Golfers tee off after 75 days, follow Covid norms
LUCKNOW : After a nearly 75-day hiatus due to the Covid-19 lockdown, golfers teed off again at Lucknow Golf Club here on Thursday. Indeed, it was a heady feeling for Vijay Singh as he held a golf club after a long time on the new-look greens, where he had last taken a shot on March 20.
Like Singh, who is also a former Indian hockey player, about 50 golfers aged below 65 years had to go through strict checking for face mask, thermal screening and hand sanitization at the club gate as high fives replaced handshakes. The process was repeated before they could swing their arms.
Many of the golfers chose to pull or carry their golf kits themselves. Some took the help of caddies, who too went through all the standard operating procedures, including social distancing. Golf clubs were sanitised after the golfers completed their nine-hole foray.
“It’s really a new beginning. Many things have changed in the two months during which we had to keep ourselves away from the game. I am quite excited to be back on the greens. Hope to get back into the groove soon,” said Singh, who won the International Gold Cup in Thailand in 2012 in the individual category. Overall, the Lucknow Golf Club team finished runners-up in that event.
“The playing conditions have changed and it’s a totally new set- up. You don’t get too much chance for an interaction due to social distancing. Everybody is apprehensive of Covid-19. They are taking all the precautions,” said Singh, who is also a banker. “We hit a lot of funny shots on the first day but we were all grateful to be playing after a long time,” he said.
The re-launch of golfing activities at LGC also brought the much-expected smile on the faces of the 100-odd caddies, who live in Martinpurwa near the club. They had been struggling for a livelihood during the lockdown period.
“There was support from LGC, including Rs 1,000 cash and food grains. But I missed golf as well as my regular income,” said Babloo, a caddie who earns Rs 125 for nine holes and Rs 250 for 18 holes per day.
As per the new provisions, only the four-ball game is allowed. Only two caddies can accompany the players at a time. In the past, there used to be four caddies in the three-ball game. “Life is coming back to normal, but still there are a lot
THE RE-LAUNCH OF GOLFING ACTIVITIES AT LGC ALSO BROUGHT THE MUCH-EXPECTED SMILE ON THE FACES OF THE 100-ODD CADDIES, WHO LIVE IN MARTINPURWA NEAR THE CLUB. THEY HAD BEEN STRUGGLING FOR A LIVELIHOOD DURING THE LOCKDOWN PERIOD
of restrictions,” Babloo added.
LGC secretary Rajneesh Chopra said that all the members of the club, especially the 200-odd golfers, were advised to follow the new guidelines strictly to avoid spreading the corona virus.
“The response is good. Things are picking up pace gradually as golfers are aware of the impact of the pandemic. Golfers above 65 years of age and kids below 10 years are barred from entering the club. We are following all instructions of the government to avoid any impact of the virus,” Chopra said on Thursday.
He also said LGC had re-laid all the greens and efforts were on to have a new irrigation system for the grass. “Other than golfing activities, all other activities at the club, including restaurants, bar etc., have been shut. We will take a final decision about all this once the government clears its stand on the new provisions,” he said.