Article: No golf and no school for foreseeable future in Ontario

[mjf]

https://torontosun.com/opinion/colum...box=1620661096

Starting to sound like no golf until July might be a real possibility. I wonder at what point it becomes reasonable to start asking for a partial refund on my membership...

[MikeRaganold]

https://torontosun.com/opinion/colum...box=1620661096

Starting to sound like no golf until July might be a real possibility. I wonder at what point it becomes reasonable to start asking for a partial refund on my membership...

Really makes you wonder why courses even accept memberships anymore. Does NOT make sense.

Why should they.

Imagine if you owned a course and your 500 members played 100 rounds each at $17 when the paying public, who you had NO TEE TIMES TO SELL was willing to pay $45.

Last year was an eye opener and that will be the change of everything to come.

IT'S always been called "SUPPLY and DEMAND".

Golfers in the Ottawa Golf community have had it MADE IN SHADE for years - sooooo many years. I loved it too.

Asking the courses to eat your losses kinda sends the wrong message.

It sends them loud and clear message to say stop offering memberships and you are willing to pay the rack rate or bulk rate.

Think about that...

Why not tell your course operator you can't wait to get back to playing and you hope they can keep your membership model alive for rest of this year and the years to come.

Otherwise, in my opinion, there won't be any tee times for members as that model will fade away. And quickly.

Look at what the clever operators have done.

They now sell prepaid green fee packs of 10, 20, or 50 green fees.

They don't expire... but there are no refunds.

Think about it.

How do you want to "Get in the game".

Just saying...


Mike

[mjf]

Asking the courses to eat your losses kinda sends the wrong message.

Not asking the course to eat my losses... just to share the pain. Actually, I wasn't even asking that. I was asking when it's reasonable to start asking for them to share the pain.

[jeffc]

The golf blip is probably temporary. People are flocking to courses because there is little else to do. Same with biking (try and buy a bike right now). I'd expect things to go back to normal next year or the year after once we can hopefully all go back to our regular lives.

[Jasonreg]

I was asking when it's reasonable to start asking for them to share the pain.

I am thinking if we are not golfing by end of June then we enter the reasonable request category.

[BARGEGOLF]

Good luck! Will have to push for full tranparency on costs to maintain course…revenue loss etc. Members are on the bottom of the list of creditors. They got your fees for the year in their bank account.

[PushPull]

Dows Lake was packed this weekend for the tulips. Bylaw officers were told not to issue tickets. Nor should they. Outdoors is safe. It’s the double standard that irritates most people.

[Big Johnny69]

Dows Lake was packed this weekend for the tulips. Bylaw officers were told not to issue tickets. Nor should they. Outdoors is safe. It’s the double standard that irritates most people.

Government, honestly, has no idea what they are doing. They’ve never experienced this before. I have feared, the longer this drags on, and if restrictions are made tighter and enforcement via tickets/fines is emphasized, there will be physical confrontation between joe public and authority figures. At some point the breaking point for some will be reached and someone is going to get hurt because of it.

[rad]

https://torontosun.com/opinion/colum...box=1620661096

Starting to sound like no golf until July might be a real possibility. I wonder at what point it becomes reasonable to start asking for a partial refund on my membership...

Opinion piece filled with speculation. Hopefully doesn't end up being true. I am still holding out for June 4th.

[BARGEGOLF]

You should be aware that the author of this article is in a relationship with Doug Ford’s Director of media relations. He is often relied upon to communicate out messages “friendly” to the government’s agenda.

Unfortunately, Ford ‘s agenda is not friendly to those who want to anything other than to walk or cycle outside.

[big mac]

One thing to note----"we are not your friends Doug" I agree with Johnny---there is a tipping point coming. As Johnny said the government does NOT know what they are doing. I just wish they had of brought on people that had the knowledge to work with something like this. Where did the "Dofo" get experience to be a leader----certainly not from selling stationary !!! Did you ever think why intelligent -smart people don't run for politics ??? They know better ! Just my .02 worth----now back to making sawdust

[PushPull]

Article today in the NY Times. “There is not a single documented Covid infection anywhere in the world of casual outdoor interactions”. Facts don’t matter apparently when it does not suit your agenda.

[Shivas Irons]

Article today in the NY Times. “There is not a single documented Covid infection anywhere in the world of casual outdoor interactions”. Facts don’t matter apparently when it does not suit your agenda.

The entire world is looking for ways to open, while Canada looks for ways to stay closed. This is not about science.

If we all want to golf, (and I'm sure we all do) I would suggest, rather than looking for a refund from your home course, contact your MP & MPP and don't ask, TELL them we need to open up. This madness has to stop.

[314314]

+1

Article today in the NY Times. “There is not a single documented Covid infection anywhere in the world of casual outdoor interactions”. Facts don’t matter apparently when it does not suit your agenda.

[314314]

+1

The entire world is looking for ways to open, while Canada looks for ways to stay closed. This is not about science.

If we all want to golf, (and I'm sure we all do) I would suggest, rather than looking for a refund from your home course, contact your MP & MPP and don't ask, TELL them we need to open up. This madness has to stop.

[Marcos]

Listening to Mr Legault's conference right now and Outaouais is opening stores for shopping and i think he mentioned the curfew will be at 9;30 pm. Secondary high schools re-opening starting next Monday i believe. He has asked people from other provinces to stay home unless its necessary. Police will be asked to ramp up operations to check motorists.

[Kak]

Listening to Mr Legault's conference right now and Outaouais is opening stores for shopping and i think he mentioned the curfew will be at 9;30 pm. Secondary high schools re-opening starting next Monday i believe. He has asked people from other provinces to stay home unless its necessary. Police will be asked to ramp up operations to check motorists.

+1

[daggjc]

Police will be asked to ramp up operations to check motorists.

Are we actually believing this part?

[Kak]

Are we actually believing this part?

I hope so, to stop the 15 % who don't respect rules. As Legault said Ontario's situation is serious and Ontarians crossing the border for non essential reasons are forbidden.

[PushPull]

Ottawa reported 67 new cases today, the Outaouais 27, which is more serious when you factor in the population difference. Also, many articles today on no documented cases of Covid outdoors through casual contact.

[Kak]

Ottawa reported 67 new cases today, the Outaouais 27, which is more serious when you factor in the population difference. Also, many articles today on no documented cases of Covid outdoors through casual contact.

It's getting better , thanks to the majority who follow rules. Still not over, the # in hospitals is still high and patients stay longer. The border is closed. Respect your neighbors, your hospital workers. Many Canadian experts say Covid variants are way more contagious. Variants
( indy) is way more present in Ontario and not in Quebec. The problem with outdoors is people travel, stop in stores, gas etc. You stop outdoors, you stop unnecessary movement. You close borders you stop unnecessary movement.

[Big Johnny69]

It's getting better , thanks to the majority who follow rules. Still not over, the # in hospitals is still high and patients stay longer. The border is closed. Respect your neighbors, your hospital workers. Many Canadian experts say Covid variants are way more contagious. Variants
( indy) is way more present in Ontario and not in Quebec. The problem with outdoors is people travel, stop in stores, gas etc. You stop outdoors, you stop unnecessary movement. You close borders you stop unnecessary movement.

If you are as concerned and worried as you state you are, then you should be doing your part and staying home and not out golfing, risking catching the virus yourself, regardless of what province you live in. You make it seem like everyone in Ottawa has Covid, yet Gatineau is clean. If you respect your neighbours and frontline workers, then stay home to ensure you are doing part. You’ve said yourself that golf is not essential.

[Kak]

If you are as concerned and worried as you state you are, then you should be doing your part and staying home and not out golfing, risking catching the virus yourself, regardless of what province you live in. You make it seem like everyone in Ottawa has Covid, yet Gatineau is clean. If you respect your neighbours and frontline workers, then stay home to ensure you are doing part. You’ve said yourself that golf is not essential.

You don't have to tell me what to do. Are you defending the undefendable?? I respect rules as set out by my provincial and local health authorities like a majority of us, just as I did when golf was closed May 2020. In Quebec. I'm concerned with people crossing the border although it's closed and not respecting their local authority rules, you may not like this, because maybe, your friends cannot cross the river to join you for a game, but that's the way it is. Golf is not essential, closed in Ontario but not in Quebec and may I refer you to what I wrote about variants..Indy variants. A week ago their were people from Pickering playing golf in Montebello, some of my friends saw some from Kingston.

Very simple, follow your provincial and local rules.
I guess more than a year in this pandemic is not enough for some people. I trust my government to get us out of this but certainly don't trust avid, irresponsible people to bring an end to this.

[PushPull]

Zero cases in Thunder Bay today, a city of 100,000. Only 3 in hospital care. Yet golf courses closed. This makes no sense.

[PushPull]

Kak. Today the New York Times reported no documented cases of Covid outdoors through casual contact. Zero. Ponder this fact for a moment. Zero documented cases outside.

[CEP]

You don't have to tell me what to do. Are you defending the undefendable?? I respect rules as set out by my provincial and local health authorities like a majority of us, just as I did when golf was closed May 2020. In Quebec. I'm concerned with people crossing the border although it's closed and not respecting their local authority rules, you may not like this, because maybe, your friends cannot cross the river to join you for a game, but that's the way it is. Golf is not essential, closed in Ontario but not in Quebec and may I refer you to what I wrote about variants..Indy variants. A week ago their were people from Pickering playing golf in Montebello, some of my friends saw some from Kingston.

Very simple, follow your provincial and local rules.
I guess more than a year in this pandemic is not enough for some people. I trust my government to get us out of this but certainly don't trust avid, irresponsible people to bring an end to this.

I have no desire to go over to Gatineau just to play golf. I also respect the rules (like the vast majority) and support limitations to my (and others) civil liberties to be restrained when there is strong evidence to do so. This is the case for mask wearing, hand washing, physical distancing, no congregating in groups, limits to travel etc... I believe that many on the forum just find it non-sensical when a decision is made that is not based on facts or science - current limitation on outdoor recreational activities in Ontario. I am glad that you have faith in your government to get you out of this pandemic; however, I have no such faith that any government in Canada is doing a great job of it. To be honest, the only thing that is really saving us from policy mistakes that were made (which is overtaxing our public health care system n this country) is the miracle of very effective vaccines being created and available in less than a year’s time. If not for that....brings to mind an old saying around policy circles ‘it can always get worse’...

[paperclip]

My unsolicited opinion - it's all politics vs reality. Doug unfortunately is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. I believe he truly does want to open things up, but then critics will *. If he keeps things closed down across the board, critics will * (eg us). If he starts allowing exceptions, others will * about the exceptions.

When the pandemic hit, most people agreed he was doing a great job. Then as time went on, all the screaming from all sides made him do certain things I don't think he really wanted to do. And that got him and everyone off track.

That leaves 2 real choices (more complicated than this but I will try to keep it simple):


(1) keep everything (and I mean everything) locked down and things (life and economy) get worse without any controlling the virus (see New York State or California). People are unhappy under this option,

(2) just remove all restrictions and let everything open up and the virus will do what it does with or without our interference anyway (see Florida and Texas). Viruses don't respect lockdowns or curfews or border closures. It will do what it does because science says it will do so and it's almost impossible to stop. Put more resources toward the people that are the most vulnerable instead of making everyone suffer. People are happier and have more regular lives under this option.

I prefer option (2).

Say what you will, but I sure as hell don't want his job and these things are unprecedented. Who in this world was totally prepared for all of this? Answer = nobody. Who in this world could have done better with the benefit of 100% hindsight? Answer = everybody. I still stand behind Doug and I don't think that anyone (except God) could have done any better.


Let the flaming begin!

[MikeRaganold]

Let the flaming begin!

No Flaming. Thank you. Time to Close.