
regarding messaging during the epidemic,
considering the government’s overriding
message during the month of April was for
residents to stay home as much as possible.
“We’re just trying to focus on facts, versus
any opinion,” Breed said. “The fact is,
we’re open. I think we’re doing everything
we can to provide a safe environment
while allowing our patrons—and even the
residents who are out walking along the
NATIONWIDE TRENDS
While most states had some sort of stayat-home
directive in place by the beginning
of April, golf courses continued to
operate under the umbrella of outlets for
fresh air and exercise in most of them.
Golf courses in several states were forced
to close, though maintenance could
continue to keep courses in shape for
future play, something for which the Golf
Course Superintendents Association of
America fought.
“Spring is a critical time for turfgrass,
and it cannot be neglected for an extended
period or it will be lost, and the community
will lose a vital asset,” the organization said
in a statement. “Golf courses provide many
recreational and environmental benefits
to the communities they serve, and continuing
to maintain them during these
unprecedented times will ensure they will
be here when the crisis has ended.”
CHALLENGES
Though golf has continued unabated and
has even thrived in some spots, the governor’s
social distancing mandate has effectively
shut down events at member clubs.
Engley said Bowling Green lost all event
business, including tournaments, weddings,
proms and school banquets, for the months
of March, April, May and June. Though
some of those weddings and tournaments
will be made up, the continued uncertainty
V IRGINIA G OLFER
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