Now’s the time of the year when, typically, golf resorts around the country are gearing up for its summer boom. That schedule has been altered but not halted by the coronavirus crisis, and with a rising number of states allowing golf with some limitations, there’s some positive news to report from some of golf’s biggest resorts.
First, the National Golf Foundation projects that 93 percent of golf courses will be open in some form by May 17. Contrast that with the fact that only 49 percent of courses were open a few weekends ago (April 19), and the gradual re-opening of business around the country has a parallel with golf courses, according to statistics gathered by the organization.
Monday also brought the news that Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, home to four 18-hole courses, all of which rank among Golf Digest’s 100 Greatest, will re-open on May 11, and the much-anticipated Sheep Ranch will open as scheduled on June 1. The Oregon resort published a 15-page document on its website outlining its preventative policies, which include practices such as all caddies and staff members wearing masks, shuttle busses containing plexiglass protective shields and counters such as the pro shop, and outdoor hand-washing stations in high traffic areas.
Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill also opened on Monday with strict social-distance guidelines including no caddies and push carts allowed. Tee times, usually reserved for resort guests, are accessible for public play at discounted rates. Golf carts were allowed, but only one golfer per cart, the resort said. Each golfer will also be offered a precautionary “care pack,” which includes sanitizing wipes, a mask and a pencil/scorecard, in addition to the commemorative bag tag often given to customers. Flagsticks are required to stay in, with a foam liner in each cup, like Bandon, to prevent golfers from touching the bottom of the hole.
Last weekend saw golf back for the first time for many golf-rich states, including Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Mexico and Maine, meaning that 80 percent of facilities had opened as of Saturday. Illinois and New Jersey restricted courses to only allow twosomes booked 16 minutes apart, but many courses reported full tee sheets in their first weekend of open business.
Though this isn’t exactly the opening of the season golfers envisioned, with most courses being opened in the U.S. as of next weekend, golfers in most parts of the country will have the ability to get out to play, and with the proper precautions and strict restrictions, that’s a welcome sign for many.
RELATED: These photos of Sheep Ranch, Bandon Dunes’ latest 18-hole course, are spectacular
GOLF + THE CORONAVIRUS: Is playing golf safe during the crisis? | How clubs/courses are adjusting | State-by-state breakdown of where golf is allowed and where it isn’t | Golf’s governing bodies release a new—and tentative—schedule | Complete list of pro/amateur tournaments canceled or postponed | How meditation can help your coronavirus anxiety | In praise of playing golf alone | 10 timely—and timeless—golf books to take your mind off the real world