[Jason Thurman]

Thomas, you’re always missing something when it comes to bunker maintenance. Now is not the time to push your “Ride a cavalry of horses through the bunkers every morning” agenda. There’s been enough disruption to normality for one month. Wimpy? We’re living without toilet paper over here. Nobody’s trying to impress you anymore.


I’m already mortified at the thought that my only hole-in-one might be a ball that bumps a raised cup liner while we do that for the next 4-600 months. I’ll be damned if the only holes my ball finds the bottom of for a whole round are Frankenstein’s fat footprints that I have to hit from.

[jeffwarne]

I received this from the GM today. It seems similar to what most clubs are doing.


The pro shop will continue to be staffed from 9:00 a.m. – dusk. Please limit the number of people in the shop at one time to 5. Sanitized golf carts will be provided.Golf carts will be sanitized with bleach-based products.
In addition to these changes,all events prior to April 15 will be canceled in accordance with CDC recommendations. More schedule-based information will be passed along as it becomes available.
PLAYER NOTES
Again, golf is considered a safe way for you to get out of the house as long as we take the necessary precautions. Note that the Driving Range is closed until further notice. Please find and abide by these player notes on the golf course. The following precautions are in the best interest of players and staff:
(1) Pack hand sanitizer and use it liberally
(2) Players should maintain a 6-foot separation at all times (social distancing)
(3) We will allow 1 golfer per cart, while walking will continue to remain the safest practice at this time
(4) On the green, leave the pin in at all times
(5) Refrain from picking up random golf balls, tees, etc
(6) Ball washers and water coolers have been removed
(7) Bunker rakes have been removed; staff will be tasked with raking bunkers on a regular basis
( All bunkers are considered “ground under repair”. Please follow USGA procedures
(9) Pre and post-round handshakes or fist bumps should be avoided as we practice social distancing
(10) Bathrooms on the golf course, Pro Shop, and Main Lodge are open
(11) Lastly, and most importantly, if you are sick PLEASE STAY HOME. We are doing everything in our power to create a safe environment for our golfers and we ask for your help maintaining this environment.

Can't see how staffing pro shop and limiting to "five persons at a time in pro shop" is a good idea.....
I'm assuming the pro owns the shop in this case but that seems absurd given all the other sensible restrictions

[Mark_Fine]

Our club (Lehigh CC in PA) closed as are most others in the area.  I just spoke with the super and the maintenance staff is allowed to maintain the course (at least for now) to protect the asset but with a minimal staff and not to normal Lehigh standards.  It is sobering to just drive around and see all the businesses closed 

[Tommy Williamsen]

I received this from the GM today. It seems similar to what most clubs are doing.


The pro shop will continue to be staffed from 9:00 a.m. – dusk. Please limit the number of people in the shop at one time to 5. Sanitized golf carts will be provided.Golf carts will be sanitized with bleach-based products.
In addition to these changes,all events prior to April 15 will be canceled in accordance with CDC recommendations. More schedule-based information will be passed along as it becomes available.
PLAYER NOTES
Again, golf is considered a safe way for you to get out of the house as long as we take the necessary precautions. Note that the Driving Range is closed until further notice. Please find and abide by these player notes on the golf course. The following precautions are in the best interest of players and staff:
(1) Pack hand sanitizer and use it liberally
(2) Players should maintain a 6-foot separation at all times (social distancing)
(3) We will allow 1 golfer per cart, while walking will continue to remain the safest practice at this time
(4) On the green, leave the pin in at all times
(5) Refrain from picking up random golf balls, tees, etc
(6) Ball washers and water coolers have been removed
(7) Bunker rakes have been removed; staff will be tasked with raking bunkers on a regular basis
( All bunkers are considered “ground under repair”. Please follow USGA procedures
(9) Pre and post-round handshakes or fist bumps should be avoided as we practice social distancing
(10) Bathrooms on the golf course, Pro Shop, and Main Lodge are open
(11) Lastly, and most importantly, if you are sick PLEASE STAY HOME. We are doing everything in our power to create a safe environment for our golfers and we ask for your help maintaining this environment.

Can't see how staffing pro shop and limiting to "five persons at a time in pro shop" is a good idea.....
I'm assuming the pro owns the shop in this case but that seems absurd given all the other sensible restrictions

Jeff, have you closed your shop?

[Duncan Cheslett]

At Cavendish the shop and clubhouse are now closed. Entry to our "unofficial" Saturday comp is by phone transfer into a special bank account that has been set up for the purpose. Winnings will be distributed in the same way.


Visitors are welcome but they must pre-pay via the club tee-booking system.


I wonder whether the upshot of all this is the realisation that golf clubs do not actually need a manned pro shop! A few balls, gloves, and tees behind the bar would probably suffice.

[Thomas Dai]

Thomas, you’re always missing something when it comes to bunker maintenance. Now is not the time to push your “Ride a cavalry of horses through the bunkers every morning” agenda. There’s been enough disruption to normality for one month. Wimpy? We’re living without toilet paper over here. Nobody’s trying to impress you anymore.
I’m already mortified at the thought that my only hole-in-one might be a ball that bumps a raised cup liner while we do that for the next 4-600 months. I’ll be damned if the only holes my ball finds the bottom of for a whole round are Frankenstein’s fat footprints that I have to hit from.

Ouch! Don't hold back now, say what you really think!

atb

[jeffwarne]

Jeff, have you closed your shop?

locked tight(currently members can walk and carry with no holes in green or pins, no services, no access to amenities-inc bathrooms etc. and no staff on site-as we do every winter until we open)
Indoor golf facility closed( we would normally be open for lessons)
but an unfair comparison as our official open is April 17(even though Manhattan's well to do have relocated out east this spring)
also an unfair comparison as I don't own the shop(I would like to think that your pro does and that's why your GM/Management has allowed it to be open and is allowing customers in.
5 people seems a lot at one time in a golf shop given all the other sensible precautions taken by your club


For context-Here's the (as of today)current guidelines for my away club Palmetto, in a state that has a very low number of cases(and looking to keep it that way) but a pretty common protocol here in the MET area.
As of 3 days ago they still were open with all facilities as normal with a Member-Member still on for April 1 (now cancelled)

Dear Members:(Palmetto)

1.  The first tee will open at 8:30 on Monday, Wednesday-Friday, 8:00 on Weekends, and 12:30 on Tuesdays for walking only(our normal schedule).
2.  The Pro Shop, Clubhouse, and Halfway House are locked.  No restrooms are available on the property.  Water coolers have also been removed.
3.  Member only play, no guests allowed.  Dependents under the age of 15 must be accompanied by a member.
4.  Driving range will be closed.  You may use the short game area with your own practice balls.
5.  There is a hold location sheet located on every tee box at the white tee marker that shows where the hole is located on the green as there are no flagsticks.

[Peter Flory]

That protocall seems like a good one for others to copy. 


I just assumed that most clubs would be shamed if they tried to stay open.  I hope that doesn't happen too much.  They are easy targets though. 

[Ulrich Mayring]

Everything will close. Not just golf courses. If you want my advice, buy some toilet paper now.

I applaud the efforts of motivated and responsible people trying to find a protocol to keep courses open. There is no doubt in my mind that it could be made to work, but equally I am convinced that a few irresponsible people are going to spoil it for all of us.

They have done so here in Europe. Here's hoping that Americans will get a better deal, but the infection rates are going through the roof right now. Please folks, whatever you do (and, by all means, play golf as long as you can) keep your distance.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

They have done so here in Europe. Here's hoping that Americans will get a better deal, but the infection rates are going through the roof right now. Please folks, whatever you do (and, by all means, play golf as long as you can) keep your distance.

To be fair, we have no real idea what the actual infection rates are. As testing increases, particularly when it increases dramatically, confirmed cases go up.

Here's a good topic:
https://twitter.com/natesilver538/status/1241113755016138755?s=12

[jeffwarne]

They have done so here in Europe. Here's hoping that Americans will get a better deal, but the infection rates are going through the roof right now. Please folks, whatever you do (and, by all means, play golf as long as you can) keep your distance.

To be fair, we have no real idea what the actual infection rates are. As testing increases, particularly when it increases dramatically, confirmed cases go up.

Here's a good topic:
https://twitter.com/natesilver538/status/1241113755016138755?s=12

Very interesting Erik,
I've been watching Washington/Seattle very closely as my daughter is there and her fiance is a nurse in a cardiac unit, where cardiac complications present commonly with this virus-and he is facing potential exposure on a daily basis.
Being in New York on LI with our Foundation and 99% of our members in NYC, I've of course been closely following and comparing the ever swelling number in NY as well.
I've been concerned with the rapid spike in cases in New York and NYC, BUT as you show, much of that is due to availability of tests.
New York has tested 32000 people vs. 20000 for Seattle, despite the fact that Seattle has been dealing with it for several weeks.
I give Cuomo very high marks for his response to this crisis, and he is now testing more people per day (10000+) than South Korea-who have been the model for how to promptly prepare and react to this crisis.


It is encouraging to see the rate of infections rising more slowly than the rate of testing.(as evidenced in Seattle)
Early on things were so bad even the sickest couldn't be tested and in  fact a few of the "CV" deceased may in fact not even died of CV.


For the most part, anecdotally, it seems 10%ish of cases tested are CV,, and the only people getting tested until very recently were the very sick (or well connected) which means 90% of the tested have something else(or a failed test)
These numbers vary widely I know, in part due to the wild inconsistency of who and how to get tested.


History will not be kind to our nation on the lack of preparation to this virus, which did not "come out of nowhere" for those of us not in Wuhan...


Stay safe

[James Brown]

They have done so here in Europe. Here's hoping that Americans will get a better deal, but the infection rates are going through the roof right now. Please folks, whatever you do (and, by all means, play golf as long as you can) keep your distance.

To be fair, we have no real idea what the actual infection rates are. As testing increases, particularly when it increases dramatically, confirmed cases go up.

Here's a good topic:
https://twitter.com/natesilver538/status/1241113755016138755?s=12

Very interesting Erik,
I've been watching Washington/Seattle very closely as my daughter is there and her fiance is a nurse in a cardiac unit, where cardiac complications present commonly with this virus-and he is facing potential exposure on a daily basis.
Being in New York on LI with our Foundation and 99% of our members in NYC, I've of course been closely following and comparing the ever swelling number in NY as well.
I've been concerned with the rapid spike in cases in New York and NYC, BUT as you show, much of that is due to availability of tests.
New York has tested 32000 people vs. 20000 for Seattle, despite the fact that Seattle has been dealing with it for several weeks.
I give Cuomo very high marks for his response to this crisis, and he is now testing more people per day (10000+) than South Korea-who have been the model for how to promptly prepare and react to this crisis.


It is encouraging to see the rate of infections rising more slowly than the rate of testing.(as evidenced in Seattle)
Early on things were so bad even the sickest couldn't be tested and in  fact a few of the "CV" deceased may in fact not even died of CV.


For the most part, anecdotally, it seems 10%ish of cases tested are CV,, and the only people getting tested until very recently were the very sick (or well connected) which means 90% of the tested have something else(or a failed test)
These numbers vary widely I know, in part due to the wild inconsistency of who and how to get tested.


History will not be kind to our nation on the lack of preparation to this virus, which did not "come out of nowhere" for those of us not in Wuhan...


Stay safe

As long as the test positive to deaths ratio keeps going up, we are headed in the right direction.


I feel lucky to have hit balls for 5 days in a row and our club remains open with the clubhouse closed and the cups raised 1.5 inches above grade so that we don’t have to ever touch the pins.  If it touches the cylinder it is considered holed.   Is anyone else doing that?

[Tom_Doak]

The Premier [ie governor] of Tasmania has mandated 14-day quarantine for all mainland Australians traveling to Tassie except those performing essential services.  Sounds like not much golf will be played at Barnbougle or King Island for the next few months, though I guess they only had about a month left in their golf season.

[Thomas Dai]

Pubs, restaurants, cafes, clubhouses are now closed in the U.K. Thinking purely golf related for a moment, even in the unlikely event that you wish and are able to undertake a golf trip (or even an away day game) where are you going to stay or eat or get a cuppa?
My sympathy to all those who are presently unable to work and unlikely to be able to do so for the foreseeable future and my thanks to those staff who are still working.
Good luck to all.

Atb

[Peter Flory]

So in the shelter in place order in CA, are courses legally able to do maintenance during this time? 

They are deemed non-essential businesses and are mandated to close.  Any risk of losing the greens during this period?

[Steve_ Shaffer]

San Diego munis including Torrey Pines are now closed even though some courses are still open notwithstanding CA orders to close:


https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/story/2020-03-20/golf-courses-torrey-pines-balboa-city-san-diego-closing-coronaviru[size=78%]s[/size]


Palm Springs update:


https://www.desertsun.com/story/sports/golf/2020/03/20/coronavirus-any-palm-springs-area-golf-courses-still-open-under-stay-home-order/2887653001/




LuLu in Philly 'burbs now closed. However....


https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/philadelphia-golf-coronavirus-open-courses-20200319.html

[Pete_Pittock]

Can someone tell me the difference in not touching/removing the flagstick and allowing everyone to put their hand in the hole to retrieve the holed-out ball? Then you are touching both the flagstick and the plastic/metal side of the hole.


I see that the USGA has relaxed the rule on holing out in the CV9 era. The raised cup idea is good.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

Can someone tell me the difference in not touching/removing the flagstick and allowing everyone to put their hand in the hole to retrieve the holed-out ball? Then you are touching both the flagstick and the plastic/metal side of the hole.

The latter is worse because you're all touching it in the same place (if you hole out). The raised cup works pretty well, IMO, as the ball just bounces off.

[Mark Pearce]

A number of clubs here are putting a spacer in the cup so that the ball does not fall below the level of the green but sits about half way down.  You can pick it out without touching the hole

[Marty Bonnar]

I did my bit for self-isolation and played today with an imaginary ball. Shot a 59. So I’ve got that going for me.
F.

[Thomas Dai]

Turning the cup insert upside down is being used too. Flag still fits and it only leaves a shallow cup for the ball to reside in prior to being picked carefully out without the players fingers touching the edges.
Atb

[Sean_A]

I did my bit for self-isolation and played today with an imaginary ball. Shot a 59. So I’ve got that going for me.
F.

The first liar doesn't have a chance. A shot 58 😎

Ciao

[Kalen Braley]

I did my bit for self-isolation and played today with an imaginary ball. Shot a 59. So I’ve got that going for me.
F.

I got that one beat Bonnar.  I shot 26 under par for a tidy 46 in my phone App golf game 'Golf Clash'!  This included -15 on the back 9 with 6 eagles...en fuego! 

[Pete_Pittock]

Heck, I do better than that in my sleep

[Kalen Braley]

Heck, I do better than that in my sleep

Pete,

Interesting you mention that, my golf dreams always go sideways.  Usually involves finally getting that invite to a once in a lifetime course and then after a few hole the course morphs into some downtown urban center or the trees crowd the tee box and I can't even swing my club.  Golf and dreams has never ever worked out well for me! 

P.S. I think there was a GCA thread on this years ago with others having similar experience...

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