"If you use common sense, which is what we're relying on people to be doing to ensure life is as safe as possible, then I'd like to think that would help turn the doubters in favour of why golf is so important for health and well-being"
Monday 2 November 2020 16:09, UK
Nick Dougherty puts forward his argument for keeping golf courses open during the upcoming lockdown in England and highlights the benefits the sport can bring during a challenging time.
When golf returned from the first lockdown, we saw a massive uplift in participation within the sport. There are plenty of reasons behind why it did so well, mainly the clear benefits that the game offers.
The recent petition to the government and the hundreds of thousands of people signing it isn't just about facing a month without golf. We can all live without golf for a month, as we had to do before, but it's the bigger picture that really matters.
Golf is playing a massive part in people's health, like it always has done, it's just that the pandemic is shining a light on what our great game can do. It's not about privileged people potentially missing out on a few games of golf over the next few weeks, this is about people being able to physically and mentally get through this difficult time.
We're seeing, hearing and reading about the collateral damage of the pandemic and it's horrific to see Covid-19 deaths increasing in the way they are. Having said that, the implications on well-being and health are also dramatic and people aren't just losing lives directly from Covid-19.
There are plenty of issues to address right now but golf gives everybody - especially older folks - the opportunity to get some exercise and have a social event where they can talk to someone out on the course, which is so important.
People will comment and say guidelines won't be followed, but we're relying on everyone to adhere to the same rules when they go to the supermarket. A golf course is a much larger area and you can't deny the fact that, with the amount of space you're in, how easy it is to socially distance.
Golf has always been a game that has instilled respect in people and it's one of the great qualities that it teaches, which is the same respect that we'll be applying to all walks of life if this lockdown is going to work.
You can't say people wouldn't respect the rules on the golf course, because why wouldn't they in the supermarket and all the other areas we're expecting people to?
An argument against keeping the courses open is the fact people will have to travel to them, which I understand could be considered as unnecessary travel.
Something could go wrong, which would put extra pressure on the emergency services, but how often is that happening and how much of an issue really is that verses the amount of good it can do and the lives it can help through this time?
If you use common sense, which is what we're relying on people to be doing to ensure life is as safe as possible, then I'd like to think that would help turn the doubters in favour of why golf is so important for health and well-being.
I really think we need to use this as an opportunity to push the benefits that golf can bring to a younger audience and make the game more widely accessible.
It's slightly ironic to me that for all the things that are talked about golf, the fact it takes a pandemic to highlight the biggest assets that the game offers shows we're still not reaching people.
Golf isn't a dirty little secret for the privileged few, it's a wonderful sport that can give so much for so many. However, if golf's not deemed to be safe enough during this time then we have to accept it and follow the rules, so we can get out of this pandemic sooner rather than later.
