This is a collaborative post: Thanks to the vast range of golf training aids available online, it’s never been easier to get some much-needed practice away from the links. But it’s just not the same as visiting the golf course and driving range, is it?
There have probably been several occasions where you’ve emptied your golf bag and given everything a really good clean – ensuring you’re ready for when the golf clubs finally reopen. Or maybe you’ve been eyeing up new equipment online and have splurged on a new electric golf trolley. After all, you’re going to need to preserve as much energy as possible after spending months away from the course!
The good news is, the Prime Minister’s road map out of lockdown seems promising for everyone – but particularly avid golfers who are missing their golf club and pals more than ever. Although we’d love to say it will be business as usual, this merely isn’t the case. Not to begin with, anyway.
Here we look at a couple of simple do’s and don’ts for returning to the golf course, ensuring your safety and the safety of other golfers and members of staff…
Do:
- Adhere to social distancing – try and maintain a safe 2m between yourself and your playing partner(s) at all times.
- Mark your ball – it could be something as simple as drawing a dotted line around the equator or using a coloured marker pen. Just make sure it’s easy to tell whether it’s your ball or not without having to handle it.
- Plan ahead – after multiple lockdowns, the demand for a round of golf is bound to be high. To avoid disappointment and unnecessary hanging around, book in advance.
- Bring hand sanitiser – in an attempt to reduce the spread of COVID-19, we’ve all been washing our hands more frequently. And why should this be any different at the golf course? Be sure to slip a bottle of hand sanitiser in your golf bag and use it throughout the round.
- Dress to impress – during lockdown, you’ve probably been living in stretchy joggers or a dressing gown and slippers, right? Before you step out onto the links, it’s time to dig out your sophisticated golf attire and, if need be, add a few stylish staples to your wardrobe. It’s all about looking on-trend and feeling comfortable at the same time.
Don’t:
- Touch the flagstick – although courses will have pins in greens, you mustn’t touch them as this is (by far) the quickest and easiest way to spread infection.
- Shake hands – it might be good sportsmanship to shake the hand(s) of your opponents, but many sports have ditched the usual handshake and are opting to bump elbows instead. An alternative would be to tap golf clubs at the end of the round.
- Share equipment – we’re not just talking clubs here. You need to make sure that you’re fully equipped to play so you don’t have to lend other people’s tees, golf balls, drinks, towels, rangefinders or sun cream.
- Hang around afterwards – you’ve more than likely missed socialising face-to-face with like-minded players at your club, but you mustn’t stand and chat on the green or in the clubhouse. If you really must speak with someone after the round, at least move away from the course (perhaps to the car park) and maintain social distancing.
- Play if you’re feeling unwell – it’s a no brainer. If you feel under the weather or are experiencing COVID symptoms, don’t leave your home. And if you’re injured, it’s better to rest and recuperate than to play a round of golf and feel a whole lot worse afterwards.
But the most important thing to remember when returning to the links is to have fun. Sure, you might be a little rusty and your putting may need a little work, but that’s to be expected after spending months away from the course. What matters most is that you enjoy yourself. Be grateful that you can get back to playing the sport you love and start shaving strokes off your scores, little by little.
If you find that your performance has taken a serious hit then check out these short game tips for golfers. If your kit has seen better days, it’s worth visiting Clarkes’ Golf Centre. Here you will find a comprehensive range of golf equipment, apparel and accessories. They even stock electric golf trolleys which take the weight of your golf bag – allowing you to save your energy for the game. And, with these, you can take more refreshments onto the links with you as you won’t need to bear the weight on your back or shoulders. Win-win.