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Golf Courses Across Illinois Reopen with New COVID-19 Rules

By Evan Garcia, WTTW

4 May 2020

After shutting down for more than a month, golf is back in Illinois – at some courses, at least.

Illinois’ extended COVID-19 stay-at-home order allowed golf courses to reopen Friday under specific social distancing guidelines.

Those new rules set by the Illinois Department of Commerce include limiting groups to two players only, closing down clubhouses and not allowing gear rentals or golf carts to be used on courses, unless a golfer has a physical disability or limitation.

Tee times must be spread out by 15-minute intervals, about five minutes more than usual at the Glen Club in north suburban Glenview, according to Ethan Roush, the club’s head golf professional.

“Typically, four players would be allowed on the first hole every 10 minutes and that would bring our capacity to about 220 to 240 people out there per day if we were really busy,” Roush said. “So now it’s two people every 15 minutes, which limits our capacity down to about 80 players a day.”

You’ll see even fewer people on Chicago’s public golf courses this month – that’s because the Chicago Park District is opting to keep its courses closed through May.

North of the city, the Skokie Park District reopened its Weber Park Golf Course on Friday. Signs spread throughout the nine-hole course reminded golfers to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from each other.

Skokie Park District Golf Operations Manager Rich Lee said Chicago golfers are migrating north to play a quick round at Weber Park.

“We do have people from Chicago coming up to play here in Skokie and they enjoy the course here,” Lee said. “Just the interest level because everyone’s been stuck inside – opening day our tee sheet was completely full.”

Please share these tips, articles and insights, so that as many people as possible can benefit from #SafeGolf.

View WTTW article

ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 1 billion data points from more than 50 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 500 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $30-$50 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

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NGF: Projected Course Openings

By NGF

May 2020

Updated forecast highlights the impact of eased restrictions

NOTE: Not all golf facilities immediately restart operations when allowed to do so in their particular state. For example, although Illinois, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Maine, New Mexico and most of Hawaii were cleared to reopen on May 1, not all ~1,800 courses in those states did so on that day. Whether due to preparation and planning requirements or seasonality, some facilities will reopen at later dates. This progressive reopening trajectory is factored into projections. Also, most reopenings are not at full operation – coming with restrictions like walking-only, single-occupant golf carts, lengthened tee time intervals, and/or limited or no food services (among other precautionary measures).

Illinois, Pennsylvania, Nevada, New Mexico and Maine were all permitted to reopen courses as of May 1, with Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf noting that the 700 courses in his state help “maintain positive physical and mental health.” This continued a recent trend, as Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and New York all recently gave permission for golf to resume with significant operational safeguards.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee echoed the “physical, mental and emotional well-being” benefits from outdoor activities such as golf in announcing that the state’s nearly 300 courses can open to play starting May 5. In New Jersey, golf courses can reopen on May 2.

While the recent surge in openings has been significant, not all facilities reopen as soon as allowed; for example, while some New York courses had been open for more than a week, play at the municipally-operated facilities on Long Island, including Bethpage State Park’s courses, didn’t resume until April 27. Additionally, some facilities in the northernmost parts of states that have given golf the go-ahead — Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, New York, and Maine among them — are still preparing to officially start their season due to weather.

In California, which has the second-most courses of any U.S. state, the number of facility re-openings continues to steadily increase as more counties ease golf restrictions. And in Florida, courses in golf-rich Palm Beach County, as well as Miami-Dade and Broward, are still re-opening in waves after being cleared to resume play on April 29.

Note: This projection could climb higher if other jurisdictions opt to ease restrictions on golf. It is also assuming no shutdowns by state or local governments, and no additional voluntary closures of significant scale.

Please share these tips, articles and insights, so that as many people as possible can benefit from #SafeGolf.

View NGF article

ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 1 billion data points from more than 50 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 500 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $30-$50 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

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Majority of PGA Tour pros need coronavirus testing in place at every event to return to competition, according to Golf Digest survey

By Ryan Herrington, Golf Digest

1 May 2020

After eight weeks off due to the COVID-19 pandemic and with another six weeks until tournaments are scheduled to resume, many PGA Tour pros are eager to compete once more. That’s not to say, however, they’re willing to resume the 2019-’20 season without certain safety measures in place. And, at least for a majority of tour pros Golf Digest surveyed, those measures must include a comprehensive testing system in place at every tour event.

Our reporters received responses in recent days from 35 players after asking them to give their thoughts to the following query:

Which of the following describes your attitude about returning to competition:

A) I don’t need anything to be different than before the virus. I’m ready to play.

B) I am willing to compete under whatever safety measures the PGA Tour chooses to implement, but don’t think we need comprehensive testing at tournaments.

C) I am only willing to compete if there is a comprehensive testing plan in place at every event.

D) I am not willing to compete until a vaccine or major medical development is in place.

Eighteen of the 35 players (51.4 percent) said they most closely identified with Answer C, which stipulated the need for comprehensive testing at every tournament.

Players, who were told they could answer anonymously, were also asked to elaborate further regarding their thinking. Some chose to go on the record while others asked for anonymity, but their responses help frame the issues many within golf are weighing as they contemplate a return to competition.

“I do trust decision-making process, but I’m not sure that the decision to start playing or not start playing has much to do with trusting their decisions,” said Stewart Cink. “To me this feels like a very personal decision about when the comfort level is enough to get back out there traveling. And also there’s still the very significant factor of social accountability and whether it’s right to get back into a routine where everyone is traveling, etc.”

“I’m willing to compete when the Tour and the proper medical authorities come up with a good plan,” said Charles Howell III. “Golf is a different animal because we rely on travel, hotels, restaurants, gyms, etc., to be open and things functioning as safe as possible.”

Since the PGA Tour announced last month its plan to resume the season in June with the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, an event that would be held without spectators, tour officials from commissioner Jay Monahan on down have been clear that widespread testing being available for players, caddies and other constituents would be the only way they’d initiate a re-start to its season. Exactly what kind of testing the tour would employ, how frequently it would be done and who would be required to take the test are still, however, being determined. A source tells Golf Digest that discussions are ongoing as to whether nasal or saliva tests would be administered, and if a separate antibody test will also be conducted.

“Everyone’s safety is the No. 1 concern,” said Steve Wilmot, tournament director of the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town in Hilton Head Island, scheduled for the week after the Charles Schwab Challenge and, like any of the first four events on the new schedule, will be held without spectators.

“We’re all—us, the Tour, the other first events—coordinating and bouncing ideas off each other to see how we can make this work. But we’re not going to jeopardize the health of the very people we depend on to bring this event to life. The Tour has a medical staff. They are identifying the right and the wrong. We will follow their lead.”

A little more than 37 percent of players who responded to Golf Digest’s query agreed most closely with Answer B (13 of 35), saying they trusted that the Tour would have sufficient safety protocols, but did not need testing in place for them to be willing to compete.

According to a PGA Tour spokesman, “health and safety measures as they relate to competition remain under review.” Some of those measures might potentially come from the guidelines that have been adopted at the state level in order for courses to open to the general public. Among them are prohibiting players from touching flagsticks and doing away with rakes in bunkers. If such measures were implemented at PGA Tour events, they could have a notable impact on the competition itself, one that some tour pros have balked at.

When PGA Tour pros competed this past week at the Maridoe Samaritan Fund Invitational outside Dallas, there were no bunker rakes on the course. A walking scorer with each group, however, carried a rake and helped attend to the bunkers when necessary, identifying a potential alternative to taking away rakes entirely.

Though looking out for the safety of anyone competing or working at a tour event is the top priority as officials plan out operations for tournaments moving forward, maintaining the competitive integrity of the events and the tour season overall also must be factored in.

“I’m 100 percent ready to play,” said Charley Hoffman, who is the chairman of the Players Advisory Council. “I’ve talked to many players who won’t have a problem playing. But is it fair for me to go out and play when others don’t feel safe? No. Is it fair for me to compete if so-and-so has a health issue and doesn’t feel safe playing? I don’t think so. Everybody has to be ready to play, not just me and somebody else.”

Those not ready to play come June got some reassurance from the PGA Tour on Thursday when officials announced that tour pros won’t lose their status for the 2020-’21 season if they fell out of the top 125 of the FedEx Cup list after the Tour Championship in September, the conclusion of the 2019-’20 season. All player eligibility will carry over into next season.

In the Golf Digest survey, three players chose Answer A, saying they didn’t need anything to be different, and one player picked Answer D, noting that more than testing needed to be in place for them to feel comfortable competing again.

“Testing is not enough,” said the anonymous respondent who answered D. “I need to know what the hotel, food and travel situation is, as well as what we are doing on the course. I hate the idea of getting to a city, having them test me, find out I’m positive and having to pull out of the event and quarantine there for 14 days while the tour continues on to the next city.”

 

Please share these tips, articles and insights, so that as many people as possible can benefit from #SafeGolf.

View Golf Digest article

ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 1 billion data points from more than 50 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 500 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $30-$50 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

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Pennsylvania will also allow courses to open on May 1

By Golfweek

28 April 2020

Count Pennsylvania as another of the states that will allow players back on the links soon. Golf courses across Pennsylvania can reopen on Friday, May 1, Gov. Tom Wolf announced early this week.

Deemed non-essential, golf courses have been closed as part of the Wolf administration’s mitigation efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wolf announced Monday he is lifting some restrictions on businesses related to certain outdoor activities to ensure Pennsylvanians have opportunities to safely enjoy outdoor recreation as a way to maintain positive physical and mental health, according to a news release from Wolf’s office.

In addition to golf courses, marinas, guided fishing trips and privately-owned campgrounds may reopen statewide on May 1. Campgrounds in state parks will remain closed through Thursday, May 14.

Businesses and patrons are required to follow updated life-sustaining guidance that prioritizes public health and safety. According to those guidelines, golf carts may be used at courses, but they are only for one person at a time, among other requirements.

“Pennsylvanians have remained resilient throughout this COVID-19 crisis, and as we successfully continue to flatten the curve to protect our physical health, it is critical that we also focus on our physical and mental health during these extraordinary times. As the weather warms and daylight lengthens, enjoying time outdoors is an important way to manage stress,” Wolf said.

“As we start to take measured, limited steps to reopen our commonwealth, reopening these industries will help to rebuild our economy and strengthen our mental health.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidelines that must be followed by businesses and when engaging in outdoor activity while the state disaster declaration remains in effect, according to a news release. The guidelines will ensure safety and adherence will help slow the spread of COVID-19:

• Stay close to home: Pennsylvanians are encouraged to enjoy permitted outdoor recreational activities within their community and avoid crowding popular destinations.

• Practice social distancing: Maintain the recommended minimum 6 feet apart from fellow recreationists. Pennsylvanians are also encouraged to wear a mask or protective garment that covers the nose and mouth any time they go outside. If a parking lot at a park is full or there are too many people on the same trail, find an alternate place to recreate. Cross the street to avoid running directly past another runner or wait longer at a golf hole for a fellow golfer to move forward.

• Minimize risk to others: Individuals should only go out if they feel healthy and have not been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

• Practice good hygiene: Wash hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol. Avoid surfaces that are touched often, such as doorknobs and handrails.

• Have a plan: Create a safety plan before heading outdoors. Explain to children the need to keep their distance from others, even if they happen to see a friend while outside. Discuss with partners, social distancing while on the golf course. Think through how to avoid other runners when waiting to safely cross a street at the same time.

“Practicing social distancing takes a little planning and patience but it is necessary if we want to continue to flatten the curve while ensuring that Pennsylvanians have opportunities to de-stress and get exercise,” Wolf said.

“Finding the balance between enjoying the outdoors and staying safe is only possible when all Pennsylvanians are abiding by the same precautions. It’s critical that all Pennsylvanians adhere to the safety guidelines to allow for these outdoor activities to remain available to the public.”

Please share these tips, articles and insights, so that as many people as possible can benefit from #SafeGolf.

View Golfweek article

ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 1 billion data points from more than 50 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 500 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $30-$50 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

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Golf courses can reopen in Washington May 5

By Todd Kelly, Golfweek

27 April 2020

Recreational golfers can return to the favorite golf courses in the state of Washington in eight days.

Jay Inslee, the governor of Washington, on Monday announced a return of outdoor activities in the state on Tuesday, May 8.

It’s considered a partial resumption of activities but residents will be allowed to enjoy golf, fishing and hunting, as well as state parks for day trips.

Inslee said that the Golf Alliance of Washington has established several new rules, such as spaced out tee times and golfers can only go out as foursomes if all four live in the same house; otherwise, golfers will be sent out in twosomes. But the governor also said that he will pull back on outdoor activities once again should the state see any increase in coronavirus infections.

The current stay-at-home order, which went into place on March 23, bars public gatherings and events, team sports and camping.

Please share these tips, articles and insights, so that as many people as possible can benefit from #SafeGolf.

View Golfweek article

ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 1 billion data points from more than 50 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 500 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $30-$50 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

SOLUTIONS

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NGF report: More than half of U.S. golf courses now open

By Jason Lusk, Golfweek

27 April 2020

More than half the golf courses in the United States are now open for the first time in more than a month, according to this week’s Covid-19 update by the National Golf Foundation.

As of the week ending April 26, 58 percent of U.S. courses were open, based on a survey of more than 1,200 courses. That’s up from 49 percent open the week before.

Eleven states currently are closed entirely for golf during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the NGF’s report done in cooperation with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. They are Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington. Illinois will allow its golf courses to reopen May 1, and Washington will allow its courses to open May 5.

Many courses are still closed despite having the option of opening. Those include the courses at several top resorts where golf might be allowed but hotel operations have been shuttered – with nowhere for guests to stay and amenities such as spas and restaurants closed, there wouldn’t be enough traffic to keep the courses open.

Some states such as California, Texas and Florida have counties or cities where golf courses are closed by local mandate despite no statewide ban.

Regionally, the West Coast and the Northeast have the most closed courses (see map).

Based on several factors such as multiple counties and municipalities in California allowing courses to reopen in the past week and some municipal courses in New York, including Bethpage, coming back online, the NGF anticipates that the total number of courses nationwide to be open to soon rise as high as 68 percent.

Contributing to the greater percentage of courses open are those northern tracks just coming online based on seasonality. Alaska’s golf season hasn’t started because of seasonality, and that state isn’t included among the closed states.

The report showed that nationwide 44 percent of municipal courses were open April 26, up from 40 percent the week before. The number of public daily-fee courses increased from 51 percent on April 19 to 62 percent on April 26, and the number of private clubs open increased from 52 percent 60 percent in that time span.

Please share these tips, articles and insights, so that as many people as possible can benefit from #SafeGolf.

View Golfweek article

ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 1 billion data points from more than 50 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 500 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $30-$50 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

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