Golfers hoping to get back on course

(Gareth Fuller/PA Wire.)

Like the rest of Irish society, golfers will be hanging on every word that comes out of today’’s cabinet meeting, which is set to sign off on a roadmap to bring the country out of the current Covid-19 lockdown.

Golf clubs, practice facilities and courses across the island of Ireland have been closed on the advice of the sport’s governing bodies since March 24 as the Golfing Union of Ireland and Irish Ladies Golf Union follow the lead of Government guidelines in place until Monday.

Any lifting of restrictions will be contingent on five public health-related criteria laid out by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who while acknowledging public fatigue at the current guidelines warned such relaxations would be “slow and gradual" and done in a "tiered manner” as efforts to bring the coronavirus under control continue.

Golfers are hoping the return of their sport, at least in a non-competitive environment will be one of the earlier tiers given it was one of the last activities to be shut down more than a month ago. The GUI and ILGU are understood to have met with Government officials on Wednesday to discuss a return to social golf and are likely to issue a statement on its path forward as the national roadmap has been outlined.

Any return to social golf will have to be gradual with social distancing likely to stay in place as well as the limit on exercising within a two-kilometre radius from one’s home but the example of other countries in returning to sport will be instructional and golfing authorities here are in contact with colleagues in other jurisdictions.

While England Golf yesterday updated its Covid-19 guidelines by reiterating clubs and courses must remain closed, the body did publish “Play Safe, Stay Safe” guidelines for golfers and clubs to prepare for an anticipated return in mid-May.

Denmark’s courses were only closed for two weeks before restrictions were relaxed at the end of March to allow two-balls and those closures were voluntary on the recommendation of the Danish Golf Union. Clubhouses remain closed but two weeks after courses re-opened, the union then advised that practice grounds and putting greens could follow suit for numbers appropriate to the size of the facility and four-balls were allowed, teeing in 10-minute intervals rather than seven

While there are understood to be concerns here in Ireland about non-members visiting clubs and paying green fees, Danish courses are open to both groups with members allowed to play with guests though the Golf Union would prefer if golfers keep their playing partners within as limited a sphere as possible, preferably within the same household.

There was good news for at least one Irish golfer yesterday with ?Amateur Champion James Sugrue learning he will get the opportunity to defend his title in August. The R&A yesterday announced new dates for its rescheduled championships, with the most prestigious off all, The Amateur, moved from June 15-20 to August 25-30 at Royal Birkdale and West Lancashire.