Golf Lockdown Discussion ** No discussion of breaking Restrictions **

Break80

ForeRight wrote: »

The only issue will be that currently there are still approx 170 in icu with covid. That number needs to drop massively still and it tends to come down much slower than it goes up for obvious reasons.

Either way the sacrifices we are making are working.
We will be back playing soon and will have a super very appreciative summer of golf.

I think this is the only number to track. Not R numbers, positive tests or hospital admissions.
If ICU admissions are dropping day by day going forward surely we are over the worst and time to reopen?

gypsy79

ForeRight wrote: »

The only issue will be that currently there are still approx 170 in icu with covid. That number needs to drop massively still and it tends to come down much slower than it goes up for obvious reasons.

Would those selfish ****ers not hurry up and die!! :D

At some stage our government will need give up on the zero deaths.

R is currently pretty close to 1 based on numbers and nothing else (i.e. changes in testing etc.). But government are convinced still on way down so there is probably a reason for this

Break80

gypsy79 wrote: »

Would those selfish ****ers not hurry up and die!! :D

Stop please.

Lip Out

gypsy79 wrote: »

Would those selfish ****ers not hurry up and die!! :D

At some stage our government will need give up on the zero deaths.

R is currently pretty close to 1 based on numbers and nothing else

Putting smiley faces after a scummy comment doesn't make it any less scummy.

ForeRight

gypsy79 wrote: »

Would those selfish ****ers not hurry up and die!! :D

At some stage our government will need give up on the zero deaths.

R is currently pretty close to 1 based on numbers and nothing else (i.e. changes in testing etc.). But government are convinced still on way down so there is probably a reason for this

I was going to say would they hurry up and get better quickly

bailey99

Opening up is related to vaccination numbers not infection rates and new cases. Taoiseach announced that.

Europe isn't going to be opened up for tourism. There is no tourism, flights etc this summer until maybe in September earliest.

As for "do you think people will put up with argument....." Yes they will. It's what we Irish people do. We are in level five until April 12th. So bar three weeks at Xmas, we have been locked up for 5 months. Do you want me to repeat that?! 5 months John.

If they open up April 12th, u won't have over 70's vaccinated. So there's no opening up til that's done so that's the end of may at best.

I have to see the funny side in people think we will open up and ye are basing it on hopes rather than reality. But the reality is what it is. It's lockdown and no golf til end of may.

If they open up, all hell breaks loose again. Christ after two weeks at Xmas, the writing was on the wall. You think open up in April, we will behave ourselves for 5 or 6 months until we are all vaccinated? Get real.

I don't want to be locked up either but the governments solution is to lock us all in the wardrobe and hope this goes away. 12 months on and the solution is still to lock us up to solve the problem.

The political will to lock up 500,000 people isn't there when the alternative is to lock up 4.5 million people. Ironic isn't it?!!!

ForeRight

bailey99 wrote: »

Opening up is related to vaccination numbers not infection rates and new cases. Taoiseach announced that.

Europe isn't going to be opened up for tourism. There is no tourism, flights etc this summer until maybe in September earliest.

As for "do you think people will put up with argument....." Yes they will. It's what we Irish people do. We are in level five until April 12th. So bar three weeks at Xmas, we have been locked up for 5 months. Do you want me to repeat that?! 5 months John.

If they open up April 12th, u won't have over 70's vaccinated. So there's no opening up til that's done so that's the end of may at best.

I have to see the funny side in people think we will open up and ye are basing it on hopes rather than reality. But the reality is what it is. It's lockdown and no golf til end of may.

If they open up, all hell breaks loose again. Christ after two weeks at Xmas, the writing was on the wall. You think open up in April, we will behave ourselves for 5 or 6 months until we are all vaccinated? Get real.

I don't want to be locked up either but the governments solution is to lock us all in the wardrobe and hope this goes away. 12 months on and the solution is still to lock us up to solve the problem.

The political will to lock up 500,000 people isn't there when the alternative is to lock up 4.5 million people. Ironic isn't it?!!!

People are only saying we may drop from level 5 to level 4. That’s not unrealistic.

You are going on like we all think it’s going to be like December with pubs, restaurants and everything a free for all. That’s not what anyone is saying.

bailey99

We've gone to level four before. It doesn't work. We don't adhere to the rules and the case numbers go through the roof. They can't fight it on two fronts, the cases numbers low and they can concentrate on vaccination program. The logistics of scheduling and vaccinating 4 million people is a serious block of work.

If you look at things logically, golf is way down the list. I repeat this is the last lockdown. They are going to keep people locked in for as long as they can possibly get away with.

I hope your right, but looking at the criteria, work in hand, dangers of opening up too early, another waves, the safe play is lockdown 5.

What happened previously in level four or whatever is immaterial. Politicians are mentioning level 3/4/5 anymore, have you noticed that. This is the end game. Vaccination of the country could, I repeat could be done in 6 months time. So I see the logic or desire to lock us up til may let them vaccinate all the over 70's (470,000) at a minimum before they consider doing anything. If you think differently, I'll like to hear yr logic.

Come June they expect to be vaccinating 250,000 a week given the increased medicines available. That's why I see it opening up in June, the numbers and logic are there to back it up.

You open up April 12th, I guarantee we will be back into lockdown by June and that will balls up the vaccination program timelines accordingly. Again, if you think differently, tell me your logic. And logic, not your hopes.

bailey99

By my sums we are nearly 24 weeks in lockdown since may. Thats 24 weeks in the last 40 weeks.

We have been in level five lockdown for 51 days so far and if it goes to April 12th, that'll be 107 days in lockdown.

If we have accepted 51 days, 24 weeks out of the last 40 weeks, we will accept another 50 days no problem and another 80 days if we have to.

ForeRight

We are where we are now due to the government opening up a free for all in December just to appease the public. A disgraceful error which went against nphet advice.
Learn from that and dont make reckless decisions like that and we are perfectly capable of operating at level 4 and managing case numbers just as we did for a long while last year until the December catastrophe.

Add in the fact that all nursing homes are vaccinated now and with the roll out of the next category over the coming weeks death rates will plummet. The most vulnerable will not need hospital in any great numbers either. Hospital capacity will be safe. That’s all lockdown is there to protect. Lockdown is not designed to get rid of the virus.
If the most vulnerable to getting severe dose of it are vaccinated(which they nearly are) in the vast majority that’s the job done.
Maintain everything else smartly then.

That’s why I believe you thinking nothing is changing until June is incorrect. You’re entitled to your opinion that’s fine.

I’m optimistic for golf, tennis and other outdoor activities such as young kids training outdoors etc by Easter.

No logical reason why they won’t imo.

Break80

bailey99 wrote: »

Opening up is related to vaccination numbers not infection rates and new cases. Taoiseach announced that.

Europe isn't going to be opened up for tourism. There is no tourism, flights etc this summer until maybe in September earliest.

As for "do you think people will put up with argument....." Yes they will. It's what we Irish people do. We are in level five until April 12th. So bar three weeks at Xmas, we have been locked up for 5 months. Do you want me to repeat that?! 5 months John.

If they open up April 12th, u won't have over 70's vaccinated. So there's no opening up til that's done so that's the end of may at best.

I have to see the funny side in people think we will open up and ye are basing it on hopes rather than reality. But the reality is what it is. It's lockdown and no golf til end of may.

If they open up, all hell breaks loose again. Christ after two weeks at Xmas, the writing was on the wall. You think open up in April, we will behave ourselves for 5 or 6 months until we are all vaccinated? Get real.

I don't want to be locked up either but the governments solution is to lock us all in the wardrobe and hope this goes away. 12 months on and the solution is still to lock us up to solve the problem.

The political will to lock up 500,000 people isn't there when the alternative is to lock up 4.5 million people. Ironic isn't it?!!!

You have just said it yourself.
"12 months on and the solution is still to lock us up to solve the problem"
The first lockdown was supported by the population.
It didn't work if you are honest. If it did we wouldn't be in no. 3 now.
This lockdown hasn't the support the first one had.
You can see that in the traffic on the roads and people out and about.
People are close to the edge. I don't think they will accept much more.

What you will see when the weather gets a bit better is more defiance if tier 5 is still enforced.
I am praying the GARDA don't get heavy handed with their response to any
defiance as this would be the spark.
I'm only saying young people meeting up in parks, families heading for the beach, lads getting together for a kick about, All illegal in the Country we live in at the moment.
We need a clear pathway laid out.
As I said in an earlier post We all don't need to be vacainated before People can get on a course or Park/pitch.
Maybe some type of sliding scale. Nursing homes and employees are nearly there now.
Over 70s Tier 5 until vacine.
50s Tier 3
Youngsters Enjoy yourselves. It won't kill all of you.

bailey99

Over 70's there's 470,000 they aren't done til end of may. U think we are opening up two months before that happens? Really?

Fair play to your optimism.

youcancallmeal

Break80 wrote: »

The first lockdown was supported by the population.
It didn't work if you are honest. If it did we wouldn't be in no. 3 now.

The lockdowns in Ireland have always been about flattening the curve so in that sense every lockdown as worked to some extent. We don't have a 'zero covid' approach in Ireland so multiple lockdowns was always an inevitability.

I feel like this lockdown needs to last longer because we're not getting vaccines fast enough and the government want to ensure that this current lockdown is the last one we'll have to do. Moving to level 3 in March and reopening most things would probably mean we'd have to go to level 5 again before/during summer.

Golf can open safely, it's the people travelling together in cars that cause the problems. Ban opens, societies etc for a while longer. Encourage people to travel alone. Keep lockers and clubhouse closed.

Ollieboy

Deleted User wrote: »

Golf can open safely, it's the people travelling together in cars that cause the problems. Ban opens, societies etc for a while longer. Encourage people to travel alone. Keep lockers and clubhouse closed.

I’m guessing this is what we will see. I think 5th March is to early but I think we will be back during March or at worse after Easter.

The govt policy is to open business that have little risk and keep people employed, golf scores highly for this reason. But I doubt we will see clubhouse or indoor dining open until a large percentage have been vaccinated or numbers very low. So May early June would be my guess but I think outdoor dining will start earlier.

Even with the vaccine we are likely to still see high case numbers, so social distancing will be around for years.

The government have to decide what’s acceptable.

If this is similar to the flue and I’m guessing it’s worse, the vaccine will always be a few months behind the virus each season.

We also still don’t know enough about the vaccine, will we need it twice a year etc.

Lots of questions and opinions and guessing

Break80

The primary objective of lockdowns was to protect the health service.
If we went to level 3 today and maybe level 5 for over 70s until they were vaccinated in the next few weeks.
Of course you will see a spike in infections but this will mainly be healthy people which will not burden the hostipals.
They will probably take to the bed and feel crap for a few days.
I can't see the point in extending this much longer. The damage being done is too much.
Mental Health, Businesses, Young people.
Time to open the curtains and come out from under the bed before its too late.

slingerz

There is the seasonality of the virus as well to consider which means it should lessen as we enter the later spring/summer.

When it comes to lockdown we are far more docile than other countries where it wouldn’t be tolerated. I can see us remaining in lockdown until after April.

Coupled with the improved weather & pressure to ramp up a vaccine program restrictions will have to ease. It wouldn’t remain politically tenable to stay in lockdown until June IMO

The Big Easy

https://irishgolfer.ie/latest-golf-news/2021/02/15/golf-should-be-given-the-green-light-to-reopen-by-government/

I agree with this and would like to see a lot more measured and reasoned pushback against condescending government rhetoric.

I'm getting to the end of my tether like many others and am drafting emails to my local TDs before this new 'plan' is published.

FixdePitchmark

I don't know - can't put my finger on it. But no fight in me for golf to be back.

Enough to worry about with kids off school - work issues - keeping us all active and sane, etc.

In fairness - I've probably had more golf than most I know - so easier for me to take. Is way harder for people and they only play maybe once a week. For some golf is their only social outlet - only escape - some are not even working, so locked in house / 5 km - 24/7 for months now.

Someone put it well last week - lockdown is very unfair - some people actually look happy with lockdown - still in a job - working from home - a career break. Others in a nightmare situation. As crazy as this seems - if golf was open - some people would love the set up. You could see that first time out.

Sounds like things will open up in March ? The time sheet was hard work last time - so we will be 9 holes for a good while - then with many people still off work - and big gaps in time sheet will be even worse and maybe 2 balls / 3 balls. Then summer everyone in Ireland - going to be bedlam.

I'll of course be very happy when golf is back - but there is a massive loss of freedom , for what being in a club is all about. Going down in a random unplanned way was 90% of my golf. So - I know behind it all - when golf opens back up , it just is not my style of golf. Too structured - lack of variety - different courses - too much control. Golf is about freedom for me - and even with golf back. It will not be the same for a long time.

Kiith

Travel only within your county, tee times spaced out, 2-3 balls, no club house or practise areas. Drive to the club, go straight to the tee, leave afterwards.

How does that endanger anyone? I pass by more people on a morning run then i did when i was playing golf during restrictions last year. Talk of extending the restrictions past March (or god forbid, May) makes no logical sense. If the plan is to be shutdown till everyone is vaccinated, they might as well just tell us now that it'll be 2022 before we get to leave our houses.

callaway92

Kiith wrote: »

Travel only within your county, tee times spaced out, 2-3 balls, no club house or practise areas. Drive to the club, go straight to the tee, leave afterwards.

How does that endanger anyone? I pass by more people on a morning run then i did when i was playing golf during restrictions last year. Talk of extending the restrictions past March (or god forbid, May) makes no logical sense. If the plan is to be shutdown till everyone is vaccinated, they might as well just tell us now that it'll be 2022 before we get to leave our houses.

Doesn't endanger anyone, but there'd be war from all other sports then if Golf goes ahead. That's the primary reason.

ForeRight

We all know golf is safe. The dog in the street knows this.
The issue is the government had to just do a blanket ban and forget about sport that’s safe as all it does is open the door for other sports etc to say they are safe also.

Wherever you draw the line someone will be close to it and argue their case therefore the government would constantly be battling people pushing their cause.

I can accept the ban on golf for those reasons but eventually things need to be phased back in abs golf, tennis, outdoor kids etc should be the first to come back.
Hopefully.

bailey99

I have to laugh at some of the comments here. The notion of one poster that clubhouses be open may or early June.....no chance.

And the over 70's won't be vaccinated til end if may at the earliest. Yet ye all think it'll be march or start of April to go golfing. I'll come back at Easter and see how furious ye all are lol

ForeRight

bailey99 wrote: »

I have to laugh at some of the comments here. The notion of one poster that clubhouses be open may or early June.....no chance.

And the over 70's won't be vaccinated til end if may at the earliest. Yet ye all think it'll be march or start of April to go golfing. I'll come back at Easter and see how furious ye all are lol

You come across as a right plonker

opinionated3

bailey99 wrote: »

I have to laugh at some of the comments here. The notion of one poster that clubhouses be open may or early June.....no chance.

And the over 70's won't be vaccinated til end if may at the earliest. Yet ye all think it'll be march or start of April to go golfing. I'll come back at Easter and see how furious ye all are lol

You actually sound like some of the posters on the other threads who love lockdown.......

Seve OB

bailey99 wrote: »

I have to laugh at some of the comments here. The notion of one poster that clubhouses be open may or early June.....no chance.

And the over 70's won't be vaccinated til end if may at the earliest. Yet ye all think it'll be march or start of April to go golfing. I'll come back at Easter and see how furious ye all are lol

I think if you had it your way we would be all locked into our houses until sometime in 2023/2024 when the whole world has been declared Covid free and the army would be on the streets ready to pop anyone who dared show their snout in public.

GreeBo

slingerz wrote: »

There is the seasonality of the virus as well to consider which means it should lessen as we enter the later spring/summer.

What's this based on? I'm pretty sure the southern hemisphere have a covid issue for the last 6 months?

The chances on any government distinguishing golf from other sports is very low in my opinion.

Russman

opinionated3 wrote: »

You actually sound like some of the posters on the other threads who love lockdown.......

Nobody, anywhere, loves lockdown. If they did that'd make them as batsh1t crazy as the let it rip crowd.

I miss my golf badly, I think I got in two or maybe three 12 hole comps in December before it all shut down. Prior to that it was the end of September since I played. I'm hoping we might get the go ahead at Easter, but I'm realistic enough to know there's a bigger picture and a good chance we won't. That'll make it a break of 6/7 months for me which would be unheard of. I'd say there'll be plenty of upward moving averages with the new WHS when we do open back up !:D

So, hoping for Easter, expecting May Bank Holiday & disappointed if its June would sum it up for me.

RGS

Any re opening of society must be based on the risks of possible transmission of the virus. In relation to sports I would see the following as the risks involved in each sport.

Non contact sports Golf & tennis low risk. I would include any individual socially distance sport in this category(Sailing, canoeing) I'm sure there are other sports as well.

Soccer, rugby, hurling and gaelic football--high risk due to the physical contact nature of the sport.

Have our government the capacity to use common sense when considering the re opening of society---personally I dont think they have.

The bigger issue is the communication from government which is all over the place with Leo & Micheal coming out with what appears to be conflicting messages.

If we do get the go ahead to open in March, lets hope its not dictated it can only be 2 households, which creates untold difficulty for clubs and golfers in managing this process. Make it 3 balls and then we all know the score.

A lot of people are quietly tolerating lockdown at the min as the weather is crap. We are likely a few weeks from a nice dry sunny spring day. The pressure will come on then.