Golfers and course operators in Ontario must have felt like they sank a hole-in-one this week.
Golf courses will be allowed to open on Saturday as part of an initial stage of easing restrictions on businesses in place since March 23 to limit the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus.
The Ford government gave golf the green light yesterday after weeks of business shutdowns and orders for people to combat the coronavirus pandemic by staying inside and avoiding contact with others as much as possible.
And while golf will return in time for the May long weekend in Ontario, it comes with new guidelines designed to maximize physical distancing and limit the number of contact points where the virus can be transmitted.
Lauren Zanini, director of golf operations at Echo Valley Golf Club in London, Ont., is elated that her course can finally open.
“It hasn’t been easy holding off, but we’re excited about this,” she said. “We’re used to being open in the beginning of April. So our goal now is to open up while keeping everyone safe.”
I think it’s good for people to get out. People are going stir crazy right now.– Lauren Zanini, Echo Valley Golf Club’s director of golf operations
Zanini said unlike most other sports, even pre-COVID-19 golf has a certain amount of physical distancing built into its existing rules of play.
“You’re outside. You can follow your own ball, and you don’t have to be with the players you’re playing with. You’re not confined to a particular space,” she said.
“I think it’s good for people to get out. People are going stir crazy right now.”
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Zanini said golf course operators in London have used this spring’s downtime to swap ideas about how the game could be tweaked to keep players safe.
Many of those ideas are included in the guidelines the Ontario government released as part of yesterday’s announcement.
Here are some of the ways the age-old round of golf is changing in this COVID-19 age.
Call before going
Echo Valley is asking golfers to book ahead and arrive no earlier than 20 minutes before their tee time. Instead of the standard 10-minute intervals between groups, Echo Valley is doubling that to spread out groups and reduce the chances of golfers bunching up on greens or at the tees.
The clubhouse will be open, but Echo Valley is using a “staging” model where golfers move from the pro shop to the putting green and onto the first tee in timed intervals. At the clubhouse, only a limited number of people will be allowed inside at a time. Echo Valley has installed Plexiglas around the cash register, and golfers should be ready to pay by debit or credit card — no cash. The course is also adding online payment to its website so golfers can pay before they arrive.
“Even in the parking lot and on our practice greens, we’re trying to keep only one group on at a time to maintain social distance,” Zanini said.
This is part of the provincial guidelines, which call on courses to consider moving to no-touch payments as much as possible.
On the course
Golf allows players to spread out as they move from tee to fairway to green, so in most cases, physical distancing shouldn’t be difficult to achieve. Zanini said golfers are asked to use the same common sense they use while sharing a sidewalk and make an effort to spread out around two potential choke points: the tee and the green.
No more holes?
So what about reaching into the hole after sinking a putt?
At Echo Valley that won’t happen because each hole will be blocked with a chunk of cylinder-shaped foam that sits flush with the top of the hole.
“It’s kind of like a pool noodle,” Zanini said. “It just blocks the hole.”
If your ball rolls over the foam, you’ve holed out, meaning you got the ball in the hole. This is a twist on what the province recommends: elevating the plastic cup out of the hole so the ball doesn’t fall in. Any ball contact with the cup, and it’s considered a good putt.
As for the flag stick? The new rule at Echo Valley is don’t touch it. And again, the provincial guidelines are also calling for flags to be left in place.
Lauren Zanini of Echo Valley Golf Club in London, Ont., says golf is the perfect sport for physical distancing. (Submitted by Lauren Zanini)
“We actually already have signs asking people not to touch it,” Zanini said.
Instead of using cardboard scorecards handed out at the clubhouse, Echo Valley has put its scorecards online. Golfers are asked to print out a copy before they head to the course. Ball washers and wastebins have been pulled from the course to minimize touch points.
No cart sharing, limited bathrooms, other rules
Zanini said over the past few weeks the use of golf carts has been a topic of debate. The provincial guidelines say one cart per golfer. Also, the province calls for carts to be thoroughly sanitized between rounds, something Zanini said her staff is already doing.
At Echo Valley, outdoor bathrooms have been removed. Washrooms inside the clubhouse will be open and with enhanced cleaning protocols in place.
Zanini said much of this comes down to common sense.
“If people are going for walks in their neighbourhood, I don’t see why they can’t golf if they’re using their own equipment, and they’re social distancing.”
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
