COVID-19 and your golf course

  • 03/19/2020 2:11 PM
    Message # 8842927

    Hopefully we can get a good thread going on here.  This is a great way to communicate with each other about how you are being affected by the virus.  

    Are you close to closing? (other than bar and restaurant)
    What precautions have you taken?
    Have you let staff go?
    Will you be allowed to stay on property, if you close?

    These are just a few questions that I'm hearing.  Let's learn from each other.

    NOTE: THIS FORUM WILL BE MONITORED AND OFF COLOR COMMENTS WITH BE REMOVED (IE. RACE, POLITICS, ETC.) PLEASE USE THIS PROFESSIONALLY.

  • 03/19/2020 2:28 PM
    Reply # 8842976 on 8842927

    The City of Spencer closed all city buildings to the public last night.  This includes the golf course and the clubhouse.  I am being given the opportunity to provide a safe and sanitary outline of operation in order to open the golf course.  I have talked to a few individuals on this topic.  Operation of the clubhouse is pretty much the same as to go orders in restaurants.  Removing amenity items from the course, sanitizing carts, washing range balls with bleach, raising the cup to eliminate touching the flag stick, etc.  What are others doing to provide a safe and sanitary golf environment?

  • 03/20/2020 1:42 PM
    Reply # 8845543 on 8842927

    We are as of right now are planning on opening next week.   Stacy Shipman, Bob Burger and I have been texting a lot.   We have discussed the same things no ball washers, rakes etc.   One great idea Bob brought up today is using a pool noodle around flag stick that will keep the ball from going in the hole.  We were considering the cup 1 inch above the ground but this idea wont interrupt mowing etc.  Good luck to everyone and stay healthy..

  • 03/22/2020 8:09 PM
    Reply # 8848954 on 8842927

    In Muscatine we are still open. I heard several ideas as to what to pull off the course and how to handle the greens. I decided to raise the cups as I thought this was the best idea to not have anyone touch the flagsticks or put their hand in the cup. I did think about the mowing aspect of it, but at the end of the day I decided that no one was going to want to hear about what the extra work was to push them back down and more about keeping people safe to hopefully keep the golf course open. No ballwashers, practice green flag sticks, bunker rakes. If we can we will try to limit 1 person to a cart, but as the weather gets better I don't know how practical that will be. Everything gets wiped down after the round and we are sanitizing the clubhouse multiple times a day. All tables and chairs have been put up in the clubhouse to keep people from even thinking about sitting in there. Even doing this some of my attention is going to start to turn to educating the powers above me that if the golf course has to close that's its going to be important to still maintain the golf course, 

  • 03/24/2020 9:53 AM
    Reply # 8853749 on 8842927

    here in Dubuque we are open to members walking only (weather is crap anyway) we are thinking of filling in holes and using a moped flag stick in the ground with a small piece of foam around the bottom, could easily move pin position every time you mow. 

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    Last modified: 03/27/2020 1:21 PM | Anonymous member
  • 03/26/2020 9:59 AM
    Reply # 8860127 on 8842927

    I know nationwide, our medical field at the moment lacks Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). I know when I was in the golf course business we always had a couple of boxes of Gempler suits, rubber neoprene gloves, goggles, and even a few masks (cartridge type) and 3M masks in the shop. If you feel you could donate a few of these items (keep back some for applicators)….I am sure your local emergency responders or hospital could probably use these right now or they could get them to the areas of need. 

    Maybe you have already done this or it is being discussed by the IGCSA Board. Just throwing this out there.

    I may shoot this message to Randy Robinson also since I do not think this discussion board gets the attention that it deserves. Maybe...the Forum should have its own headline at the top of this website by itself instead of hidden under Resources...and that would help. Just my 2 cents.   

  • 03/26/2020 12:43 PM
    Reply # 8860453 on 8842927
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Good stuff guys!  I added a link to the homepage, great idea Gary!


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