Golf courses across Kentucky continue operating through COVID-19 pandemic
You can still tee off in Kentucky.
Golf courses around the state are taking additional precautions, but as of Wednesday remained in operation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neither golf courses nor public parks were specifically cited in the latest executive order from Gov. Andy Beshear’s office, which called for numerous entertainment and recreational venues to close by 5 p.m. Wednesday.
“Sporting event facilities” were noted as a type of business that must comply with the order, language that if left to interpretation could include spaces like golf courses and parks.
Jeff Adkerson, executive director of Golf House Kentucky, has sought clarity from the governor’s office and other state officials on how to proceed but believes golf courses will stay open. He noted that Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, after issuing a similar order on Monday, followed up with a clarification Tuesday that exempted golf courses.
Golf House Kentucky conducted a survey of its courses and hosted best-practices calls with professionals around the state and nation. Most courses have closed their restaurants and bars but some are offering carry-out options, Adkerson said.
“Everyone at the facilities are following the state mandate,” Adkerson said. “But as far as the golf component goes, there’s a lot health benefits to being able to get out into the open space like that.”
Kelly Cawcutt, associate director of infection control and hospital epidemiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, told Golf.com this week that as long as additional precautions are taken, playing golf during the pandemic is fine. She advised staying 6 feet away from other players and periodically wiping down clubs and parts of equipment that touch golf carts.
Adkerson said that many Kentucky courses are removing flag sticks and raising cup liners in holes so that the ball will bounce off and keep players from putting their hand in the hole. Several facilities are requiring visitors to walk the course.
“The congregation component, they’re being very mindful of that,” Adkerson said. “When you go out and play you’re limited to four people per group anyway, and some of these facilities are even reducing that number. They’re doing everything they possibly can to engage in the social distancing and follow CDC guidelines.”
Chris Rutherford is the owner of Boone’s Trace Golf Club in Richmond, and operates it as a family business. He, his wife, son and daughter “are trying to handle everything ourselves” at a time “where nothing’s on a normal scale.”
He does not know how the club would fare, operationally, or how his family would cover its expenses if it were forced to close down by the state or U.S.
“I’m really banking on the government to come up with something,” he said. “ ... There’s nothing in (his insurance policy) for business interruption for natural stuff like this. Obviously if the place burned down, that’d be different. This is not something you plan for when owning a golf course.
“You deal with droughts, you deal with excessive rain and it is what it is, but you just don’t know that people are going to be somewhat confined in their living. You just don’t plan for that.”
If courses are allowed to continue operating for the foreseeable future, it could be a boon: with enclosed spaces elsewhere shuttered and other forms of organized exercise discouraged or banned, golf is uniquely situated to benefit because of the individuality inherent to the sport.
Due to damp weather, course staff around central Kentucky with whom the Herald-Leader spoke Tuesday afternoon couldn’t determine whether COVID-19 had affected turnout this week, but they said their intake was comparable to what it normally is on rainy days. Rutherford said he’s prepared to turn people away if it comes to that, as long as his course and others get to remain open.
“That’s always a good problem,” Rutherford said. “We would adjust to where it needs to be adjusted, but I would look forward to that.”
