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

Benicetomonty

RGS wrote: »

The big problem is that sports Ireland take the NPHET recommendations and adapt them for sports.
If NPHET state no more than 2 households can meet outdoors sports Ireland takes that and imposes it on the sports involved.

The re opening in NI on 12 April is subject to the 2 household rule which confirms golf Ireland have not been able to amend the rules. It allows 2 balls every 8 minutes.


Given the NI return date and rules I now believe we will reopen golf on the 12th with the same rule.

Golf in NI reopening on April the 1st. 2balls, 3balls and 4balls are all accomodated, allbeit within the expected limits re: time spacings and number of households involved per group.

golfguy1

RGS wrote: »

The big problem is that sports Ireland take the NPHET recommendations and adapt them for sports.
If NPHET state no more than 2 households can meet outdoors sports Ireland takes that and imposes it on the sports involved.

The re opening in NI on 12 April is subject to the 2 household rule which confirms golf Ireland have not been able to amend the rules. It allows 2 balls every 8 minutes.


Given the NI return date and rules I now believe we will reopen golf on the 12th with the same rule.

Northern ireland isn't 2 balls. its 2 households( could mean a family of 4 playing together

11521323

Come April 2nd will Ireland be the only country on the planet with golf courses closed?

Bill Ponderosa

11521323 wrote: »

Come April 2nd will Ireland be the only country on the planet with golf courses closed?

Probably, I think at the moment golf courses all over the world are open apart from England, Wales and Ireland. Crazy.

AnBeagalltach

the greatest game wrote: »

lads on here arguing over 2 balls 3 balls 4 balls.. god, its hard to read some of the rubbish.

I was just want to play any sort of golf, which I am now pessimistic that it will happen in April.

It’s easy to say that but the reality is that in a club with anything over 600 members , 2 balls is the exact same as no golf for many constrained to weekend only play. Especially with the pent up demand

BENDYBINN

AnBeagalltach wrote: »

It’s easy to say that but the reality is that in a club with anything over 600 members , 2 balls is the exact same as no golf for many constrained to weekend only play. Especially with the pent up demand

For gods sake people would gladly take one round of golf a week at the moment no matter what form it takes.....

rickis tache

Last time the club I was in asked members to restrict rounds to 3 Monday to Thursday and once at weekend......needless to say this wasn't followed by committee members and others.

PabloAndRoy

AnBeagalltach wrote: »

It’s easy to say that but the reality is that in a club with anything over 600 members , 2 balls is the exact same as no golf for many constrained to weekend only play. Especially with the pent up demand

Once the clocks change, 9 holes from 5.30 will be on the cards. That will probably be my first few rounds. Weekends will be packed at my club and pretty much every club.

willabur

I just want to play golf, don't care if its 1ball or 4 ball

RoadRunner

PabloAndRoy wrote: »

Once the clocks change, 9 holes from 5.30 will be on the cards. That will probably be my first few rounds. Weekends will be packed at my club and pretty much every club.

Last time wasn't there also restrictions on course opening hours too though? :rolleyes:

eoghan104

I see Lucan GC are opening up timesheets from the 5th of April today. I love their optimism!

PabloAndRoy

RoadRunner wrote: »

Last time wasn't there also restrictions on course opening hours too though? :rolleyes:

I don't remember time restrictions at my club.

boardise

RoadRunner wrote: »

Last time wasn't there also restrictions on course opening hours too though? :rolleyes:

Yes . My club handled most things well-but they insisted on closing the course at 9.00 p.m-even in midsummer when you could be playing until around 10.15 p.m.

ShivasIrons

AnBeagalltach wrote: »

It’s easy to say that but the reality is that in a club with anything over 600 members , 2 balls is the exact same as no golf for many constrained to weekend only play. Especially with the pent up demand

What is the difference in numbers between 2 balls and 4 balls playing?

ShivasIrons

RoadRunner wrote: »

If some courses with fewer members want to play 2 balls only, then that's great, and I'd love to join that course too!

Masterscoreboard shows 715 members listed on my course of 18 holes. Our course cannot sustain 2 balls or any other mickey mouse stuff that was insisted on last time. We had to switch to 9 hole x 2 balls to try to sustain the demand.

If we play with fewer clubs or without plastic tees then there's also technically less risk of catching a virus but I don't feel golfers need nphet or the government dictating additional rules to golfers as to how we play. In the great outdoors it doesn't matter whether there's 2 or whether there's 3 people per square kilometre on the course and forced government limits as to how often players can tee off at is tokenism. It's putting caveats on things that aren't measurable and for no point. It's interfering in things just for the sake of it and it's the difference between you playing your first round of golf in 5 months, in beautiful sunshine on a lovely course and you not being able to get out!

If we play with fewer clubs or without plastic tees then there's also technically less risk of catching a virus

I don't understand what you mean by this, can you please explain?

idle

BENDYBINN wrote: »

For gods sake people would gladly take one round of golf a week at the moment no matter what form it takes.....

Speak for yourself

The Big Easy

On a brighter note I still think we're looking good for April 6

The rhetoric has changed slightly to health and wellbeing with a focus on the 'outdoors'.

Who'd have thought that health and wellbeing might help in fighting a virus that preys on sub-optimal immunity?! Well certainly not the general medical profession who only see disease and illness.

We're in peril of a dangerous immuno-compromised spiral in the years to come. Anyone remember the talk about the adverse effects of over-sterilization that was raised last year? People need to be outside strengthening their immune system naturally with sunlight and exercise while also being exposed to healthy bacteria or the next virus will really %&*$ us up!

Anyway was dropping a club down to the pro and saw that the greens have been sanded and hollow tined with a couple of mowers out tidying everything up. All looking good for the grand reopening I would say

DaveQuinn2020

I think it is highly likely that we will be restricted to 2 households initially. If that is the case I'm hoping we keep it to 2balls for now. Otherwise you will have mostly 2balls on the timesheet with the odd fourball in the middle holding everyone up.

opinionated3

BENDYBINN wrote: »

For gods sake people would gladly take one round of golf a week at the moment no matter what form it takes.....

Why would you just settle for that?? Because nphet/ the government told you so? In a sport that we know is perfectly safe? I believe most golfers want a FULL return to normal playing conditions(albeit with no rakes, handshakes or touching of flag sticks). We are paying good money to be members of golf clubs. As I said before it's bad enough that the bars and catering are shut at the clubs, the least we should expect as members is the normal round of golf that we were used to pre covid. Golf Ireland shouldn't be entertaining these caveats either IMO.....

PARlance

willabur wrote: »

I just want to play golf, don't care if its 1ball or 4 ball

Same as that, you could get yourself awful worked up about the rationale (or lack of) behind some decisions if you let it but I'm just looking forward to getting out on the course again.

If it is 2 balls/households, it'll be for a limited time, a few weeks. I actually enjoyed the 3 ball phase the most last year, that was bliss in terms of pace of play at our place.

(I do think some of the rationale is ridiculous and that our Government has failed us big time with the vaccine shambles... But getting worked up about it is fairly futile and not good for the noggin)

RGS

opinionated3 wrote: »

Why would you just settle for that?? Because nphet/ the government told you so? In a sport that we know is perfectly safe? I believe most golfers want a FULL return to normal playing conditions(albeit with no rakes, handshakes or touching of flag sticks). We are paying good money to be members of golf clubs. As I said before it's bad enough that the bars and catering are shut at the clubs, the least we should expect as members is the normal round of golf that we were used to pre covid. Golf Ireland shouldn't be entertaining these caveats either IMO.....

Golf Ireland will accept these caveats. They have accepted them in NI.


Its not ideal and I don't agreed with the rule but if that's what we have to begin with then its better than sitting at home.
Hopefully if will be amended within a few weeks.

BENDYBINN

opinionated3 wrote: »

Why would you just settle for that?? Because nphet/ the government told you so? In a sport that we know is perfectly safe? I believe most golfers want a FULL return to normal playing conditions(albeit with no rakes, handshakes or touching of flag sticks). We are paying good money to be members of golf clubs. As I said before it's bad enough that the bars and catering are shut at the clubs, the least we should expect as members is the normal round of golf that we were used to pre covid. Golf Ireland shouldn't be entertaining these caveats either IMO.....

Maybe if golf Ireland had argued one round per member per week for physical exercise and mental health golf courses would have kept open......but no it’s all or nothin on here.

Raisins

opinionated3 wrote: »

Why would you just settle for that?? Because nphet/ the government told you so? In a sport that we know is perfectly safe? I believe most golfers want a FULL return to normal playing conditions(albeit with no rakes, handshakes or touching of flag sticks). We are paying good money to be members of golf clubs. As I said before it's bad enough that the bars and catering are shut at the clubs, the least we should expect as members is the normal round of golf that we were used to pre covid. Golf Ireland shouldn't be entertaining these caveats either IMO.....

You can’t settle for something over which have absolutely no control. You can’t take a tough line with restrictions. They’re either in place or they’re not.

bustercherry

RGS wrote: »

Golf Ireland will accept these caveats. They have accepted them in NI.


Its not ideal and I don't agreed with the rule but if that's what we have to begin with then its better than sitting at home.
Hopefully if will be amended within a few weeks.

They don't get a choice along with other sporting organisations on adherence. Government make the policy on whether the outdoor sports can open and what the conditions of that opening are.

(Not directed at you) but some people haven't a clue what golf Ireland is or how much power they actually wield.

Mantis Toboggan

bustercherry wrote: »

They don't get a choice along with other sporting organisations on adherence. Government make the policy on whether the outdoor sports can open and what the conditions of that opening are.

(Not directed at you) but some people haven't a clue what golf Ireland is or how much power they actually wield.

So Leo is sitting down with Micheal and saying right 2 balls only lads for a few weeks and then we might move to 3 balls if you're good, casual golf only covid doesn't like competitions... :rolleyes:

bustercherry

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

So Leo is sitting down with Micheal and saying right 2 balls only lads for a few weeks and then we might move to 3 balls if you're good, casual golf only covid doesn't like competitions... :rolleyes:

Where did I say that. Of course they don't.

The 2 household rule is a prime example of what Golf Ireland could have to comply with - hence the 2 balls only. It's rule across all outdoor activities, not golf. No competitions last year was because the rule for sports opening up was non competitive only (or something along those lines), it wasn't targeted at golf and was up to Golf Ireland to decide how to comply.

As I say Golf Ireland don't get to choose what they adhere to if they want golf to open up again. (They can lobby for/against policy) but their role is to issue the guidelines on how golf & clubs can comply.

First Up

Whatever government, NPHET or Golf Ireland decide, it will be up to clubs to enforce. If it's two households only, then it has to be two balls only; clubs can't be expected to control it any other way.

I don't know what's going to happen but If golf is allowed resume then clubs and golfers better respect the terms. If they are found to be ignoring or evading them, they risk blowing it for everyone.

RGS

bustercherry wrote: »

They don't get a choice along with other sporting organisations on adherence. Government make the policy on whether the outdoor sports can open and what the conditions of that opening are.

(Not directed at you) but some people haven't a clue what golf Ireland is or how much power they actually wield.

Maybe using the word accept was too forthright.


I agree golf Ireland will implement the rules as decided by golf Ireland who will take their lead from NPHET and the government, which is what happened last year.


Ill have to run a draw to decide which of my usual partners gets to play with me.

IAmTitleist

Just got word from my club here in Northern Ireland about the return to golf on 1 April.

Obviously it's only 2 balls (technically two households).

We are being restricted to only 9 holes of play so timesheet will be opened up to allow you to book for either front or back 9, this will allow more out at one time.

Restricted to only being allowed one booking at the weekend and two during the week.

Fingers crossed this is only the case until the 12h April when we should hopefully be going back to proper 4 balls.

blue note

Sounds like there's a bit of a u-turn from the government alright. I'd assume it's due to pressure from golf Ireland. They probably wanted to keep golf closed but when golf Ireland flexed their muscles they were too intimidated not to bow to the pressure.

I think we should all thank golf Ireland for dictating to the government what their policy should be on the issue.