Golf Courses Shut During Lockdown.......

[Smowball]

COVID latest rules clearly state you can still exercise in a public place as long as you maintain social distancing - I was in a cab yesterday and in fact went past a huge park where loads of people were jogging on their own, exercising etc - so why are golf courses shut?? You couldn’t get more open/ outside and socially distanced. I don’t get it.

[TonyV]

I don't understand it either Smow, our local cafe is open without any social distancing

[bobbinwales]

should we ban jogging and exercising?
Its hard to draw the line. So many peopel want exceptions and if we allowed them all thered be no restrictions left. If golfing was allowed thered be complaints that it was cos it was an upper class game so why is darts or pool not allowed. Maybe the problem was the touching flagpoles and the clubhouse

[bobbinwales]

Its only 2 more weeks anyway. Hardly an inconvenience when people cant go to gyms or visit loved ones. A can see the complaints if it was allowed - why is playing golf with my mate or a stranger allowed but a cant have a cup of tea at my dads or visit mum in a care home

[gness]

If they open the golf courses, Smo then I would want lawn bowls greens to be open also.
I do archery and clay pigeon shooting so I'd ask for those to be available to me too......all activities that can be done with appropriate social distancing.
I'm sure there are other activities too.
It's not the activity as such. It's the inevitable socialising around it which we have seen in Ireland where a shower of bigwigs played golf and had a large dinner afterwards thinking they were above the laws that we are abiding by.

[TonyV]

Possibly smow having a hand sanatiser on every green might be a bit much, and possibly losing your grip on next tee shot lol

[douglas9401]

I've played golf and can assure the assembled that I'm no bigwig, I don't even have a toupee.

[Smowball]

It was Mr Smow who asked me lol as it’s the one exercise he does - playing golf once a week with his dad.

[grumpy01]

Does seem a bit bizarre to ban golf but Bowls greens are closed for winter anyway.

[bobbinwales]

The can still go for a walk for four hour's so not alls lost. Anyway gness summed it up well.

[gness]

You're not a pompous Irish Supreme Court Judge, Dougie....neither are you a one time Attorney General of Ireland who thinks the rules don't apply to him and his cronies. He thinks he can play golf yet tells me to stay in my house six weeks.

[10ClarionSt]

Before this second lockdown, there WAS sanitisers on every green at our club.

Bobinwales @ 19.57 /it was an upper class game /
A naive perception from you. Golf does have it's exclusive places such as Mere GC, St. Andrews GC, Royal Lytham & St Annes GC, but these are the exception. At most golf clubs you'll find that the members consist of tradesmen, HGV drivers, teachers, etc. Your ignorance is blatantly obvious.

[gness]

Indoor bowls, Grumpy? We play that all winter here.

[Smowball]

Tony is your local cafe allowing people to sit inside?? All ours are takeout/delivery only - all chairs and tables are taped up.

[bobbinwales]

well peopel compalined shooting was an upper class sport and am sure there are lots of poorer peopel and farmerwho do it but the percepcion counts- golf is seen as more upper class than for the unemployed or homeless and more male than female, more white than black. Course fees and clubs are to expensive for the underprivalidged.

[bobbinwales]

TBH a dont really care as a rarely play and have had to give up much more important things. Anyway gness covered it perfectly. Line's have to be drawn. Its a crisis.

[10ClarionSt]

Any hobby is going to cost money. My annual fees at the club are £410. That works out at £8 per week. The green fee is £12 in the week and £16 at weekends. The clubs I'm using are 15 years old and cost me £400 at the time. I would say that is not expensive. Your perception is very much misplaced Bob.

[Smowball]

Have to agree with Clarion.

But v well put gness.

[bobbinwales]

Thanks for prooving my point. How many carers or shop workers or waitresses can afford that. Anyway, accept it as it wont change in 2 weeks. Make the best of it

[10ClarionSt]

Some people spend a lot more than £8 per week on bottles of wine and gambling. Probably shop workers and waitresses. I say again, you have a biased perception of golf, borne out of ignorance.

[jno]

people complained shooting was an upper class sport

but just see how they cross they get when kids from the poor parts of town take it up in their streets!