Welsh clubs given green light to return

Wales will allow courses to reopen on Monday after getting approval from the government in Cardiff yesterday, leaving Scotland as the only country in mainland Britain where golf remains shut down, writes Steve Scott.

Wales joins England as emerging from a seven-week closure for the coronavirus pandemic. English clubs received the go-ahead to restart play today under social distancing restrictions as part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s easing of the lockdown south of the border.

In Scotland, the policy for closure remains with the Scottish Government advising that it is still not safe to resume play at the 550 clubs across the country.

Scottish Golf, the governing body of the game north of the border, warned clubs against reopening in spite of the restrictions last week and reiterated that advice on Monday after it became clear courses and clubs in England would be reopening.

Wales joins the Republic of Ireland in restarting play on Monday, with clubs being given an extra few days to put in place precautionary measures to assist with social distancing.

As in England, only individual golfers, two players not from the same household but observing social-distancing rules and family groups from the same household up to four will be permitted to play, under new guidance from the R&A which prohibits the touching and use of course fixtures or equipment like flags and bunker rakes.

In Ireland, a five-step plan to a full return to play was released last week and the first step on Monday will see club members only allowed to return, in groups of no more than three at prescribed time intervals.

In Northern Ireland, clubs remain closed as in Scotland.

The Welsh move came after Jason Thomas, the director of the Welsh Government’s culture, sport and tourism department, pointed out to a governmental committee in Cardiff that golf clubs had never been on the list of businesses or establishments in Wales that were required to close for coronavirus.

“It’s been other measures in force that has restricted the ability of the clubs to open – travel measures for example,” he said. “Legally they don’t have to be closed.”

Wales Golf took that clarification as allowing them to restart play, as a statement yesterday confirmed.