Area golf courses becoming coronavirus getaways - New York Post

The weather forecast for Friday is calling for temperatures in the 70s — the first true sign of springtime, the warmest day of the year to date.

The coronavirus has changed all of our lives, forcing us to stay at home and avoid public places, where the risks of infection are heightened.

With that, many people are seeking an escape, a safe way to be outdoors in an environment of proper social distancing. Some in the city have taken to walks or jogs in Central Park. Others are simply walking the streets. Group activities are forbidden until further notice.

But what about golf?

Golf in the Metropolitan Area is actually thriving in some places, but not at all in others.

The Post reached out to a number of area courses and found that the New York City public courses are alive with play and busier than they normally would be at this time of year, while a number of private courses are open with restrictions such as no cart use, leaving the flag sticks in the holes and bunker rakes removed from sand traps.

Golfers get in a round at Dyker Beach Golf Course.Gregory P. Mango

A common denominator to all of the golf courses is that clubhouses are closed for restaurant business, though some places are providing a takeout option as mandated by local government agencies.

Bottom line is this: People need an escape from the stressful times the coronavirus has us all in, and the golf course is a perfect respite.

“People need their outlets,’’ Yvonne Georgios, the general manager at Kissena Park, a public course in Queens, said. “It’s a mental state of mind thing. People are looking at it as a release, and the best place to be is here on the golf course.’’

Georgios said Kissena had more than 500 players combined on Sunday and Monday and predicted the course might have more than 200 on Friday with the warm forecast.

“People are coming out in full force playing golf,’’ she said.

“People are calling us to make sure we’re open, saying, ‘This is the last place I have to go,’ like it’s a last-bastion type of thing,’’ said Darren Hanzich, who works the pro shop at La Tourette, a public course on Staten Island.

“People are coming here to get away … and we’re the only game in town,’’ Damian Thomas said from the pro shop at Silver Lake, another public course on Staten Island.

“We’re packed,’’ a woman named Maura (who preferred we not use her last name) said as she worked the busy pro shop at Marine Park in Brooklyn. “The Governor closed our driving range and practice area, but everyone is so happy to be here.’’

Mike Giordano, the concessionaire at Marine Park, speaking to the mood of the players he’s come across the past several days, said, “You can almost see them taking it down a notch or two, just relaxing. There’s no television on. Golf isn’t in your face like that. The golf course does offer a little respite from that. It’s nice to see people have a little escape. As frustrating as the game is, during this time you can almost accept it.’’

As is the case with every facet of life in these uncertain times, the rules are changing almost minute-by-minute.

Several private New York and New Jersey courses, such as Suburban Golf Club in Union, N.J., were allowing cart use but restricting it to only one person per cart to keep with the social distancing. As of Thursday, however, Suburban had gone to walking only with no caddies available.

Dave Fusco, the head professional at Patriot Hills in Stony Point, said he’s opted to keep the course closed until further notice because carts are required on the hilly layout.

Fusco expressed surprise when informed that the city courses were not only allowing carts, but allowing two players per cart.

“I’m shocked that they’re allowing carts out,’’ he said. “I think walking is fine. But with carts, you’re making things worse. I know weather is great. You can be open, but it should be walking only.’’

The Monmouth (N.J.) County Park System Golf Courses issued these new guidelines:

A golfer works on his short game.Gregory P. Mango

— The courses will remain open for prepaid, walking rounds only. Prepayment must be done through the reservation system.

— All payments must be made online through the tee time reservation system at the time of the reservation. One person from the group must pay all costs associated with their booking.

— All of the buildings, including pro shops and restrooms, will be closed to the public.

— No golf carts are available, nor bunker rakes, ball washers or water coolers.

“We’re washing our hands, wearing gloves and making sure everyone is safe,’’ Maura from Marine Park said. “We’re sanitizing the carts between each group of players and doing all we can to be safe.’’

Giordano said Marine Park is, “following all the city directives and recommendations.’’

“But walking and being outdoors is a good option,’’ he said. “The golf course provides the ideal setting — with hundreds of acres, sunshine, clean air and Mother Nature. It’s been very encouraging that everyone is very aware of protocol, all to the necessary precautions you need to take. Most people are very in-tune with this. There’s a lot of elbow-bumping and no shaking hands. People have gotten the message.’’

How busy are our area courses? A person from American Golf Corporation, which runs six courses in the New York Metropolitan Area, revealed these numbers of play from Wednesday: Clearview in Queens had 199 players play, Pelham in the Bronx had 193 rounds played, Dyker Beach in Brooklyn had 164, La Tourette had 151 and South Shore on Staten Island had 115.

“All of us are on the fly trying to figure this out, trying to provide a little bit of escape for people in a safe way,’’ said Brian Giordano, the head pro at Westchester Hills, a private club in White Plains.

Kevin Purcell, the executive director New Jersey Golf Association, is headquartered at one of the area public courses that’s closed, Galloping Hill in Kenilworth, N.J.

He called being closed “the prudent thing to do,’’ but said he’s delighted that a lot of courses are open.

“Golf can be a place where we can adhere to all the guidelines and still be safe, because there’s a natural social distance between everyone on the golf courses with 200 acres of open land,’’ he said. “This is a time to get creative. One of the barriers with having a public golf courses open is cashier areas. We don’t know how long this is going to be going on, so we’ve got to figure out how to get people paid, checked in [without breaking the social distancing].

“It’s something that we should start planning now, because we could be in this for a long haul. People are going to get stir-crazy being home. I met with our executive committees via conference call Tuesday night and we talked about wanting to make sure we’re not suggesting anything outside the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines, but it’s our responsibility to find the silver lining here with regard to golf.’’

2020-03-20 03:41:20Z
https://nypost.com/2020/03/19/area-golf-courses-becoming-coronavirus-getaways/