By Rahul Banerji
With lockdown restrictions eased on Sunday, an increasing number of golf clubs and courses are in the process of unveiling their pre-opening protocols.
While Delhi’s Qutab Golf Course was quickly off the blocks with its new set of rules, the Chandigarh Golf Club released its guidelines on Tuesday with the first round set to tee off on Wednesday.
Private courses in Haryana including DLF Golf and Country Club, the Classic Golf and Country Club, Golden Greens and Karma Lakelands have also announced that they are either open or will do so in the next 24 hours.
The Delhi Golf Club too opens on Wednesday and the course at the Air Force station on Race Course Road is set to welcome golfers from the same day.
As of yet, there is no news of the courses on the Uttar Pradesh side of the border with Noida Golf Course, Jaypee Greens and Jaypee Wishtown in particular still awaiting a nod from the administration.
The Noida authorities are in turn waiting for the green light from Lucknow.
Incidentally, the Qutab course management has asked golfers to keep bookings down to nine holes so that more people get an opportunity to get in a long-delayed round.
One issue that has come up often in my conversations with senior golfers (65 years an above) is whether or not they can venture out given the suggestions in the most recent guidelines.
Feedback from course managers and those with a better understanding of the matter suggests that this is a purely personal decision as it is not a prohibition, but a suggestion made in the home ministry guidelines.
There is no bar on your stepping out for a round of golf, or any other healthy past-time, for that matter as long as basic precautions like keeping a safe distance, etc are followed.
Selected portions of the CGC protocols are added below, and once again, other clubs and courses will essentially follow such guidelines with minor local variations.
General Guidelines from CGC
Golf course and range will be functional from 7.30 am to 6.30 pm
Restaurant, Bar, Gymnasium, Swimming Pool and Cards Room will continue to be shut.
Guests, registered applicants, reciprocal members, dependants and student members are not allowed on the course.
Dependants and Student Members can use the Range facilities for practice.
Members are requested to maintain adequate social distancing at all times. Min 6 feet.
Hand sanitizers are placed at vantage points in the club & on the course.
Golfers are required to wear face-masks at all times.
Members will be screened prior to entry in the club and temperature recorded.
Toilets will be operational and sanitised frequently. No shower / changing facility. Only paper towels will be made available.
Access to Golf Course
Golf course will be open from 7.30 am till 6.30 pm. Last tee off 4.30pm.
Entry to the club will only be against confirmed tee off booking. No walk-ins/first come first basis. Enter all four names while booking.
Members are advised to arrive only up to 30 minutes prior to tee off.
Golf Operations
Booking will be on phone only. Booking opens one day prior at 1 pm for morning slots (7.30 am to 11 am ) and at 8 am for afternoon slots ( 11.15 am to 4.30 pm ) Bookings close at 6 pm.
Tee 1 slots every 15 minutes from 7.30 am till 4.30 pm
Tee 10 for 9 hole play only. Slots every 15 minutes from 7.30 am till 9.45 am.
Booking is non transferable. For no-show against confirmed booking, member who made the booking will be debited Rs 500 towards caddy fund.
Cancellations of booking allowed up to 4 hrs prior to tee off.
No caddies are permitted till situation improves further. Members must fill divots and repair pitch marks.
Golf carts will be sanitised but only one member allowed per cart. Two golf bags can be strapped on a single cart. 90-degree rule to be followed.
Bag room and locker room for shoes will not be operational. Members can retrieve bags and shoes whenever they visit the club but redeposit of the same is suspended till further notice. Please carry golf bag & shoes back home with you.
Rakes are removed from bunkers. Level, place and play protocol to be followed.
Do not handle pins. Pins have been modified to retrieve ball by lifting disc by putter head.
Sanitisation station has been established outside bag room. Prior and post game members must sanitise their golf equipment.
Also read: Golf courses ready rules for post-corona lockdown scenario
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