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Is it time to put away your golf clubs and allow them to collect winter cobwebs? Or, hopefully, will Ireland’s more than 250,000 golfers have a chance to extend their season?
The answer to such questions was expected to be provided on Tuesday, as the GUI and ILGU asked Sport Ireland and the government for clarification on whether golf clubs could continue to allow players to play, either socially or competitively, under the new Covid-19 level 5 restrictions in the Republic. Golfers from Northern Ireland may play under the restrictions of the Stormont Assembly.
Initially there were mixed messages from politicians when the move to Level 5 was announced on Monday night, with independent TD Mattie McGrath listing the golf activity among which they could continue (as long as players observed the 5 km) while the leader of the Green Party, Eamon Ryan, appeared. to suggest that golf was not one of the activities on the allowed list.
The GUI and ILGU, the governing bodies, had requested clarification on the confusion with the intention of informing whether clubs could give the green light to members to continue playing while respecting public health guidelines.
“Like other sports, (the) GUI and ILGU remain committed to Sport Ireland regarding the impact of the new restrictions that will go into effect (midnight Wednesday). Clubs will be informed of the result as soon as possible, ”the GUI posted on social media where the topic had become a hot topic.
The Yes / No Game in play since the latest Level 5 measures were announced is not limited to just golf, as tennis, sailing and fishing sports bodies also await further clarification on how Level 5 restrictions would affect their members .
Unquestionably, as happened in the previous phases of the roadmap in early summer, the 5km restriction will automatically rule out a significant number of golf club members, even if golf is allowed. This time, however, it would also appear that junior members can continue to attend golf academies or train (which might be appropriate with next week’s midterm break), as there is an exemption “to carry school-age children to the permitted training as provided for in the Exercise and Sport section. “
‘Golf gate’
The whole episode of the so-called “Golfgate”, or rather the dinner at the hotel that followed the departure of the Oireachtas society in Connemara, gave golf something of a bad reputation in the middle of the summer and the country’s fight against the coronavirus, but, in golf. the clubs themselves, public health guidelines, and social distancing were met very well.
In fact, golf was one of the first sports to get the green light for some games at the beginning of the year when the initial Irish government roadmap was drawn up – a host of measures were taken across the country. as golfers tried to adapt. The yards remained on the holes, the bunkers were unlocked, the players arrived in their cars and headed straight to the first tee and then from the 18th green back to their car. The handshakes on the final green became obsolete.
Many golf clubs saw an increase in memberships throughout the year as the sport, suitable for social distancing by its nature and being played outdoors, drew back those who had left it on the back burner. to pursue other sports activities and also attracted newcomers.
So will those golf clubs collect cobwebs or make more outings? The Yes / No Game deserves an answer both for those who play and for the significant number of those who work in the indigenous golf industry.
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