To maintain some sense of normalcy in the midst of a global pandemic, many golfers are still teeing it up. That’s been the case in Los Angeles over the past few days, even as the city has taken comparatively extreme measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus. In essence, the city has ground to a halt but the golf courses remain a place to escape.
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order for Californians on March 19. The following day, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a “safer at home” emergency order that asked residents of the city to limit all non-essential activities outside their homes.
Still, the city operates 12 golf courses and Ashley Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the Department of Recreation and Parks, told the L.A. Times that they remain open for now. That’s a decision that has city officials split. Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin told the Times that keeping the golf courses open would give citizens an opportunity to congregate.
“I don’t think the courses should be open,” said Bonin. “I’m not getting what the essential purpose is of keeping them open.”
In some ways, working from home has opened up more free time before and after work for many employees to squeeze in an early-morning or late-afternoon round that in other times, might be impossible.
Some additional measures are being put in place to make golf as safe as possible. As Rodriguez told the L.A. Times, common areas are being sanitized, players are encouraged to ride solo in golf carts without being penalized and food and beverage operators at golf courses are under take-out only restrictions. Players are urged to pay with credit or debit cards instead of cash.
Individual courses are of course handling the situation differently. Notably, in Northern California, Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach has also become an option for golfers looking to get some fresh air. Even though Monterey County is under shelter-in-place restrictions through April 8, Poppy Hills opened March 20 “for play on an individual golfer basis,” according to the Northern California Golf Association.
Poppy Hills, home to the NCGA and No. 12 on the Golfweek’s Best list of courses you can play in California, will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until further notice but with some stricter social distancing measures. Players using carts must ride alone, flagsticks are to remain in the hole, rakes have been removed and players are not to trade scorecards among each other. Cups will be raised an inch above the ground and no more than four players will be allowed in the pro shop at any one time.
The NCGA maintains an online course directory that can be a helpful reference for players wondering if a specific course is open or closed.
