Lynnfield courses ready for the green light
Published May 6, 2020
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
SAGAMORE SPRING Golf Course, one of the better public courses around, awaits the green light to open from the state. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
LYNNFIELD — Fore…what?
It’s a question Massachusetts golfers are currently asking themselves: What are we waiting for?
The state’s golf industry was hoping for some good news during Governor Charlie Baker’s latest update on Covid-19 closures on Monday. They had reason for optimism as representatives from the golf industry met with the Governor’s advisory board over the weekend. The meeting, in which the reps detailed a plan for safe practice tips on the courses, reportedly went well, however the Governor chose not to lift the ban on the sport.
“I think courses are more ready than not to open,” said Donnie Lyons the PGA Director of Golf in the town of Lynnfield.
Lyons oversees Lynnfield’s two nine-hole public courses, Reedy Meadow and King Rail. They are working to get ready whenever Massachusetts joins all but two other states (Vermont and Maryland) in the country who have agreed to open courses.
Best practices to help maintain social distancing and limit touch points are coming to courses from allied golf associations including Mass Golf.
Reedy Meadow and King Rail already have plastic shields at the counter and new rules to streamline tee times.
KING RAIL RESERVE Golf Course remains closed as the state continues the shutdown of nonessential businesses in which they include golf courses. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
According to Lyons, one the biggest differences will be shifting from a first come, first served cash friendly method to online tee time credit card reservations.
It’s a necessary shift right now so that players can show up at their time and get out on the course as soon as possible without any personal contact. Players in foursomes will each have their cart, with some potential rules that allows families who drove together to share. It won’t be perfect for any course, public or private as tee times will have to be more spaced out to ensure there won’t be any issues with social distancing between groups, but it is certainly plausible to get all the benefits of playing a beloved sport outside while maintaining a social responsibility to safety.
Mass Golf director Jesse Menachem said last week that tee time intervals and reducing touch points on the course (like flags) were examples of some best practices laid out to the governor’s board to prove that golf can be played in a safe and measured way.
“Golf is on their (governing board) radar,” said Menacham last week. “I think it’s a matter of time now. We need to make sure these (Covid-19) cases go down and defer to the experts who are able to monitor and allow for the all clear as has been done in other states but we feel strongly golf can be played safely. We’re equipped, prepared and ready.”
Surrounding states such as Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island have played through so to speak, all surely with some new adaptations. Maine opened their courses on Friday and New Hampshire will open on May 11. May 18 is no longer the hopeful date of a green light for Massachusetts. Many in the state fear a longer delay perhaps to Memorial Day or beyond as thousands of golfers will continue to cross borders.
An online petition called “Please let Massachusetts Golf” was up to 40,721 on Change.org as of press time on Tuesday.
The effect on local courses is equal parts alarming, hopeful and unknown.
Lyons, who has helped many young golfers learn the game in Lynnfield through programs like the First Tee Program which enabled children locally and in the surrounding towns who never experienced golf to learn for free, knows that the virus will affect everything. Educational camps for any sport likely won’t happen this summer.
Courses will suffer financially without leagues and large group outings, typically the key sources of income for public courses – not to mention the extra staff that will be required to sanitize carts and the course inside and out.
However, Lyons is hopeful that especially with families unable to travel this summer, they may get a chance to try the sport in a safe and economical way as a great outlet. Even though that will require some patience from pros who want to teach the game but may have to adapt to Zoom classes for the time being, it is still a step in the right direction.
“We will get through this,” said Lyons despite all the hurdles especially for public nine-hole courses. “I’m not happy but not saying they’re wrong (to keep courses closed). When they give the nod, people will be excited. The weather will be good, it will be a great time for golf.”
