State-wide stay-home executive orders in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic might have you confused about whether golf is or isn’t allowed where you live or even near where you live. Enter the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America with a state-by-state list of where it’s still OK to play.
The GCSAA has been monitoring the shifting directives from states on whether golf courses should be characterized as non-essential businesses or as an acceptable outdoor activity with proper social distancing. Officials and state golf associations have even had to check whether courses can be maintained when there is a public ban on golf. It’s not an insignificant part of the issue, especially for many courses right at the start of the growing season. A GCSAA letter being sent to state leaders across the country calls out specifically the challenges with leaving a closed golf course without regular maintenance.
“Spring is a critical time for turfgrass,” the letter reads. “If turfgrass is lost, many courses may face permanent closure. Turfgrass cannot be neglected for extended periods of time.” The letter also cites that the decline of course maintenance could lead to vandalism and “the landscape and property of a golf course could become compromised, damaged or unsafe.” The letter indicates that proper maintenance also reduces the threat of “disease carrying pests, including ticks and mosquitoes.”
Currently, the language in most executive orders from state governors’ offices is rarely specific to golf, and only after direct contact have states often clarified the situation. So far only six states have specifically banned golf being played (Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin), although the situation is ever-changing. In some cases, courses, clubs or resorts have opted to pause operations even if their states haven’t mandated it. As David Phipps, the GCSAA’s Northwest field staff representative, put it, “It’s been a rollercoaster ride the last few days trying to keep track of all these executive orders across my region.”
Here’s the GCSAA’s current state-by-state assessment, which they update twice a day here.
ALABAMA
Governor Directive: Is golf open for play?: Yes
Governor Directive: Is golf course maintenance allowed?: Yes
ALASKA
Season has not started
ARIZONA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
ARKANSAS
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
CALIFORNIA
Golf open for play?: Yes (Counties may restrict play)
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
COLORADO
Golf open for play?: Pending (Denver closed for play; maintenance allowed)
Course maintenance allowed?: Pending
CONNECTICUT
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
DELAWARE
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
FLORIDA
Golf open for play?: Yes (Miami-Dade and Broward counties preventing play)
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
GEORGIA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
HAWAII
Golf open for play?: Pending (Oahu / Maui shelter in place)
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
IDAHO
Golf open for play?: Pending
Course maintenance allowed?: Pending
ILLINOIS
Golf open for play?: Yes (Counties may restrict play)
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
INDIANA
Golf open for play?: Yes (Howard County bans play)
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
IOWA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
KANSAS
Golf open for play?: Yes (some cities preventing play)
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
KENTUCKY
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
LOUISIANA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
MAINE
Golf open for play?: Pending
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
MARYLAND
Golf open for play?: No
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
MASSACHUSETTS
Golf open for play?: No
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes (town boards may restrict maintenance)
MICHIGAN
Golf open for play?: Pending
Course maintenance allowed?: Pending
MINNESOTA
Golf open for play?: No
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
MISSISSIPPI
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
MISSOURI
Golf open for play?: Pending
Course maintenance allowed?: Pending
MONTANA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
NEBRASKA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
NEVADA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
NEW JERSEY
Golf open for play?: No
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
NEW MEXICO
Golf open for play?: Pending
Course maintenance allowed?: Pending
NEW YORK
Golf open for play?: Pending
Course maintenance allowed?: Pending
NORTH CAROLINA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
NORTH DAKOTA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
OHIO
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
OKLAHOMA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
OREGON
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
PENNSYLVANIA
Golf open for play?: No
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
RHODE ISLAND
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
SOUTH CAROLINA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
SOUTH DAKOTA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
TENNESSEE
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
TEXAS
Golf open for play?: Yes (counties may restrict play)
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
UTAH
Golf open for play?: Yes (cities may restrict play)
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
VERMONT
Golf open for play?: Pending
Course maintenance allowed?: Pending
VIRGINIA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
WASHINGTON
Golf open for play?: Pending
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
WEST VIRGINIA
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
WISCONSIN
Golf open for play?: No
Course maintenance alloWed?: Yes
WYOMING
Golf open for play?: Yes
Course maintenance allowed?: Yes
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