Corona-virus now cuts into casual golfer’s course time

By Rahul Banerji

While it an increasingly serious situation, the spreading corona-virus pandemic has spawned its own share of humour, some bizarre, some in dubious taste and some downright funny.

Jokesters have taken to social media platforms with gusto, many posting memes, others Tik-Tok style clips, photographs, odd suggestions and what have you about corona-virus.

Many of these seek to look at the lighter side of the global epidemic that for now threatens the way the world functions, and what it could look line months or a year down the line.

So what does this have to do with you and me? Besides life-altering daily routines, quite a lot, actually.

Restrictions in place

For one, not only has professional golf been hit around the globe with tours and tournaments suspended, amateur golf tournaments have also fallen off the radar.

Understandable as these involve people gathering in numbers at a time social distancing thanks to the fast-spreading corona-virus is becoming the new catch-word.

At the same time, for the casual golfer too, there has been a fall-out. While many golf courses around the world continue to function, with restrictions in areas away from the golf course, others are not taking chances.

Some have shut, others are functioning partially, others have as of now, seen no change in their working.

Several queries have come in to teetimetales.com, so this is an update/advisory of sorts. Others will be posted as and when further information/inputs become available.

Course info

The course at the Delhi Golf Club continues to function without restriction as of now, even though the number of walk-ins there is relatively restricted. Services are limited.

The Noida Golf Course, which sees a relatively high number of walk-ins, is open for members but is closed for green fee entries.

The course at the Hindan Sports Complex at Mohan Nagar near Ghaziabad, is open and restricted to Indian nationals.

The AEPTA course run by the Army in Dhaula Kuan, is open to golfers while facilities have been limited as is the case with the other venues mentioned.

The Classic Golf and Country Club near Gurgaon continues to function as normal though fairways have been cored yesterday, so remember to check if the preferred lie rule applies.

In Bangalore the Karnataka Golf Association course is in play, bit all common areas including the driving range etc have been shut.

The KGA has also done an excellent job in devoting a full section on its website to COVID-19 and its related issues including a list of local speciality hospitals, and an informed FAQ section that deserves a close look.

Readers are invited to write in to rabane@hotmail.com or rabaneb@gmail.com with updates about their local courses, further information, ideas, suggestions.

Visuals as the one reproduced above that relates both to the game, and the current situation are most welcome too.

Also read: Corona-virus hits golf as PGTI, PGA Tour suspend seasons