Thanks to unusually warm weather dating back into February, many golf courses in Connecticut opened early this year. While this was certainly a welcome relief from winter, the early season has seen a number of challenges – primarily related to efforts to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
A number of golf course operations, both public and private have instituted new practices and policies to enhance the safety of everyone visiting or working at their facilities. Many of these new practices mirror CDC recommendations such as frequent hand washing, the cleaning of common areas, and maintaining a distance of at least six feet from other people, while others are more golf-specific. Many are designed to reduce or eliminate unnecessary contact among golfers, and among golfers and those working at courses. For example, golfers should be handling their own clubs, and not expect an attendant to handle their clubs as might normally be the case. Some courses have rearranged their check-in procedures, allowing players to swipe their credit cards themselves, or whenever possible conduct transactions (payment for greens fees for example) on-line. Clubs are reminding players to not congregate in any area, indoors or out. Once on the course it should not be difficult to maintain the CDC's recommended “social distancing” but it is during those times when arriving or departing that extra care and diligence is most necessary.
The CSGA believes any idea and new practice which helps in the effort to protect both golfers and golf course employees should be willingly accepted. The CSGA encourages everyone to explore the websites of multiple golf courses to see what clubs are doing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The following link provides a list of CSGA Member Clubs, and here people can find golf course websites and phone numbers:
https://www.csgalinks.org/clubs
Perhaps the best advice heard most often is – if you feel sick stay home – and while this has always been a good practice, it has never been more important than in the current situation. Whether at a golf course or anywhere else, the CSGA hopes everyone will follow the advice of the CDC and our local health authorities to lessen the risk of transmission.
To learn more about the COVID-19 coronavirus, visit the Center for Disease Control (CDC) here: https://www.cdc.gov/
