Golfers may soon be hitting the links.
Massachusetts golf associations are ramping up their push to reopen the Commonwealth’s golf courses following a week in which several states announced plans to reopen courses.
The Association of Massachusetts Golf Associations (AMGO) is scheduled to meet with Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito Saturday to state its case that the health benefits of golf, along with the game’s natural suitability for social distancing, sets golf apart from other activities currently shut down through May 18. Polito and Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy, head the state’s Reopening Advisory Board that is developing a plan to begin the process of reopening certain businesses and activities currently shut down as non-essential.
“We are making progress and are extremely optimistic about the meeting,” said Mass Golf CEO/Executive Director and AMGO spokesman Jesse Menachem. “It’s time to open golf again. There is a tremendous appetite to open now. We think we have a great shot.”
Menachem said AMGO delivered a formal reopening plan to the governor. The first phase is to “get open” with safety precautions similar to those adopted by other states. Those include raised cups to allow contactless retrieval of balls; longer intervals between tee times; limitation on the number of golfers allowed on the course; bans on socializing before and after rounds; prohibitions on congregating on practice greens and ranges and parking lots; removal of bunker rakes and ball washers; bans on touching flagsticks: carts with one rider only; an advisory encouraging walking, and stepped-up sanitization routines.
Menachem said Phase 2 includes relaxation of restrictions, if appropriate. The final phase is the ‘”the new normal, whatever that becomes.”
Courses have been closed since Gov. Charlie Baker’s March 23 executive order deeming golf a non-essential service.
But this week saw a flurry in reopenings across the nation, including COVID-ravaged New Jersey, Maine, Pennsylvania, Washington, certain areas of New York and multiple counties in Florida and California.
Massachusetts is one of just five states still with bans along with Maryland, New Mexico, Vermont and New Hampshire. The list may be pared down to four soon as New Hampshire’s task force voted Wednesday to lift the ban, pending approval by public health and the governor.
Connecticut and Rhode Island have remained open throughout the pandemic, prompting some Massachusetts golfers to cross state lines to play.
“I don’t have personal knowledge, but I’m hearing that at some Connecticut courses, nine out of 10 cars in the parking lots have Massachusetts license plates,” said Phil Crawford of Lynnfield.
In Rhode Island, three Massachusetts residents were arrested after playing golf in violation of Gov. Gina Raimondo’s order for out-of-state residents to self-quarantine if visiting the state for matters unrelated to work. The men reportedly transferred their clubs into a vehicle with Rhode Island plates at a fast food restaurant to avoid detection.
When questioned at his April 30 press conference about whether golf courses should reopen, Baker said he’s leaving most decisions about safe openings to the advisory board.
“We understand and appreciate Gov. Baker’s approach to the pandemic relative to the closing of golf courses today, (but) we believe it would be safe to open golf courses with appropriate COVID-19 restrictions in place,” said Richard Luff, President of the New England Golf Course Owners Association (an AMGO member) and owner of Sagamore Springs GC in Lynnfield and Sagamore-Hampton GC in New Hampshire. “Golf is played over vast areas of open space and provides the ability for social distancing in a stress-free environment. We want to ensure the safety of our customers and staff at all times. This can be done with common-sense modifications that allow people to engage in a safe, healthy and regulated outdoor activity.”
Steve Murphy and Chris Carter run Golf Facilities Management Inc., (GFMI), which manages and operates Gannon GC, Beverly Golf & Tennis and Hillview GC in North Reading. Murphy said,while he was surprised when New Jersey announced Wednesday it was lifting the ban effective Saturday, he hopes Massachusetts will soon follow suit.
“(Gov. Baker) should open them, it’s a no brainer, especially considering New Jersey was hit a lot harder than some of the courses still closed,” Murphy said.
Carter said that all three courses are ready to hit the ground running if given the green light.
“Everything is in place to assure safe reopening as we have already implemented the necessary precautions,” he said. “We are ready and anxious to play golf again.”
