New normal will be par for the course
No high-fives, locker-rooms or 19th hole initially when golf returns
Niagara golf courses are ready “to hit the ground running” when they get the green light for a season that has been delayed more than a month by the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the Ontario government mandated virus spread-containment restrictions, the industry was not declared an essential service.
But that could start to change sooner rather than later. Golf Ontario, the umbrella organization for 37 operations in the region, expects the province to outline the steps courses need to follow to safeguard the health of the public and staff as soon as this week.
Golf operators in the region won’t be caught off-guard when they get the go-ahead to go ahead. Several conference calls have already been held and will continue to be held.
“The courses are really talking this out,” Golf Ontario regional manager Carrie Julie said. “We know that the government is probably going to tell us that it will be one person per power cart unless you are with another member of your family.”
Julie, who lives in the region, said Niagara is taking a cue from other courses in other jurisdictions when it comes to carts.
“If there are two riding from a family, a flag will be attached to the cart letting the other golfers on the course know that it’s a family and, therefore, safe for those people to be riding together,” she said.
“It really becomes optics.”
While every course in Niagara is different, some are talking about having a “space-and-pace person” monitoring to ensure physical distancing and time intervals between playing groups.
“Previous to COVID-19, we called them a ‘marshal,’ but they’re actually calling them ‘space-and-pace co-ordinators,’ ” Julie said. “So possibly some courses may have someone driving around to ensure that people are staying six feet apart and staying safe.”
Julie, whose role with Golf Ontario is to encourage collaboration between courses in the province, praised Niagara for being ahead of the curve when it comes to resuming operations following the easing of restrictions.
“I am so pleased the Niagara community honestly is so far ahead in discussing these matters,” she said. “We’re already working on signage so that there no high-fives for birdies, no handshakes at the end of the round.
“There will be all this signage in place so that when we’re ready to go, we’re going to hit the ground running,” she added.
Golf Ontario expects courses will be mandated to either have inverted cups or to have Styrofoam in the holes so that the ball will “bump up to the hole.”
“You’ll have to consider that in. Your playing partners will give you gimmes,” Julie said. “It will be up to the players.”
To limit contact, locker-rooms will stay closed initially, as will clubhouses.
“We are expecting from the government that, in order to keep the public safe, we are expecting no clubhouses can be open,” Julie said. “No locker-rooms, no food and beverage.
“It looks like the 19th hole at the start will be take-away items that are prepackaged — you know, chocolate bars,” she said.
Niagara courses also don’t expect that garbage cans will be allowed on the course.
“People would have to take their garbage home with them,” Julie said.
Saskatchewan has mandated no on-course washrooms to be open, but that may not be the case in this province.
“We’re expecting washrooms to be open but, in order to keep the public safe, we’ll need to clean them after every use,” Julie said.
To keep staff safe, courses are looking at protective equipment, such as masks and gloves.
“Staff will be limited to start out because we aren’t expecting as many golfers to be on site as usual based on regulated tee-time intervals,” Julie said.
Tee times will need to be booked in advance, either by phone or online.
“There will be no cash payments available at courses, and it will likely be mandated from the government that there will be no walkons,” she said. “You’ll have to book a tee time in advance.”
Julie cited the mental health and physical benefits of golf in expressing confidence the public will welcome a chance to hit the links, despite the restrictions.
“We really do believe that golfers will come back because they will know that we will keep them safe,” she said.
“We really believe our members and guests are going to come out to the golf courses knowing that the Niagara golf courses have thoughtfully discussed and now will execute these procedures.”
Julie, whose husband, Jeremy, owns and operates Sawmill Golf Course in Fenwick, quipped that her playing partners won’t have to worry about physical distancing when she breaks out her clubs.
“If you play like I do, my partners for sure will be safe. Because I always play from the right-hand side, and they’re likely on the left-hand side,” she said with a laugh.
“We really do believe that golfers will come back because they will know that we will keep them safe.”
CARRIE JULIE GOLF ONTARIO REGIONAL MANAGER