Coronavirus information

Play Safe Stay Safe Policy

Clubs policy on playing safety when Golf resumes

Burslem Golf Club ‘Play Safe, Stay Safe’

Guidance for members as we move towards a return to playing golf.

It is hoped to have an online booking system in place through ClubV1 to allow members to book casual tee times to avoid to many members arriving at same time. Although members who don’t use ClubV1 may turn up without first booking online. However it should give an indication of how busy course maybe.

Swindles times have been temporary suspended to avoid large groups gathering (to be reviewed as restrictions ease).

The Club in the short term is not planning to run competitions, this will be reviewed regularly once restrictions are relaxed.

Whilst there is not currently a date for the return to playing golf, it is prudent to consider the necessary steps required ahead of the re-opening of golf facilities when government allows.

A FRAMEWORK FOR PLAYING GOLF

The procedure will include all aspects of the golfing experience, from arrival in the Club car park shortly before the round to departure straight away on completion of the round.

The over-riding consideration throughout must be to ‘Play Safe, Stay Safe’.

1. Course Set-up
2. Before the Round
3. During the Round
4. After the Round
5. Rules of Golf Related Matters

Course Set-up.

To avoid touching anything others may have handled

• All rakes removed
• Don’t use Ball washers
• Don’t use Course seating
• Flagsticks retained but not to be touched or removed.
. Air blower not to be used to clean shoes or trolley

Practice Areas

Practice areas can be used but, would recommend only directly before your round and keeping safely away from others.
Don’t pickup any other balls than your own.





Before starting your Round on the Tee

Minimum of 10-minute intervals between tee times
Only the group waiting to tee off allowed on tee
Players to keep 2 metres apart at all times
Only players waiting to tee off allowed on practice putting Green
One designated person marks one card for all players in group. This person should be the only person to handle card at all times
Match play no card required
No hand shake please, use verbal acknowledgement before and after round
Don’t touch any other players equipment
Remember maximum time to play and look for lost balls has changed (ready golf) so there should no need to wave groups through.
If course is busy and quite a few still waiting to Tee off, please be considerate and limit your round to 9holes on these occasions.
Remember when this is over we can all get back to normal again.



Arrival and Waiting to Play

We’re possible use every other parking space to keep distance from next car.
Next group waiting to tee off wait by cellar shutter door area safe distance from each other, when group on tee moves off, move on to tee.
All other groups remain in or near to your car at safe distances from each other until waiting area is clear.
Only 2 people allowed in locker rooms at anyone time and NOT in same locker corridor.

• The Clubhouse bar is closed, only two members at a time allowed in toilets. Wash hands regularly.

• Social distancing of minimum of 2metres are being applied on arrival at the Club and during the duration of each round.
Carry and use hand sanitisers regularly on and around the Course.



On the Course-rules

• Always keep more than two metres apart when walking to the ball, searching for a ball and playing shots
• Don’t touch anyone else’s equipment or golf ball, including stray balls found on the Course
• With no rakes allowed on the course, please make your very best efforts to smooth the sand using club and/or feet.
Usual politeness I.e. handshakes are not allowed, a general acknowledgment and thank you at a safe distance.

Putting Green

• Keep two metres apart on the putting greens and not to touch the flagstick
Givemes can be applied from a distance of 12inch in friendly games.
Usual Matchplay givemes can happen if appropriate on any hole.
After the Round

Social distancing is as important after a round as it is during the round, so when the round is over all golfers must leave the course and the Club/facility immediately so that there are no gatherings around the Clubhouse area.
Clubhouse including vending machines will not be available.


Rules of Golf-Related Matters.

R&A are relaxing usual golf rules during these extraordinary times.

To enable some of the changes to the way the game is played in the short term, there are likely to be a number of changes to the Rules of Golf. Some of these are outlined below.

Forms of Play and Scoring

• In the interest of safety during the interim term the Club recommendation is that non-competition play is used during this initial period of golf being played, and that stroke play competitions involving players in different groups are avoided
• If competitive stroke play is played, a method of scoring needs to be used that does not require any handling or exchanging of scorecards
• R&A and Congu are allowing Committees to allow methods of scoring in stroke play that do not strictly comply with Rule 3.3b, or do not comply with the normal methods used under Rule 3.3b. For example
• Players may enter their own hole scores on the scorecard (it is not necessary for a marker to do it)
• It is not necessary to have a marker physically certify the player’s hole scores, but some form of verbal certification should take place
• It is not necessary to physically return a scorecard to the Committee provided the Committee can accept the scores in another way
• As provided in the Rules of Golf, scorecards can be electronic, which could include emailing or texting scores to the Committee.
Club recommendation is during friendly play only one person to mark a card and is the only one to handle the card.

Bunkers
• If golfers take due care when smoothing bunkers, there should be no need to provide a Local Rule for bunkers. But if the Committee feels that the enjoyment of the game is being significantly affected by there being no rakes, it may introduce preferred lies in bunkers.



Flagstick
• Golfers are required to leave the flagstick in the hole at all times and not to touch it.
The Committee having decided this have established this policy by way of a Local Rule, and no penalties are to be applied.

Hole and Holed
• The hole cup is to be set in a way that means that all of the ball cannot be below the surface of the putting green, so the ball is considered holed if any part of it is below the surface of the putting green
• To minimise the need to lift the ball from the hole, the Committee has agreed that a ball is holed with the next stroke if it is within 12 inches of the hole. This does not prevent a player in match play conceding a stroke that is outside this length
• The Committee may decide to have the hole liner sitting above the surface of the green and treat a ball as holed if it strikes the liner.

We are all hoping that these measures are for the short term and would appreciate that all members will cooperate and support the Club until life once again gets back to normal.

They will continue to be reviewed regularly and when the government relax lockdown rules in these extraordinary difficult times.

This Policy does not cover all circumstances or eventualities, please use Common Sense.

For yours and other members safety please cooperate with the policy.

PLAY SAFE STAY STAY
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