So your very general statement was actually limited to two states. Got it.
We're in the middle of trying to figure out what caddying is going to look like out here at Bandon. Demand is not a question. I have returning guests booked through the end of the summer who have indicated they will be taking caddies. The biggest question for us is if the state lays out some kind of mandate.
We've spent a good bit of time researching this topic, including speaking to an expert in the infectious disease arena. Copied below is a very general introduction to caddying during the Covid-19 era.
You dont have to be scared of the outside world. Dr. Dave Price
Golf could be the safest sport going forward. Dr. Karyemaitre Aliffe
As the nation has learned, Covid-19 is primarily transmitted by touch, whether it be touching an infected individual or a surface on which the virus is present. Although the virus can be transmitted by aspiration, the vast majority of cases involve transmission by an individual touching something with their hands and then touching their face, from where the virus enters the body.
With that in mind, there are six important overriding practices that govern any practice or procedures to be put in place, including:
-Cognizance of how you use your hands
-Using hand sanitizer after touching any uncertain surfaces or objects
-Not touching your face and using a mask to prevent hand to face contact
-Staying 3 to 6 feet from other people when outside your home
-Shrinking your social circle
-For instances of significant exposure, using a sprayed sanitizer
The guidelines we read about and the general practices outlined above have been designed for worst possible case exposure scenarios, essentially indoor activities in areas where one might be exposed to a good number of people. With respect to the game of golf, an outdoor activity spread over a vast area with minimal touching of objects, the more restrictive practices may not be necessary, but following them will make playing the game and caddying for golfers even more safe.
As with all things caddie related, what may work at one course, club or resort will not necessarily work everywhere. Right now there are different governing bodies, including several national golf organizations, making recommendations on caddying. What we are seeing is a general overreaction. There are very simple practices that can be put in place that can nearly eliminate the person to person contact between a player and a caddie, several of which are going to be part of golf anyway (i.e. cup stoppers, no rakes, etc.). Adding in (a) knowledge of the benefits of and (b) the use of sanitizing wipes and sanitizing sprays, and you can create an extremely safe environment including caddies.
Before Kavanaugh can chime in on how you can't trust a group of weed hounds to follow a set of practices, it should be noted that there are caddies on the front line of this conversation on a national level. Caddies know that making their golfers feel more safe is going to be part of the equation going forward.
Looking forward to the normal GCA backlash on caddying in general. Whenever conversations arise in this discussion group on these topics, it always feels like a group of vegetarians discussing the best cut of steak.