Rejoice. Cheer. Raise a glass. Do whatever you deem appropriate (as long as it’s safe and legal) to celebrate … because golf, yes including amateurs, is back and open for play, writes Wade Pretorius.
After 79 days – and countless engagements between the GolfRSA-led sporting alliance – the country’s golf courses have been given the green to return to the fairways, tee boxes and no doubt drop zones from Saturday 13 June.
‘GolfRSA and the Golf bodies welcome the efforts of the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture that have allowed for the safe return of Golf,’ read a statement on GolfRSA’s website on Friday 12 June.
‘The Golf bodies wish to thank the Minister, Director General and their team of staff for their commitment to helping Golf to begin exercise and training for members of a federation, agency, club or body. Golf acknowledges and recognises that the safety of human life is of paramount importance. We appreciate the challenge presented to government to ensure an appropriate response to the threats presented by the global Corona Virus pandemic. As a result, we sought to ensure compliance with unfolding regulations and directives.
‘Over the past few weeks, GolfRSA has equipped all clubs with Risk Mitigation Strategies and training of Compliance Officers. In addition to this, GolfRSA has provided all facilities with a state-of-the-art Application that allows for the scanning and monitoring of all golfers and staff.
The statement stressed that: ‘Clubs need to complete the Confirmation of Compliance Document and submit it to GolfRSA before they can open their facilities.’
‘We wish to thank the golfing public and industry for their support of the collaborative process undertaken by the golf bodies.’
The news will come as a welcome relief to the tens of thousands of staff that rely on golf facilities. The industry employs as many as 40 000 people of which 85% are from the vulnerable sector. It has been widely estimated that as many as 50% of the nation’s golf clubs could be lost forever due to the sport being sidelined for so long which would mean up to 20 000 staff would be left unemployed.
The golf industry’s economy was estimated to be worth nearly R50 billion last year.
Further, it appears that the relationship between GolfRSA and the various sectors of government was enough to prevent the handful of rogue courses reopening without permission causing a further delay. [Read that story HERE]
In order to ensure golf’s readiness and commitment to the cause of preventing the spread of the coronavirus, GolfRSA procured the HealthDocs App at a substantial cost to ensure golf clubs comply with laws around digital screening, monitoring, tracking and staff and/or golfers movements.
To find out more visit golfrsa.com.
