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

Benicetomonty wrote: »

Days like this would lead me to ponder if golf and outdoor sport will really have to wait until April 5th to reopen. The 'stupid s#$*' mentioned (of which Id wager there was v little to begin with) would be completely mitigated by clubhouses and restaurants remaining shut (and there have been no serious campaigns, from golfers at least, to open either) so players will literally drive to the course, play and drive home. They may stop for petrol and or groceries, but they have to do that anyway.

The 5k restriction is also looking increasingly more ridiculous. So very arbitrary and almost comically unmanageable; one can only feel desperately sorry for the guards trying to decide who's lying and who isnt. In this weather, people are going to meet up. They're going to go to parks and beaches. And, in too many parts of Dublin, when the population density is what it is, the Botanic Gardens, the Phoenix Park, Bull Island, Donabate Beach etc are going to absolutely jammed even if nobody is breaching their 5k limit. And that's the problem right there. The safe and logical solution is to open outdoor sport.

Opening tennis, golf etc will have the effect of filtering people away from these places with zero or negligible additional risk of transmissions. If anything, they will be decreased. If the 5k has to be extended or dismissed altogether to accomodate this, then it should be.

The only problem with this is that there are some people here who are to daft to see this logic.
The bigger problem is that the government don’t seem to see it either.

TXPTGR1 wrote: »

I blame social media and forums like this tbh
There’s a lot of thickos out there that think they no better than people who have spent years studying immunology and epedemiology
Back in the day they had no outlet for their I’ll informed nonsense but now....
Displays? a massive lack of resilience, if not getting out for a round or 2 is driving people this demented.
Would? love to see how these people would have managed the famine, probable would have spent it going around telling people their just a bit hungry nothing to worry about

Honestly if you are going to call people "thickos" - have a look at your own grammar and writing first

I think people are too cranky to debate anything at the moment.

You can definitely see a change in the mood and activity out there. This is a bit out there - and not unheard of. But you could make a compelling argument that courses should be open to the public to walk on.

Perhaps this is happening a bit around the country. I've seen it a bit more the more this has gone on.

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

It is rare I agree with any of your posts - but I would have to agree at this stage the lockdown - is an Irish lockdown.

Was told of companies open - pubs open (Irish sort of open) and more lads playing golf.

This exactly.
For whatever reason our first reaction to any rule is “how can I get round that” whereas some other countries think “how do I comply with that”
I don’t think anyone would claim golf isn’t one of the safest things we could be doing, but it’s about optics as well. I want golf back as much as the next golfer but I can see how the whinging and moaning will increase if it gets the nod ahead of certain other aspects of life.

Russman wrote: »

This exactly.
For whatever reason our first reaction to any rule is “how can I get round that” whereas some other countries think “how do I comply with that”
I don’t think anyone would claim golf isn’t one of the safest things we could be doing, but it’s about optics as well. I want golf back as much as the next golfer but I can see how the whinging and moaning will increase if it gets the nod ahead of certain other aspects of life.

What about the optics of public parks being open. Nobody is listening to the whinging of (and it’s not just golfers doing the whinging) people giving out about groups congregating everywhere and parks being over run.

So I don’t buy the optics excuse.

Seve OB wrote: »

Sorry fix I don’t buy that. Golf is not elitist in any way shape or form. Sure don’t you play it
Sure there are a few elitist clubs, but there are elite private member bars in town and elite seats in Croke park and lansdowne road, but there is plenty of opportunity for everyone in society to get involved if they want to without costing a ridiculous fortune.

And if the 1000s of people dodging each other in the park as they look over the fence at the golfers have a problem, we’ll they can always play themselves.

I obviously know a good bit about who plays golf - but I think maybe you are too on the inside to notice what it is
I guess I was talking about the perception of golf.

Was told lately - "golf is played by a pack of right wing fascist - has a racism issue and is sexist. In America it is played by basically Trump supporters" . :D

Good friend of mine said above . I guess even golf itself has acknowledge it has an image problem. Golf has changed massively. But at the moment it would just take a scratch from the surface to upset the public.

I guess golf will have to open up in some degree of alignment with other things. I personally wouldn't recommend becoming an outlier with the public at the moment.

Seve OB wrote: »

What about the optics of public parks being open. Nobody is listening to the whinging of (and it’s not just golfers doing the whinging) people giving out about groups congregating everywhere and parks being over run.

So I don’t buy the optics excuse.

I agree with you, but as Fix mentioned, it’s the perception of golf. Golf isn’t elitist but it’s still perceived to be by a large part of society. You can almost hear it from the likes of the headbangers in town yesterday “awww yeah they’ll allow golf for the accountants and lawyers, but we can’t do xyz...” I fully get they’re not representative of wider society at the same time.
In fairness the govt have a balancing act between the important stuff and the really important stuff. I’m hoping/expecting golf to open on Easter Monday, if for no other reason then the north will be open a week earlier.

PARlance wrote: »

81 around Luttrellstown there the last day, had a good scoring going until an aspiring Radar Riley got into my head... Left a few out there but happy enough seeing that I'm only getting out once a week these days!

Oops sorry, wrong thread.

That is definitely outside your 5 KM - but maybe you were "going to work" - like the other 1.5 Million in Dublin.

bigmac3 wrote: »

Did you get any sneaky videos or photos of them?

Well I probably should have to prove my point as you tell the likes of you what was going on and you'd shout hearsay without evidence. Produce the evidence and you'd say it's historical. Argumentative for the sake of it

First Up wrote: »

But it isn't just about the time on the course. Its sharing cars to get there; its travelling more than 5k to get there when nobody is supposed to; its exempting golf while every other sport and social activity is closed down.

I'm as frustrated as everyone else but how often do people need to have the blindingly obvious explained to them?

It's a global pandemic folks.

Wouldnt think it to see the thousands of people out today and why wouldn't they on such a beautiful day, but if you are cooked up inside you wouldn't see what the reality is these days

First Up wrote: »

Plenty of scope to enjoy the weather and still behave responsibly.

Yes Mr Nephet

First Up wrote: »

It's a global pandemic folks.

yes but the rest of the globe seem to be able to see that playing golf is not a contributing factor to the virus spread

First Up wrote: »

Plenty of scope to enjoy the weather and still behave responsibly.

plenty of scope to enjoy the weather and still play golf responsibly

Golfhead65 wrote:

Definition of stupidity. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.. SOUNDS FAMILIAR DOESN'T IT

Well the only thing that seems to have affected the outcome so far is the Level 5 restrictions so factor that in.

And that's the definition of insanity by the way.

Seve OB wrote:

plenty of scope to enjoy the weather and still play golf responsibly

I'd be all for that if we could trust people to behave responsibly.

benny79 wrote: »

If the government said tomorrow we can play golf and opened up the courses we would all play be delighted and say nothing. What would have changed? The numbers are still there along with the virus its because the government allowed us. Does that make it right? The virus is hardly going to say government said it was ok I'd leave the people playing golf!

We are in the biggest lockdown we ever had and we have a vaccine this time round! We are going to have to live with the virus we cant keep going into locking down the whole country!

You either lockdown the country or you don't this is half arsed like all the others and is just prolonging everything. Plus there is still people entering the country and not quarantining and have been since day one!

The vaccine needs to have been administered to enough of the population so that it starts making the big difference. Just not getting out there quickly enough. Once that happens you will see a huge movement towards relaxing the restrictions.

The dog in the street knows golf is safe to play.
That’s not the issue though. It’s a gradual reopening and the schools are far more essential than golf. If they open golf you move the bar for all sports to argue they can open safely and before you know it the retail is arguing then the pubs etc. I understand completely why it’s still closed down even if I don’t agree with it.
A blanket ban on everything is the only way unfortunately. Gradual reopening of schools now bound to add a few cases detected in the coming weeks but should be easily manageable with the elderly currently being vaccinated.

If it remains stable case wise then, vaccines take full effect which will reduce hospital admission and death and also the icu capacity will continue to come back slowly as it is we will have a slow gradual reopening.

It’s the prudent play after a disaster decision in December. I get that.

Is golf safe... yes.
Should it open now.... no

Things ain’t just black and white unfortunately.

ForeRight wrote: »

Golf is not essential for exercise or mental health. Anyone can go for a walk.
If swinging a golf club is essential to somebody’s mental well being they should probably get professional help because that’s not a great way to be.

I think you missed my point. Of course golf is safe but so is so much more. If they allow one sport you’d have everyone after that arguing they are safe and the bar for safety just keeps on moving until things are just messy again.
The blanket ban was all that would work. I understand that even if I know golf is safe. I also understand government knowing if they allow one sport they open a can of worms for themselves.

I’m very hopeful for April golf too.

if you want to stick to essential then stick to essential. shops are open and not just supermarkets. warehouses are open, shipping out plastic toys. is that essential? woodies is open where you can buy easter decorations, is that essential? dunnes are open where you can buy t shirts, is that essential? i could go on and on but you get the picture.

the point is, there are a hell of a lot of non-essential things open which can't be considered safe environments if golf can't. so your blanket ban is not working, mainly because there hasn't been a blanket ban in place.

i think you miss the point about mental health. mental health issues are not always just solved by going for a walk!!! if you take away the one thing that someone really looks forward to, it is not going to do their mental health any good. take my dad for example, 72 years old, lives alone, i havent seen him since st stephens day, he sits at home alone. he is not really mobile enough to go for walks etc, (he uses a buggy to play golf). he won't let me do his shopping as it is the only trip out of hte house he takes once a week.

Seve OB wrote: »

if you want to stick to essential then stick to essential. shops are open and not just supermarkets. warehouses are open, shipping out plastic toys. is that essential? woodies is open where you can buy easter decorations, is that essential? dunnes are open where you can buy t shirts, is that essential? i could go on and on but you get the picture.

the point is, there are a hell of a lot of non-essential things open which can't be considered safe environments if golf can't. so your blanket ban is not working, mainly because there hasn't been a blanket ban in place.

i think you miss the point about mental health. mental health issues are not always just solved by going for a walk!!! if you take away the one thing that someone really looks forward to, it is not going to do their mental health any good. take my dad for example, 72 years old, lives alone, i havent seen him since st stephens day, he sits at home alone. he is not really mobile enough to go for walks etc, (he uses a buggy to play golf). he won't let me do his shopping as it is the only trip out of hte house he takes once a week.

The blanket ban I was referring to was on sports. I wasn’t comparing golf to any shops that are open which some may consider non esssntial.
If golf was open a whole world of screaming starts for government from other sports who could argue they are safe also and then the full retail, restaurants and pubs follow that was my point.

As I’ve said I think golf is safe I’m just saying I understand why it’s not open yet.

I understand your dads situation and it’s crap, I get that but unfortunately the bigger picture is about way more than a situation that’s quite personal to you.
My parents go nowhere. Health wise not great and they are at home with my adult special needs brother. My dad would love to go to golf too.
It’s a terrible situation for everyone. We are nearly there now though imo.

There are people in favour of the current level of restrictions that are oblivious to their own behaviour. Defining themselves and their own excursions as essential, so it's easy to see how they can't understand the frustration of people who actually observe the restrictions as they are intended.

I live about 25km from where I'm studying, I could get the Dart into the city centre to get a book from the library and study (these are the kind of excursions that can be argued as essential in our nonsensical restrictions), stopping along the way for a coffee along the quays and a picnic in the park. I don't do this, instead I study in the loft while my partner works downstairs and I walk in the woods close by.

I observe the restrictions but I want them changed, especially the nonsensical arbitrary ones (such as no golf). I want them changed not just for me, but for the wellbeing of all. It really frustrates me when people who are continuing to go about their daily activities relatively unchanged (relative to those truly affected by and observing restrictions) lecture those about wanting some kind of social or physical outlet for their justified frustrations.

Come on, there are very few who actually have to go into work in these times. You have Michael Martin travelling around the country non-stop lurking over the shoulders of the vulnerable receiving vaccinations. What earthly reason does he have to be in primary care facility at this time and with a camera crew and advisors too no doubt, beyond the opportunity for a photo-op? Then a scrum of reporters awaiting his emergence for more soundbites.

Is it any wonder that those whose lives and work are given more meaning by this pandemic (politicians, reporters, healthcare professionals) can't quite grasp the deleterious effect it has on the rest of us?!

Raisins wrote: »

I was with you until you went on this tangent. Anyone who has to go out and work as an essential worker, whether politician or healthcare or any others like factory workers and delivery drivers demand a lot of respect.

Healthcare workers in particular, don’t deserve to be accused of not understanding the effect of the pandemic on the rest of us.

I fully agree they are worthy of respect, but anyone fully engaged and allowed to be fully engaged with their own work at this time, naturally will have a different outlook and perspective on restrictions.