Playing golf during covid?

[Drama Llama]

My Brother in Law is an avid golfer.  He has asked my permission to take my two boys golfing with his daughter.  I think they'd enjoy it, but I really know nothing about golf.   The only kind the kids or I have played is putt putt.  Putt Putt does not seem safe during covid.  

Would it be safe?  What questions do I ask to determine if it would be safe?  What restrictions do I place, other than the obvious (e.g. come home for lunch).  

We are staying in his house, and consider them part of our bubble, so I'm not worried about transmission within the group.  

[Arcadia]

We use our own golf club sets. I am not worried about golf balls but we have brought our own golf balls to the golf course in the past. Golf is an outdoor sport so I’m not worried about kids retrieving their golf balls from the holes. I’ll just send a container/package of wet wipes. 

[Drama Llama]

4 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

We use our own golf club sets. I am not worried about golf balls but we have brought our own golf balls to the golf course in the past. Golf is an outdoor sport so I’m not worried about kids retrieving their golf balls from the holes. I’ll just send a container/package of wet wipes. 

Can you share golf clubs?  Like could my kids use their cousins and just pass them back and forth? I feel like every time I see golfers on TV everyone has their own.

[happi duck]

My very cautious brother is still golfing but I know he has courses he won't play because they are not following certain protocols.  (Two things I remember are masks and adaptations to make things touchless.)  Once he and his sons are on the course they unmask.

[Arcadia]

19 minutes ago, BaseballandHockey said:

Can you share golf clubs?  Like could my kids use their cousins and just pass them back and forth? I feel like every time I see golfers on TV everyone has their own.

If your kids and their cousins are about the same build, they can definitely share golf clubs. My DS14 was much smaller in size than DS15 when they started golfing so I had to buy them each a set. I could use DS15’s set as he was already my height and size when he turned 11. Now both my kids could share with an adult. 

[Drama Llama]

2 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

If your kids and their cousins are about the same build, they can definitely share golf clubs. My DS14 was much smaller in size than DS15 when they started golfing so I had to buy them each a set. I could use DS15’s set as he was already my height and size when he turned 11. Now both my kids could share with an adult. 

Their cousin is about the same size as my older kid.  She might have clubs from when she was younger for my younger kid?  

[Arcadia]

Just now, BaseballandHockey said:

Their cousin is about the same size as my older kid.  She might have clubs from when she was younger for my younger kid?  

Very likely. I would just ask. 

[Drama Llama]

Yeah, my brother in law knows my kids have never played, so he can't possibly be assuming they own kid sized golf clubs.  He is an intelligent man.

I will ask him tomorrow.

 

[Bootsie]

They would be socially distanced from other players while playing golf because you will usually be limited to 4 players playing together at the same time.  As long as they are not going into the club house, which they could probably avoid unless they need to go to the restroom, they will be outdoors.  If they are going to be using a golf cart rather than walking the cart, there would be the question of whether the surfaces are wiped down.  You need to be more than six feet away from people when someone is swinging a golf club.  The courses where I am have all of the water fountains turned off and no water coolers out.  

If your kids have not played before, their uncle may be close up to them to show them how to swing the club.  

Overall, I think that golf is one of the safest recreational activities to be involved in right now.  

[TravelingChris]

3 hours ago, BaseballandHockey said:

My Brother in Law is an avid golfer.  He has asked my permission to take my two boys golfing with his daughter.  I think they'd enjoy it, but I really know nothing about golf.   The only kind the kids or I have played is putt putt.  Putt Putt does not seem safe during covid.  

Would it be safe?  What questions do I ask to determine if it would be safe?  What restrictions do I place, other than the obvious (e.g. come home for lunch).  

We are staying in his house, and consider them part of our bubble, so I'm not worried about transmission within the group.  

Why wouldn't putt-putt or like we call it- mini golf  not be safe?  You are more than six feet away from others except in your own party.  We played mini-golf twice since the pandemic, both times on different vacations, and had no issues with staying away from others.

[prairiewindmomma]

I would just ask that they stay socially distanced, and not go inside the clubhouse.

 

[Drama Llama]

5 hours ago, TravelingChris said:

Why wouldn't putt-putt or like we call it- mini golf  not be safe?  You are more than six feet away from others except in your own party.  We played mini-golf twice since the pandemic, both times on different vacations, and had no issues with staying away from others.

I guess every place I’ve played the groups are pretty much on top of each other, and people are drinking on the course, which is outside my comfort level.  Plus we really only go at the beach, and we aren’t at the beach now.

[Drama Llama]

1 hour ago, BaseballandHockey said:

I guess every place I’ve played the groups are pretty much on top of each other, and people are drinking on the course, which is outside my comfort level.  Plus we really only go at the beach, and we aren’t at the beach now.

To be clear I don’t usually care if people are drinking on the course.  That wasn’t  isn’t about alcohol it’s about taking off masks to drink it.  

[ktgrok]

I'd think it was very safe. Maybe send somthing to spray down or wipe down the cart (and the cart will be fun for the kids!) - bottle of peroxide or lysol wipes or whatever, and hand sanitizer. 

But on a course they are plenty far away from other people, I wouldn't worry at all there, and you know we are the "disinfect the groceries, haven't seen family since march" people. 

[Drama Llama]

2 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

I'd think it was very safe. Maybe send somthing to spray down or wipe down the cart (and the cart will be fun for the kids!) - bottle of peroxide or lysol wipes or whatever, and hand sanitizer. 

But on a course they are plenty far away from other people, I wouldn't worry at all there, and you know we are the "disinfect the groceries, haven't seen family since march" people. 

Do they need a cart at all?  Could they just walk? 

For my boys the more exercise the better.  

[ktgrok]

1 minute ago, BaseballandHockey said:

Do they need a cart at all?  Could they just walk? 

For my boys the more exercise the better.  

Sure, I think people do...but depends  guess on size of kids, number of golf bags, drinks, gear, etc being carted around by everyone. (I have only golfed twice in my life, I'm really really bad at it, lol. But my ex husband enjoyed it.)

[wintermom]

How old are your boys? If you know your bil has the patience to do this, I'd probably suggest a par-3 course or an easy 9-hole course if he has the option. Another good starting place with young, beginner golfers is the driving range. But don't do an hour on the driving range and then 9 holes. The kids will be dead and it probably won't be fun for anyone involved. 

The beauty of the driving range is that each boy can keep his own club and happily smack away at the bucket of golf balls. Your bil and help with some stroke instruction or just encourage them. 

Golf is a simple yet highly frustrating game. If your boys are hockey players they may be pretty natural at the game of golf. On the whole, golf is kind of boring, though. You can't just golf 3 holes and then leave. Which is why I suggested the par-3. Short, quick and somewhat satisfying.

Edited October 16, 2020 by wintermom

[TravelingChris]

 

3 hours ago, BaseballandHockey said:

I guess every place I’ve played the groups are pretty much on top of each other, and people are drinking on the course, which is outside my comfort level.  Plus we really only go at the beach, and we aren’t at the beach now.

Oh. okay.  We didn't play in crowded conditions.  Once we were at the beach in early June and there were a bit of more people but still, when we just made sure we stayed apart and at one point, decided to put our masks back on. 

In September, we played a super cool course in Custer, SD and that had almost no one else playing at the time.

Our general practice is mini golf is that we don't like big crowded courses so that has served us well.

[ktgrok]

The driving range would be closer to other people though...

[TravelingChris]

9 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

The driving range would be closer to other people though...

Unless you go to someplace like TopGolf where you get your own booth or a non crowded range.

[OH_Homeschooler]

My state is very strict but one of the first things allowed to re-open were golf courses. 

[wintermom]

24 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

The driving range would be closer to other people though...

All the driving ranges I've ever seen, people stay on their own little platform and smack away at their own basket or pile of golf balls.  The platforms are spread out well so no one hits their neighbour with a golf club. That would be a lot more painful and immediate than the risk of covid. 😉

Edited October 16, 2020 by wintermom

[medawyn]

My father is at very high risk (immunosuppressant drugs as well as two chronic conditions related to his lungs).  His doctor has okayed him to play golf.  He schedules the first tee time in the morning to reduce the number of people on the course.  The exercise and fresh air are vital.  I think your boys would enjoy it.

[Pam in CT]

Real golf, using your own equipment and walking the course rather than riding, is to my mind about as COVID-safe as it gets. It's outdoors, naturally spaced, you're not touching anything that isn't yours. Be mindful of distances while walking the course (wear a mask while walking as secondary caution) and enjoy.  I don't play myself, but my 82 year old otherwise locked-down uncle has been playing since early June when the courses soft-opened and I would say it is the most important element of his mental health regimen.  It is to him what gardening is to me... and I really believe, nearly as COVID-safe.

Mini golf is a totally different thing. That I would not permit if I had young kids.  Biking, hiking, when we get there cross country skiing, a handful of touch-your-own-equipment lawn games.

[Drama Llama]

Thanks, we're going to let them do it, if the weather behaves.  Apparently the plan is that just the boys will golf, and my BiL and niece will coach.  So, they'll have 2 bags, walk the course, should be fun.  It will be their first time in a public place that isn't church or the pediatrician, since March, so hopefully they will have fun. 

To be clear, I'm not really expressing an opinion on mini golf.   I just threw that in there as an example of my lack of knowledge.

[catz]

Oh that sounds fun. My 89 year old FIL has been golfing safely all summer with other guys in his age range (some older!) and I think it really is one of the safer things you can do right now if you still have good weather for it.  I hope they have a great time!  

[wintermom]

1 hour ago, BaseballandHockey said:

Thanks, we're going to let them do it, if the weather behaves.  Apparently the plan is that just the boys will golf, and my BiL and niece will coach.  So, they'll have 2 bags, walk the course, should be fun.  It will be their first time in a public place that isn't church or the pediatrician, since March, so hopefully they will have fun. 

To be clear, I'm not really expressing an opinion on mini golf.   I just threw that in there as an example of my lack of knowledge.

Hopefully your bil and niece will also help finding balls that go off the fairways. This is always the hardest part of golfing for me. 😂

Edited October 16, 2020 by wintermom

[Bootsie]

5 hours ago, BaseballandHockey said:

Do they need a cart at all?  Could they just walk? 

For my boys the more exercise the better.  

This will depend upon the course they are playing.  Some courses are easier to walk--some are very spread out and would entail a great deal of walking.  Some courses also limit walking so as to move people through the course more quickly and not end up having people backed up and waiting.  

[Drama Llama]

11 minutes ago, wintermom said:

Hopefully your bil and niece will also help finding balls that go off the fairways. This is always the hardest part of golfing for me. 😂

Better them than me.

[gstharr]

Tip of the hat to you brother in law. I can't imagine taking one kid who has never played out on the course, not to mention two. 

[Drama Llama]

6 minutes ago, gstharr said:

Tip of the hat to you brother in law. I can't imagine taking one kid who has never played out on the course, not to mention two. 

My niece is 20 and an excellent player so they’ll be 1:1, at least.  I think the plan is that they will spend some time in the backyard going over the basics tonight.  

But yeah, he’s a brave man.  

[happi duck]

It's probably good they'll walk.  My brother always walks.  He has not been impressed with how carts are cleaned or not cleaned.

[catz]

30 minutes ago, happi duck said:

It's probably good they'll walk.  My brother always walks.  He has not been impressed with how carts are cleaned or not cleaned.

It probably depends on the course.  My son's best friend was hired JUST to sanitize golf carts between uses this summer at one of our local urban courses.  They upped staff and changed protocols on hand offs, cleaning, etc.  

[happi duck]

32 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

It probably depends on the course.  My son's best friend was hired JUST to sanitize golf carts between uses this summer at one of our local urban courses.  They upped staff and changed protocols on hand offs, cleaning, etc.  

True.  My brother has seen a wide range from no cleaning and no time to sanitizing with time in between.  He has just opted to walk.

[ktgrok]

11 hours ago, wintermom said:

All the driving ranges I've ever seen, people stay on their own little platform and smack away at their own basket or pile of golf balls.  The platforms are spread out well so no one hits their neighbour with a golf club. That would be a lot more painful and immediate than the risk of covid. 😉

Ah, the one I've been to was people sort of lined up, not close, but considering the OP's high risk family member, and her approach to all this, would be closer than I was thinking she wanted, for longer time periods. 

[Drama Llama]

3 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Ah, the one I've been to was people sort of lined up, not close, but considering the OP's high risk family member, and her approach to all this, would be closer than I was thinking she wanted, for longer time periods. 

Yeah, my BIL has one of those at home practice simulators that will have to do 

[wintermom]

11 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Ah, the one I've been to was people sort of lined up, not close, but considering the OP's high risk family member, and her approach to all this, would be closer than I was thinking she wanted, for longer time periods. 

People are always lined up in a row because they hit the ball out into the open field (or water). The distance between golfers is far more than 6 ft for safety. It may look closer from a distance, but it simply can't be or you'd get a golf club in the head.

[ktgrok]

4 minutes ago, wintermom said:

People are always lined up in a row because they hit the ball out into the open field (or water). The distance between golfers is far more than 6 ft for safety. It may look closer from a distance, but it simply can't be or you'd get a golf club in the head.

Right, but even 10 feet or so may not be enough distance for the OP's comfort, if there for 40 minutes or an hour. 

[wintermom]

9 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

Right, but even 10 feet or so may not be enough distance for the OP's comfort, if there for 40 minutes or an hour. 

She already commented that they'll be doing practice swings with the bil's simulator.

[Drama Llama]

You'll be glad to know that the golfers all came back in one piece.  Other than some separation anxiety, they seemed to have had fun. They played some version where they were on teams, and the two people on each team took turns hitting the ball.  This seems like a smart adaptation for beginners.