Due to the Coronavirus, everyone’s taking care to keep themselves and others safe and healthy. Things like frequent handwashing, wearing masks and practicing social distancing have become the new normal.
The good news is that many golf courses are still open, and this is a sport that’s easy to adapt to recommendations from the CDC. Here are tips for staying safe while playing at River’s Edge Golf Course during the pandemic.
Choose Your Partners Carefully
Technically, you’re not supposed to meet up with people who aren’t in your home. This works great for those families who love golfing together, but not everyone fits into that category.
If you do choose to golf with people who are outside your family unit, choose wisely. This isn’t the time to golf with a big group of buddies, and it’s not a time to be golfing with a different person each day of the week. Pick one other person (or couple) to be your regular buddy, and make sure that person is otherwise using social distancing guidelines.
Practice Personal Safety Practices
Masks might not fit the traditional golf look, but at this time, they’re essential. We’re now learning that it’s possible to be asymptomatic and pass the virus on to other people. When you wear a mask, you’re not only protecting yourself against coronavirus, you’re also protecting those around you in case you’re infecting others without realizing it.
Additionally, you’ll also want to bring your own sanitizer. Use it on your hands and to wipe down anything that you might touch.
Avoid Shared Materials
Golf courses are doing their best to keep everything sanitized, but you want to be as safe as possible. This means that you should always be using your own materials. Bring your own golf clubs. Don’t share pencils or scorecards.
Walk, don’t ride. You should also avoid using golf carts. If that’s not possible, make sure that you thoroughly wipe everything down before you get in and ride separately from anyone that’s not a part of your household. Golf carts force you to be in close quarters with other people, and this makes it easier to spread germs.
Also, leave the flagstick in while putting so as to avoid many people touching and holding the stick while others in your group putt. It’s one less thing you’ll have to worry about.
Keep Your Distance
In the club or on the golf course, you need to keep your distance. Stay at least six feet away from others in public spaces. Hopefully, the golf club has made this easier by posting signs and reminders around the course but take responsibility for yourself.
Also, though it’s sad to say this, now is not the time for celebrations. When you meet up with people, you should not shake hands or give hugs. When you break your best score, there should only be “air” high fives from six feet away.
Golf is the perfect opportunity to get out of your house and stretch your legs, as long as you remember to be safe. We’ll all get through this together.