Coronavirus: As golf courses reopen in England, new guidelines must be followed
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Tuesday 12 May 2020 13:44, UK
Golf courses in England are set to reopen on Wednesday, but what new rules, regulations and guidelines do you need to know about before dusting off your clubs?
The government announced on Sunday that "some sports activity" will be permitted from this week, with golf set to resume in England only if the clubs - and players - follow strict protocols designed to reduce the risk of contracting, or spreading, coronavirus.
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But don't expect to get a tee time at the first time of asking, as demand is almost certain to comfortably outweigh supply, and here are the key differences you will face when you return to the golf course...
Prior to your round
It is highly likely you will have to book a tee time online, unless a club can find a safe way to make bookings on site. Don't book for more than a two-ball, that's all you'll get!
There will be a minimum of 10 minutes in between each group teeing off. Some clubs may increase this for added safety.
Make sure you are wearing the right attire before leaving home, as the clubhouse will not be open. You will be able to change into your golf shoes in the car park without fear of retribution.
Do not arrive too early for your tee time, and don't expect any practice facilities to be open. You may also be asked to wait in your car until a few minutes before your tee time to reduce congestion.
If you want a trolley, take your own. If you need a buggy to get around, then you'll need to buy or rent one and find a way of safely transporting it to the club!
During your round
Always stay two metres apart from your playing partner. Do not shake hands at any time, do not share clubs or any other equipment. The two-metre rule applies for the duration of your round, no matter where you are on the course.
Do not step onto a tee box until the group in front are a safe distance away down the fairway. Ball washers will be removed, so you might want to have a small, damp towel with you if you are fussy about maintaining clean balls.
There will be no bunker rakes or retriever sticks near water hazards, You will have to use a combination of your clubhead and your feet to smooth out sand as best you can. Some clubs may introduce preferred lies in bunkers.
Do not touch the flagstick under any circumstances. Hole liners are likely to be in place, so your ball will be deemed has holed if any part of it is below the level of the green. Some clubs may opt to have their hole liners above the level of the green, so your ball is "in the hole" if it strikes the liner.
Use common sense, particularly when conceding short putts. Now is a good time to be a little more generous with the gimmes. Anything within half a putter length from the hole is a good benchmark.
Mark your own scorecards, do not swap cards at any time. There is no need to sign a fellow player's card, just reconcile the scores regularly to avoid conflict on the 18th green! Now might be a good time to download a scorecard app, and use your phone?
After your round
Simple. Once you are finished and the clubs are back in the boot, it's time to go home. No loitering around the clubhouse or in the car park comparing notes on "how many shots you left out there" or talking all and sundry through that cracker of a seven-iron into 13.
