London_Boro
Well-known member
I spend most of the day looking for my ball in the trees. I'm not catching Covid in there! 
Golf gone again
- Thread starter Borotommo
- Start date
100% it's because golf is seen as an elitist sport, and they don't want to be seen as allowing that, and not allowing others.
You could easily put a 10m social distancing rule on golf, or even allow people to play as singles at the very worst, or allow just 9 holes. I don't think any of those are necessary mind, the standard 2m rule and a 2 ball, rarely ends up with players stood within 5m of each other, or there's no reasons to need to be within 5m of each other. The same was as there's no reason to need to have the club shops open etc, people can do without if need be.
I don't for one second believe that a guy playing golf, and driving to golf for 18 holes, taking up about 5 hours of his day is more of a risk than have him walking the streets, visiting a garden centre, supermarket, picking up DIY bits etc. Or just having him sat on his ar$e getting more miserable by the minute.
There doesn't seem to have been an adequate risk assessment of golf being carried out, compared to the alternatives of how that person would otherwise spend his time. Or if they have, they've just assumed that a bloke is stood 2m apart from another guy for 5 hours, and the alternative they have assumed is a guy sat in his house, not moving, not getting more miserable, not visiting the shops, not walking around his estate passing 30 people, not doing diy etc. The latter isn't happening, no way. It's more likely the guy would get pi$$ed off and rebel, break rules or partake in other riskier activities, which are allowed.
As a side note, I'm not even looking at this from a golfers point of view, just looking at what is logical. I play golf, but not in winter, I'd rather go for a walk or out on my bike, which are both allowed, but I think they're both more risk, and more risk of other unwanted/ closer contacts/ heavy breathing etc.
breakthewallsdown
Well-known member
I live in Redcar and Cleveland and play golf at Redcar, local enough
It's how you define local, most would live close to their home course I expect, within a few miles.
I live a mile from the muni, but when I go walking I end up going further than the muni, or a further walk away in time than the muni takes to drive. I don't pass or come into contact with anyone, going/ driving to the muni, but pass 100 people when out on a walk. Same with biking, nobody is going out on their bike, doing laps of their estate for an hour or two, they will be going further than the golf course guy, I expect.
atypical_boro
Well-known member
What about people who do live locally to a golf course though? I'd imagine most people live within a few miles of a golf course. I actually live over the road from one just about.
That's exactly the issue. Allow golf and 50 other sports will want exemption. Sooner or later the lockdown doesn't work because there are so many exceptions.
Capybara
Well-known member
Walk or run there and back. There's your exercise.
What 50 sports could justify exemption, like golf can?
How many other sports are non-contact, don't involve using the same ball, no cross contamination, so socially distant, played in a massive field, with only two people, not crossing paths of others, no unnecessary or unexpected close contact, next to zero risk of injury, no mechanical risks, no dangers, involves a slow steady heartbeat etc. If there are any other similar sports then let them go ahead too?
Running around the block is more of a risk, jesus, going for a walk and using the same farr gate or style as 100 others is much more risk, as is any contact sport, shared ball sport etc, not many of them are comparable to golf.
Tennis is an easy no, as people handle the same ball.
festa5
Well-known member
But some sports do have exemptions by default because they aren't explicitly named. So you can go with your mate and play basketball outside because it's "exercise" and isn't explicitly banned. Cycling is exempt.
If you wanted to go and kick a football about with one other person you could do so etc etc.
Obviously I'm biased but annoying tennis has been singled out. I suspect partly because the people making these decisions think tennis clubs are like gyms and they want to be seen to be closing "facilities".
But most tennis courts are essentially a net on a piece of tarmac in a park.
If we're being fair then surely it should be the only "exercise" you can do is go for a walk or a run.
atypical_boro
Well-known member
Its over the road.
HolgateCorner
Well-known member
I’m a golfer, I’m a member at Wilton.
It is safe on the course in my opinion, the only places you get anywhere near anybody else is on the tee or the green but nobody wants to get near a swinging driver or near somebody putting.
But I have seen a couple of problems with it in that the toilets area is confined and risky with more than one person in there and the pros shop is always busy with people popping in and out to get score cards etc. Some golfers also share vehicles to get to the course.
So I think closure is the right decision if you want to lockdown properly.
It is safe on the course in my opinion, the only places you get anywhere near anybody else is on the tee or the green but nobody wants to get near a swinging driver or near somebody putting.
But I have seen a couple of problems with it in that the toilets area is confined and risky with more than one person in there and the pros shop is always busy with people popping in and out to get score cards etc. Some golfers also share vehicles to get to the course.
So I think closure is the right decision if you want to lockdown properly.
nowthen
Well-known member
Two sets of balls, sharpie pen an initial. It’s that attitude that really annoys me.
Walking around a golf course, you’re closer than two tennis players drilling cross court.
Both should be allowed.
Playgrounds are packed with parents and kids. Dog walkers in groups. Joggers in groups. It’s rubbish!!
Michael_Vronsky
Well-known member
More importantly, can we still chase foxes through our green and pleasant lands?
What he said.
The golf course in my town was crawling with walkers during the spring lockdown.
find golf an incredibly dull sport (never played never will) but I do feel for you golfers. Ridiculous to close courses.
A lot of people can't run or even walk and use a buggy it's a lot of people's only outlet and totally safe you can meet a friend and go for a walk but can't play golf with someone 20 yards away on other side of the fairway
Corcaigh_the_Cat
Well-known member
Does Scotland have a different attitude to golf, I know it's looked on differently in Ireland and is more accessible than here. Do we have any pitch and putt courses around here, they were very popular and locally accessible when I lived there?