Area golf courses are open.
Sunday, with temperatures in the 70s, many golfers took advantage of the open courses play a round.
“We were very busy,” said Jeff Leach at Kalona Golf …
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Area golf courses are open.
Sunday, with temperatures in the 70s, many golfers took advantage of the open courses play a round.
“We were very busy,” said Jeff Leach at Kalona Golf Club. “People are just busting at the seams waiting to get out.”
There are some changes to protect golfers and the staff.
Golf carts are sprayed with disinfectant after each round, and golfers don’t share carts for the most part.
The clubhouse usually has tables and about 40 chairs. Due to social distancing, there is a single table and six chairs. Not more than eight people are allowed in the clubhouse at a time. Food is served, but it is carry-out only.
Leach said Kalona is attracting golfers from surrounding counties where courses are closed.
At the Blue Top Ridge course at the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, a similar setup is in place to protect golfers and the staff, according to Bryan Haas, director of golf operations.
“We’ve been open for 27 days now,” he said Monday.
Golfers tee off every 10 minutes, an interval designed to limit the number of people on the 18-hole championship course. Only credit cards are accepted, and Sunday, Blue Top had 67 golfers, just under the 70 maximum target per day the course has set.
“We’re trying not to put 100 people out there,” he said.
Only one golfer is allowed in a cart, and after a round, the golfer drives the cart to an area where it is sprayed with disinfectant.
Haas said plans are to open the practice range in May, and the staff is discussing ways to open the performance studio while protecting golfers and teachers. The performance studio offers high-speed video and analysis systems to produce a detailed analysis to give to each student to improve her or his game.
“We are being super careful,” Haas said.
At the Wellman Golf Course, the course is open, but the clubhouse is not, according to Tracy Owens.
“The golf course is open, but we haven’t started any leagues yet,” Owens said. “We won’t be opening the clubhouse until at least the end of the month.”
The course took extra precautions by removing the flag sticks at each hole.
“We took the flags out so no one has to be touching them,” Owens said. “We’re trying to do everything we can. We want to be diligent about what transpires.”
