COVID-19 and golf

[Gobble_It]

Most anticipated Doug Ford's news conference! Hopefully he doesn't pull a Doug Ford's "I will leave it to the medical experts". He could be the most hated guy or loved guy today

[Sakuraba]

And now those of us who live in Ontario and have memberships in Quebec wait for the border patrols to end . . .

I'm in Quebec and a member at an Ontario course, I've got tee times booked Saturday, Monday and Thursday. The restrictions on the bridge that I cross (Portage-du-Fort) were lifted on May 11.

[Gobble_It]

May 18th

May 20


https://ottawacitizen.com/sports/que...-ee3d3d93cedf/

[justdoit]

I'm in Quebec and a member at an Ontario course, I've got tee times booked Saturday, Monday and Thursday. The restrictions on the bridge that I cross (Portage-du-Fort) were lifted on May 11.

Good news for me,live in aylmer and we go that way to dragonfly or whitetail

[big mac]

Well we all waited for the news---but where are the regulations ?????? Every course has their own rules ??? The rules will be common sense I guess

[MikeRaganold]

Ontario is golfing again... Golf Great news Premier Doug Ford announces Golf Courses allowed to open Sat May 16.

[jeffc]

Well we all waited for the news---but where are the regulations ?????? Every course has their own rules ??? The rules will be common sense I guess

https://www.wsps.ca/WSPS/media/Site/...e.pdf?ext=.pdf

[jvincent]

I'll save everyone the read. Nothing really concrete in the guidelines.

[Wilster]

Whoooooo hooooooooo

[cpal]

Any idea why some course (ex. Stonebridge) missing from EG booking?

[btasse]

Wonder if driving ranges are included in opening announcement?

[big mac]

Any idea why some course (ex. Stonebridge) missing from EG booking?

YEP---also the Canadian ????

[Gobble_It]

Wonder if driving ranges are included in opening announcement?

Indoor golf driving ranges only..not sure why outdoor ranges are not listed



https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/full-list...ario-1.4921154

[big mac]

https://www.wsps.ca/WSPS/media/Site/...e.pdf?ext=.pdf

This is not a legal document and it does not address the concerns that everyone has been waiting for. You would really think after all of this there would have been a prescribed set of rules----not a generalization of what maybe or maybe not could be done. You would really have thought the Ontario Assoc of Golf Courses would have put something together----but maybe that would be asking too much !
I know this is a big job but the longer this goes on the worse it is starting to look.
Lord help us all in 6 months---------just saying

[cpal]

Many courses still haven't turned on online bookings and a few are missing from EG. Kind of shocking they weren't all ready to go immediately following Ford announcement...

[justdoit]

Many courses still haven't turned on online bookings and a few are missing from EG. Kind of shocking they weren't all ready to go immediately following Ford announcement...

Plenty of time to have been prepared..🤔

[KOKO72]

Marshes was not available through online booking system but I called and got a time. No range, no putting green, show up 20 min before Tee time....pool noodle in cup. More rules on the website.

Just happy to be golfing finally.

[justdoit]

Indoor golf driving ranges only..not sure why outdoor ranges are not listed



https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/full-list...ario-1.4921154

You can easily call a course that you know has a range and have them confirm it..

[big mac]

Stonebridge-- definitely no Executive Golf but they have posted their regulations----seems pretty straightforward to me
Canadian--they don't know yet ????

[jeffc]

This is not a legal document and it does not address the concerns that everyone has been waiting for. You would really think after all of this there would have been a prescribed set of rules----not a generalization of what maybe or maybe not could be done. You would really have thought the Ontario Assoc of Golf Courses would have put something together----but maybe that would be asking too much !
I know this is a big job but the longer this goes on the worse it is starting to look.
Lord help us all in 6 months---------just saying

I'd rather have this than a bunch of rules that make little sense.

[MikeRaganold]

I found this on NGCOA.ca


BEST PRACTICES, a guideline for golf courses published by NGCOA.
Fact: all but a few courses in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec are NGCOA members most courses.

Food & Beverage | Restaurant

Use ‘call-ahead, take-out’ or to-go service.
Consider designating a 'no-contact' pick up spout outside your restaurant's main doors.
Consider ‘tap’ credit and debit card payments to reduce hand-to-hand contact.
If you do accept cash, ensure that all staff wear protective gloves
Ensure beverage carts are cleaned and sanitized before reuse; sanitize all touch-points of both employee and customer.
​top

Clubhouse

Based on your provincial and federal government recommendations and orders, communicate with members and the public on the actions you are taking; reminding them that you will strictly adhere to guidelines established by local, provincial and federal governments. Click here for the NGCOA Canada template that you can download and edit to meet your needs.
Place appropriate signage outside the pro-shop and clubhouse entries briefly outlining the social distancing guidelines in place.
Promote physical distancing by marking the ground to indicate where it is safe to stand.
Provide clear professional signage informing guests of operational changes and encourage recommended sanitation practices.
Increase the frequency of cleaning, sanitation and disinfecting of all locations, especially high traffic areas such as counter surfaces, tables, public restrooms, door handles, golf carts, flagpoles, and more.
Educate staff on hygiene, sanitation and food handling, and its impact of preventing the spread of communicable diseases.
Increase the number of hand sanitizer stations throughout the clubhouse, especially entry points and lobby.
Regularly sanitize equipment and provide customers with reminder signage and supplies necessary for post-use cleaning.
Increase the frequency of HVAC system filter changing, and recommend more frequent cleaning.
Close locker rooms and allow changing of footwear in parking lots.
​​top

Golf Operations

Consider accepting only online or call ahead pre-paid green fees. Eliminate any walk-ups or cash payments. Update your website to indicate this.
If accepting green fees at the pros shop, consider ‘tap’ credit and debit card payments to reduce hand-to-hand contact.
Consider a process to allow booking extras with online tee-time bookings allowing for prepayment of range baskets, etc. which can be prepared ahead of time and placed in a designated area for pick-up limiting social interaction.
Consider providing designated tee-times for two-some requests such as evening tee-time slots.
Consider removing all merchandise items, normally smaller accessories, from your counter and place them out of reach of any customers that may be inside.
Consider having a greeter outside the front door of the pro shop – if tee-time is pre-paid then golfer is directed to 1st tee by the greeter, if not one person at a time allowed into building to pay.
Restrict the number of people inside the pro shop at any given time.
Consider increasing tee-time intervals to further increase the social distancing protocols.
Limit the amount of time a golfer may arrive at the course prior to their tee-time – suggested 15 minutes prior
Consider having a player’s assistant/marshal tour the golf course to make sure players are practicing physical distancing
Eliminate club rentals.
Eliminate push-cart rentals.
Encourage golfers to walk.
Consider the elimination of golf carts for golfers
Encourage golfers and staff to refrain from handshakes or any other contact.
Remove bulk scorecard, pencil, and tee holders from starter areas. Only issue when requested.
Remove ball washers or tape them shut.
Remove or disconnect water fountains or coolers; consider offering bottled water only.
Remove all garbage stations and ask golfers to take their garbage with them after their round.
Temporarily remove bunker rakes.
Direct players to leave the pin in the cup at all times, consider raising the cup 1" above the putting surface, inserting the cup upside down, or creating a gimme circle around each hole location to reduce surface contamination.
Close every-other driving range bay to increase social distancing.
Bring range ball baskets into the pro shop to wipe down handles and provide sanitizer next to ball dispensers so people can wipe the handles down themselves along with signage to help people remember to do it.
Consider adding a hand washing station at the driving range with reminder signage.
Ensure range balls are cleaned thoroughly with soap after every pick up prior to making available for customers.
Remove all non-essential devices from the range, such as bag stands or den caddies. Place balls on the range for your customers so they can be accessed using a club.
Close putting green or place alignment sticks, or stakes on the putting green as targets, and/or turn the cups upside down and leave in the hole. Remove all flags and institute a “bring your own practice balls policy.”
Designate one on-course washroom to remain open and allow only one person in at a time
Install hand-washing station outside washroom and require hand washing before entering and after leaving | alternative is hand sanitizer station outside washroom
Clean and sanitize washroom every hour | post signage to notify golfers of sanitation procedures and designated times
​​top

Workplace Safety

Educate staff to recognize the symptoms of COVID-19 in each other and your customers.
Establish a communication plan to keep your employees informed and updated on issues affecting the workplace.
Institute a policy that requires employees to tell you when they’ve been exposed to any highly communicable illness, and then direct them to the local health agency for appropriate testing.
Conduct meetings by phone or online wherever possible. For in-person meetings, ensure safe social distancing (6+ feet) between attendees.
Create a COVID-19 committee for your facility.
Ensure appropriate signage is present throughout your facility.
Provide necessary sanitation supplies and personal protection equipment.
Ensure hand washing signage is present at all wash stations.
Provide hand sanitizer stations for both staff and guests in multiple locations throughout the facility, including golf carts.
​​top

Turf & Maintenance

Minimize the number of maintenance staff members working on the course at one time.
Maintain physical distancing guidelines at all times
Assign staff equipment to avoid sharing between employees
Stagger work hours and break hours
Place hand sanitizer throughout maintenance area
Regularly sanitize any surface that is contacted
In the event that equipment must be shared it must be thoroughly sanitized before being used by another employee | steering wheel as well as all areas touched by operators pre and post use as well as radios
Provide surgical grade gloves and PPE to maintenance teams at above normal inventories
In the case of uniforms, requirement that they be laundered prior to each shift
All personal belongings to be removed from maintenance buildings | only access for use of staff washrooms with contact points in an out being sanitized during each use
Team members sit outside or in their vehicles during lunch and/or breaks | All other buildings, rooms and offices are off-limits
Wipe down and disinfect any tools and equipment at the start of each shift
Wipe down and disinfect washing and fueling station before and after each use
Use existing inventory before ordering and taking delivery of additional products and limit deliveries to when salary employees are onsite
Recommend that all deliveries be wrapped, and weather protected to sit outside for 4 days
Practice handwashing and standard hygiene practices


Read article https://www.ngcoa.ca/resources/4679/best-practices


ONTARIO | Guidance on Health and Safety for the Golf Course Sector during COVID-19 | May 14

[big mac]

Thanks Mike---appreciated

[justsomeguy]

At Metcalfe the tee time interval is 15 minutes and tee times can only be booked 2 days in advance right now.

Members only this weekend, but they will allow a member's guest in the group and charge the guest fee to the member's account. I'm sure many other clubs are doing something similar - and that is probably why you will not see them on any of the discount golf program websites right now. Metcalfe plans to allow public bookings within a week from now.

I got an email from Kevin Haime's that they will also be open on Saturday. Advance booking of a practice time highly recommended - you can book (and pay) online.

[zer0ish]

Ontario Golf link to todays release:
https://gao.ca/2020/05/14/golf-ontar...id-19-updates/

[jvincent]

We're at 10 minute intervals. We were at 9 min last year.

[Budapest]

I'd rather have this than a bunch of rules that make little sense.

Florida and Georgia opened last month. “Georgia’s Experiment in Human Sacrifice” was one headline. Today I read number of new cases fell 14 & 12%.

[justdoit]

Regarding driving ranges..cartier opens may 20 and White sands in Orleans on Saturday

[adam]

Got a 1 hour booking at Kevin Haime for Saturday afternoon! New booking website is up

[jermart]

Also booked at Haime's for Saturday morning. Have a confirmed tee off for Tuesday, and waiting to see for Thursday. Hopefully this weekend's mad rush for tee times subsides by next week, but I doubt it. Been over 6 months since my clubs have seen any outdoor action.

[john8888]

Clublink site crash today ... demand will be high for a long time?