SACRAMENTO, Calif. — While many public spaces like restaurants and gyms remain closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, many Sacramento area golf courses remain open.
This week, Placer County reopened some of its local golf courses along with other public recreation spaces that were previously closed. Outdoor activities like golfing, walking, running and hiking are among the exercises considered "essential" by county officials with the expectation that individuals adhere to all social distancing protocols.
Sacramento County Department of Health Services Director Dr. Peter Beilenson tells ABC10 he's made several unannounced visits to check in on various golf courses, but it's important for the public to police themselves and their peers in an effort to keep the public safe.
Mike Woods, Vice President and General Manager of Haggin Oaks, is a partner in the Morton Golf Group which oversees several golf facilities in the Sacramento region.
Woods says the golfers on his courses have been respecting and following the new rules in place and provided ABC10 with details of the measures being taken at the Sacramento city courses overseen by Morton Golf.
Here are the new policies implemented by Morton Golf courses:
Golf Courses:
- Staff and customers social distancing at least six feet
- Hand sanitizer stations available for staff and customer
- Using CDC approved disinfectant spray to clean employee areas
- Cups upside down, so that the hole is only about an inch deep
- No rakes
- Staff using gloves
- Ball washers covered
Custodial:
- Supply each department with hand sanitizer stations and back up liquid
- Supply each department with CDC approved disinfectant spray and paper towels
- Thorough cleaning of bathrooms each morning
- Weekly bathroom spraying from Environ-Master to help eliminate germs that will last 7-9 days, including COVID-19
- Staff using gloves
Driving Range:
- Staff and customers social distancing at least six feet
- Hand sanitizer station located right next to ball dispenser
- CDC approved disinfectant spray to clean ball dispenser and basket handles
- One dispenser operational, the other off
- Signage everywhere asking customers to social distance at least 6 feet
- Every other range mat eliminated to provided at least 12 ft. between people
- All tables and chairs removed from range
- Power tees covered and turned off
- Food Truck Closed
- Social Distancing Signs on the ground to promote at least 6 feet social distancing
- No cash accepted. Credit card and range card only at the ball dispenser
- Every 30 minutes read the six-foot distancing script over the loud speaker
Pro Shop:
- Staff social distancing at least six feet
- Hand sanitizer station next to both doors
- Using CDC approved disinfectant spray to clean employee areas constantly
- Requiring each customer entering to use the hand sanitizer station
- Only allowing one customer in the pro shop at each register at a time, asking next customer to wait at the doorway
- Asking customers to use the hand sanitizer station on their way out
- No cash accepted. Customer swipes card without signing credit card slip
- Adding no additional names to the tee sheet to speed up the check in process
- Propping both doors open to eliminate touching of the door handles
- One rider only in each cart (unless child is eight years old or younger and living in the same household as the driver)
- Staff wearing gloves at all times
- Shoe Store and Club Repair closed with those areas of Pro Shop blocked off
- Social Distancing signage on the ground near the counter and outside the Pro Shop to encourage at least six feet of social distancing
- Maximum of two staff members in the cashier box at one time standing more than six feet apart
- Remind golfers to maintain six feet of social distancing every 30 minutes over the loud speaker
Carts:
- Staff and customers social distancing at least six feet
- Using CDC approved disinfectant spray on podium constantly
- Creating a barrier for customer to stay at least six feet away from the podium
- Using CDC approved disinfectant spray on each cart and pull cart before it goes out to the customer
- Staff wearing gloves
- One rider only in each cart
- Social Distancing signage on the ground near the check out area to encourage six foot social distancing
- No renting of rental clubs
- No touching of customers clubs or any of their personal items
Follow the conversation with Lina Washington on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can e-mail Lina at LWashington@abc10.com.
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