Fore!
Many local golf courses will be opening Saturday after Premier Doug Ford gave the official approval to open courses throughout the province earlier today.
“It’s really good news,” said Dustin Louth, the general manager of Lake St. George Golf Club just north of Orillia.
And while local golfers are ecstatic, it will be anything but business as usual on the links.
“It’s totally different now compared to the past,” said Louth.
The third-generation of the Louth family to operate the 27-hole course says a lot of work has gone into preparing for opening day in the midst of a global pandemic.
Louth said staff have developed many new regulations and protocols to ensure the safety of both golfers and staff members.
For example, you can’t just show up at the course and head out for a round of golf; you must pre-book a tee time online. You can call, but staff in the pro shop will be minimal, so online booking is preferred.
Tee times will be booked a minimum of 12 minutes apart and there can only be one person per golf cart unless the golfers live in the same household.
Golfers can only arrive 20 minutes before their scheduled tee time and cannot go to the first tee until given permission by the starter.
Only three customers will be allowed in the clubhouse at any given time. Clubhouse washrooms will be open, but on-course washrooms will be closed.
Names of each golfer will be recorded to ensure there’s a record of everyone coming onto the premises.
In addition, Lake St. George, like most courses, will not be accepting cash, will not be renting clubs and scorecards will only be given by request.
While regular rules of golf will apply, all golfers must “continue to practice safe physical distancing.” And the cups on each green have been altered so the ball cannot drop into the hole; once the ball touches the pin, it is considered holed.
Ball washers and rakes have been removed from the course. Golfers are asked to rake the sand with their feet as best as they can if their ball happens to land in a sand trap.
There will be no celebrating great shots after the round. Golfers are to leave the course “immediately following” their round. Gathering in the parking lot afterwards is prohibited.
“We’ve posted large signs, we put all the new rules on our website and social media, but I’m sure some people will not like it,” said Louth.
“But safety and health … that is our No. 1 priority,” he said, while noting he “never thought in my lifetime I’d see these kinds of changes.”
He believes the majority of people will understand.
“I think most people are just happy to get outside and have a little bit of freedom,” said Louth. “We have to remember golf is not a right. It’s a privilege. We have to follow the rules and do our part.”
Non-members can begin booking tee times Friday morning.
Couchiching Golf Club is also taking bookings for those interested in golfing at the nine-hole course in the north end of town.
Originally, the course was going to open Tuesday, but a flood of interest prompted officials to push up the opening date.
Ed Novosky, the club’s president, said Saturday will be “sort of a test run” to see how the new protocols go and how staff are able to handle the increased workload that will include more sanitizing and oversight of protocols.
The club will then close for Sunday and Monday, before re-opening again Tuesday.
“It will be a big change from normal,” conceded Novosky, noting officials are still seeking clarity on some elements of the new protocols.
He said, for example, they plan to allow two people to use the same golf cart if they drove to the course together.
He also said golfers “will not be turned away” if they just show up Saturday. However, he expects a lot of people to pre-book tee times for opening day and suspects there won’t be many openings.
Coldwater’s Bonaire Golf Club is also opening Saturday.
“We are organized and ready to open Saturday,” noted owner Randy Fielder, adding the facility will have “many regulations in place related to social distancing and sanitation.”
He said each golfer will have to ride in their own golf cart, but stressed: “Golf is easy to keep the clients and staff safe as it is a large open area.”
