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

B-D-P--

The Big Easy wrote: »

Ha! The State's propaganda arm has responded!

https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2021/0217/1197619-golf-environmental-impact/

I hate the RTE add about their news with the slogan

"The truth matters"
This is a prime example. It annoys me how people lap up their ****, The mirror is a more reliable source than they are!

The Big Easy

Whiplash85 wrote: »

Her background is engineering so I'm not sure what her bona fides are with regards to environmental impacts of golf. Surely you could take aim many other things besides golf. 3 out of her first 4 points are practically the same. It is a rubbish article. RTE are scraping the bottom of the barrel. But it will be interesting when the Covid hysteria dies down to see the full scale mobilisation of hysteria around climate change. This agenda is coming down the track and fast. What interested me recently was seeing a report that had showed Ireland cut its emmissions by 6% in comparison to 2019. A paltry figure when you take into context just what kind of year we had.

It's a completely clueless puff piece but the timing is interesting. There is a point to be made about golf courses and climate change, especially all the vibrant lush green courses in the Middle East and the US desert, the amount of watering required must be truly eye-watering!

CalamariFritti

I dare say it’s a lot better for the planet than yet another shopping centre.

The Big Easy

Kiith wrote: »

What a complete waste of the 2 minutes it took to realise that article was absolute bollox.

Sorry

Just what a headline to have on their homepage at this time, highly curious :pac:

Kiith

The Big Easy wrote: »

Sorry

As long as you didn't write it, or approve it, you've nothing to apologise for.

You didn't do either, did you? :pac:

Kingswood Rover

Whiplash85 wrote: »

If I said you had a 4 hour window or reprieve from this current lockdown and could play any course in Ireland where would it be?

Tallaght Stadium with a full house for Rovers and Bohs, nearly a year now since the last home game.

golfguy1

Hang on, that's a thing? I rarely hit the fairway anyway, but how can they not be in play?[/quote]

pretty sure most/all links courses do it for the winter
I know tralee, ballybunion and dooks all use mats or drop to the side

ForeRight

bailey99 wrote: »

Do you want to give me your phone number and I'll get my neighbour who was in the ward to give you a call to explainn the situation?

No need for that now sure you’ve just confirmed there that your big dramatic post about hospitals being overrun with 30-40 year olds on oxygen was anacdotal rubbish.

Thanks for clearing it up.

slingerz

CalamariFritti wrote: »

I dare say it’s a lot better for the planet than yet another shopping centre.

I think clubs could definitely improve their bio diversity with growning up the lesser used areas but then there’s the consideration of round time if people are looking for balls

Luckycharm

Whiplash85 wrote: »

Yeah Ballybunion is hard beat. Played it 2 or 3 times. Cant wait to get back. This is a short non simulated shot by shot of each hole in Ballybunion to give you a feel for it. Only 12 minutes long. Needless to say every fairway and green was hit. Number 11 is a real eyecatcher along with the par 3 15th and par 4 17th. Something to whet the appetite and drive you demented in equal measure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPVpITKEkQY

Booked in to play Ballybunion and Tralee for first time in May, can't wait though the way things are going we won't be bloody allowed leave our county!!

CalamariFritti

slingerz wrote: »

I think clubs could definitely improve their bio diversity with growning up the lesser used areas but then there’s the consideration of round time if people are looking for balls

I only cross-read that article but when i read that point 1 was lost balls my head started shaking right away.

There are arguments that ecologically a golf course is a bit of a green wasteland. Highly pesticised, highly fertilised, short-cut, monoculture, all cleaned up no refuge for animals or even insects. That kind of stuff.

But lost balls

blue note

That article didn't bother me at all. Golf is apparently very bad for the environment and I've never heard any serious talk about trying to change that. Maybe a few articles would put some pressure on clubs, manufacturers, unions to improve their practices.

The first stage will be articles like that being written and people with vested interests (such as golfers) refusing to accept there's a problem or more likely acknowledging there's a problem but refusing to accept anything being done about it until we better understand it. The level of understanding needed for them to be happy for it to be addressed is infinite, it'll never be achieved. Eventually enough people will come round and enough external pressure will build and golf will be forced to address the issue.

bustercherry

The Big Easy wrote: »

It's a completely clueless puff piece but the timing is interesting. There is a point to be made about golf courses and climate change, especially all the vibrant lush green courses in the Middle East and the US desert, the amount of watering required must be truly eye-watering!

Is it a conspiracy or just a coincidence?

CalamariFritti

blue note wrote: »

That article didn't bother me at all. Golf is apparently very bad for the environment and I've never heard any serious talk about trying to change that. Maybe a few articles would put some pressure on clubs, manufacturers, unions to improve their practices.

The first stage will be articles like that being written and people with vested interests (such as golfers) refusing to accept there's a problem or more likely acknowledging there's a problem but refusing to accept anything being done about it until we better understand it. The level of understanding needed for them to be happy for it to be addressed is infinite, it'll never be achieved. Eventually enough people will come round and enough external pressure will build and golf will be forced to address the issue.

Did you say 'stage'?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6BW-mvkRjE

blue note

CalamariFritti wrote: »

Did you say 'stage'?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6BW-mvkRjE

One of the all time great series! I can't remember which politician it was that said the west wing is politics as it should be yes, minister is politics as it actually is!

Kiith

Luckycharm wrote: »

Booked in to play Ballybunion and Tralee for first time in May, can't wait though the way things are going we won't be bloody allowed leave our county!!

I'll buy the bookings from you for half price :pac:

ronnie3585

https://www.independent.ie/news/two-politicians-to-be-prosecuted-for-golfgate-dinner-40102766.html

Four prosecutions arising out of Golfgate.

It's really unhelpful to have this fiasco back in the media again, and will no doubt be a blow to an early return to golf.

The Big Easy

bustercherry wrote: »

Is it a conspiracy or just a coincidence?

Oh, I'm sure it's just a coincidence, RTE doesn't fly kites or seek to influence their consumers (sorry I mean viewers and readers).

Obviously on the balance of probabilities it's pure coincidence, just curious it appears as maybe some unrest is gathering amongst those wanting to return to the fairways in the Springtime sun :pac:

Golfhead65

bailey99 wrote: »

Do you want to give me your phone number and I'll get my neighbour who was in the ward to give you a call to explainn the situation?

Take a break will you, this is about golf related matter not hospitals overrun or not, I'd say there is another forum somewhere on boards for that

@rtenews

"I've said this since the beginning, if you focus on cases, contacts and clusters, if you focus on restricting the movement of those who are sick or their contacts then you don't have to restrict the movement of all of society", Dr Mike Ryan, WHO Executive Director @rtenews

Seve OB

When I read the article earlier I thought it was an old one because she mentions Nike planning to make a biodegradable golf ball.
I mean how long are Nike out of the golf game now! 5 years I think.

CowboyTed

golfguy1 wrote: »

Hang on, that's a thing? I rarely hit the fairway anyway, but how can they not be in play?

pretty sure most/all links courses do it for the winter
I know tralee, ballybunion and dooks all use mats or drop to the side

Connemara no way... Even post handicap scores in middle of winter, open every Wednesday...

GreeBo

Adaline Thundering Gunshot wrote: »

The susceptibility of a virus to seasonality relates to what is referred to as an lipid "Envelope".

Like other viruses with a lipid envelope, SARS-CoV-2 is probably sensitive to temperature, humidity, and solar radiation; this affects its ability to persist on surfaces and in air, and might have subtle impacts on transmission.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-18150-z

The genetic material of some viruses is packaged not only in a capsid protein, but also in a membrane called an envelope, which is typically made of lipids. It interacts with host cells during the infection process and helps dodge immune attacks. Viruses with envelopes are more fragile and vulnerable to adverse conditions, Nathanson says, including, for example, summertime heat and dryness.

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/why-do-dozens-diseases-wax-and-wane-seasons-and-will-covid-19

I haven't read many recent studies but in terms of structure, the virus meets the generally accepted criteria of a virus which would be susceptible to seasonality.

There isn't really any evidence either way, so I would suggest its wrong to spread that idea, the WHo certainly haven't made that claim and in fact have said the opposide

https://twitter.com/UNGeneva/status/1288100372091932674

From your own link they have already noticed that sunlight has little impact on the virus:
"a global study found only a 1% reduction in transmission linked to environmental UV radiation3. In the real world, these effects will be slight, and unlikely to set hard limits on transmission anywhere in the world4."

and more importantly human behaviour is seasonal, again from your article:

"Perhaps the biggest confounder, social behavior is environmentally driven and seasonal, but is rarely weighed alongside environmental and immunity drivers as a hypothesis for why infectious diseases show seasonality13,14. For example, school terms are seasonal and have a marked influence on social mixing patterns relevant to influenza transmission, even in pandemics15,16,17. Without individual-level transmission data, it can be difficult to distinguish direct biological impacts of weather from behaviorally mediated seasonality, and in some cases, the two are blurred (e.g., vitamin D levels are driven by both weather and seasonal behavior). Confusing the two could easily lead to spurious predictions. "

And then just on basic observation, Brazil isn't doing too well with regards to covid!

tyivpc5qjx0f2b

GreeBo wrote: »

There isn't really any evidence either way, so I would suggest its wrong to spread that idea, the WHo certainly haven't made that claim and in fact have said the opposide

https://twitter.com/UNGeneva/status/1288100372091932674

From your own link they have already noticed that sunlight has little impact on the virus:
"a global study found only a 1% reduction in transmission linked to environmental UV radiation3. In the real world, these effects will be slight, and unlikely to set hard limits on transmission anywhere in the world4."

and more importantly human behaviour is seasonal, again from your article:

"Perhaps the biggest confounder, social behavior is environmentally driven and seasonal, but is rarely weighed alongside environmental and immunity drivers as a hypothesis for why infectious diseases show seasonality13,14. For example, school terms are seasonal and have a marked influence on social mixing patterns relevant to influenza transmission, even in pandemics15,16,17. Without individual-level transmission data, it can be difficult to distinguish direct biological impacts of weather from behaviorally mediated seasonality, and in some cases, the two are blurred (e.g., vitamin D levels are driven by both weather and seasonal behavior). Confusing the two could easily lead to spurious predictions. "

And then just on basic observation, Brazil isn't doing too well with regards to covid!

Excuse me but I’m not spreading anything, please stop misrepresenting me again.

I’m sharing articles, nothing I shared was anything other than a sharing of information.

I have no personal opinion, I shared articles which outlined the structure of the Covid 19 virus and how similar viruses have shown to have susceptibility to certain conditions akin to seasonality.

I’m sharing two highly accredited publications,

Science is one of the most highly regarded Scientific Journals in the world alongside the likes of Lancet. Nature is also a highly regarded publication.

Nowhere in that post did I say that Covid is impacted by seasonality, the mere fact that you are suggesting that I am spreading that idea is ridiculous.

GreeBo

Adaline Thundering Gunshot wrote: »

Excuse me but I’m not spreading anything, please stop misrepresenting me again.

You wrote: »

Nowhere in that post did I say that Covid is impacted by seasonality, the mere fact that you are suggesting that I am spreading that idea is ridiculous.

Also You wrote: »

the virus meets the generally accepted criteria of a virus which would be susceptible to seasonality.

Seems a lot like a suggestion to me there chief!

golf4774 wrote:

Science is one of the most highly regarded Scientific Journals in the world alongside the likes of Lancet. Nature is also a highly regarded publication.

Whereas the WHO are a bunch of garage based quacks?


Anywho on to more saner conversations!:o

With the recent uptick in temps and indeed sunlight the courses are filling in well, horrible to think we will have nicely striped fairways and greens, flowers and trees blooming and yet not a sinner gets to play on them
The clambour to get back whenever we do open is going to resemble Mumbai at rush hour.

Also, unless we get properly by Paddy's day we will see knock on impacts to inter-club, golfer of the year, intra-club, pain in the ar$e again after last year.

Luckycharm

Kiith wrote: »

I'll buy the bookings from you for half price :pac:

Playing Cashen as well what is that like, heard mixed reviews but only cost €20 extra

willabur

Luckycharm wrote: »

Playing Cashen as well what is that like, heard mixed reviews but only cost €20 extra

Cashen is a terrific course, don't let anyone tell you any different. That said I cannot wait to see what the refurb looks like as its a perfect bit of land for a golf course

IAmTitleist

Lockdown in Northern Ireland extended until at least 1st April. So no return of golf up North until then at least.

kennethrhcp

Luckycharm wrote: »

Playing Cashen as well what is that like, heard mixed reviews but only cost €20 extra

it's a lovely course aswell! we played it in crazy wind (45-50km) last year & really struggled but we all thought it was still a lovely course

slave1

Luckycharm wrote: »

Playing Cashen as well what is that like, heard mixed reviews but only cost €20 extra

willabur wrote: »

Cashen is a terrific course, don't let anyone tell you any different. That said I cannot wait to see what the refurb looks like as its a perfect bit of land for a golf course

kennethrhcp wrote: »

it's a lovely course aswell! we played it in crazy wind (45-50km) last year & really struggled but we all thought it was still a lovely course

Super super course, if it was placed anywhere else in Ireland it would be much higher rated but an unfortunate neighbour unfairly suppresses it.
I've played both and would prefer the Cashen any day of the week, it's literally a mad course, perched greens, blind tees, tight doglegs, such views, it has it all.