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Golf courses will be reopened for restricted play in the first phase of the Government’s roadmap, and Gaelic games and soccer will resume in July.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced that the current restrictions will run until May 18, but outlined a five-phase roadmap on how Irish society and economy will slowly reopen.
The stages will be separated by three weeks from May 18.
The first phase will see the opening of public outdoor sports facilities such as tennis courts and golf courses where social distance can be maintained.
Golf’s national governing bodies have said that the game will be for members only and that competitions will not be allowed in the initial stage.
The second phase will begin on June 8 and will see people authorized to participate in outdoor sports activities and physical activities, which involve sports training in small groups (but not games) where social distance can be maintained and where there is no contact .
Phase three, on June 29, will allow “behind closed doors” sporting events in which arrangements are made to allow participants to maintain social distance.
More significant developments are expected in phases four and five.
Starting July 20, the government says GAA and soccer teams will be able to resume activities, but only when limitations are placed on the number of spectators and where social distancing can be maintained.
The final phase begins on August 10 and will allow close physical contact sports such as rugby and boxing.
Gyms and sports clubs will open once effective cleaning has been done and social distancing can be maintained.
Mass sports meetings will only be allowed “according to number restrictions both indoors and outdoors.”
The national governing bodies of golf, Golf Ireland, the Irish Ladies Golf Union and the Golfing Union of Ireland, have welcomed the news that the courses will reopen later this month.
“The golf community in Ireland appreciates the Taoiseach’s confirmation that our clubs can be reopened on a restricted basis in the first phase of the Government’s plan to ease Covid-19 restrictions,” said Mark Kennelly, CEO of Golf Ireland.
“This means that golf will be one of the first sports to resume and will give golf club members the opportunity to return to play in a limited but safe way.
“Golf offers the potential to play a major role in recovering from this crisis in terms of public health. Our sport provides a valuable outlet for healthy outdoor activity that can be enjoyed with the appropriate safety measures.”
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