COVID-19 Updates

Golf Course Guidelines: Phase 1

Golf course operators on Prince Edward Island are required to implement the measures noted below to protect the health and safety of employees and players on Island courses. Additional workplace guidelines and public health measures required to be followed by all businesses can be found in the Renew PEI Together document found at https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/topic/renew-pei-together

Public Health Measures:

• Stay informed, be prepared and follow public health advice.

• Physical distancing must be observed at all times, with a minimum of two metres between individuals. This applies to all public areas as well as employee designated areas such as break areas and pro shop.

• Adhere to mass gathering limits.

• Encourage frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; if not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains 60% - 80% alcohol.

• Ensure enhanced cleaning and sanitizing of frequently touched surfaces.

• Encourage vulnerable individuals to exercise caution and minimize high-risk exposures.

• An illness exclusion policy must be in place which requires staff to stay home if they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. Players exhibiting signs of illness will be asked to leave.

Course Operation:

• Tee times will only be made online or over the phone. Book online here.

• Where possible encourage online, debit and credit transactions.

• Tee time intervals will be increased to ensure groups are evenly spaced throughout the entire round. Pace of play must be monitored to avoid congestion on the course.

• Groups will consist of no more than 4 people. Pairing groups together is permitted, i.e. pairing a twosome with another twosome. Physical distancing must be observed at all times, with a minimum of two metres between players.

• Groups will be asked to wait to be called to first tee to start.

• Members and guests will be asked to leave immediately after their round to avoid gathering.

• Lessons are allowed provided they are only demonstrative, and the teacher and student(s) remain a minimum of two metres apart. Leagues, such as Men’s or Ladies night, are allowed provided the participants are regular members of the course. Tournaments and other events remain prohibited in order to discourage gathering of players. Small tournaments will be discussed in Phase 3 as the public gathering numbers reach a point where smaller tournaments may be permitted.

• Practice ranges may open providing you practice social distancing, discourage gathering, and regularly clean and sanitize any touchpoints.

• The clubhouse (with the exception of washrooms and the golf shop beginning May 2nd when Phase 2 begins) and common spaces (including decks and locker rooms) must remain closed. Club storage is not permitted. Use this link as a guide for safe retail practices in the Golf Shop

• All indoor food, beverage and retail service is suspended, except curbside pick-up or delivery. Players should be encouraged to call ahead to place orders and coordinate pick-up.

• Food and beverage carts are permitted to operate however must follow physical distancing requirement of 2 meters between staff and players. Encourage payment by debit or credit.

Lessen Touchpoints:

• Course furniture: benches, ball washers, shoe scrapers, rakes, club cleaners, sand dispensers, and first tee scorecard/pencil holders will be removed where possible or made inaccessible.

• Consumables such as scorecards and pencils will be made available to each group as they arrive at the tee.

• Devices or systems must be in place that allows removal of the ball from the hole without the player touching the pin.

• If golf cart and pull cart rentals are permitted, they must be cleaned and sanitized between uses. Walking is encouraged to reduce the use of shared equipment.

• Limit of one person per golf cart, unless the occupants can prove they reside in the same household. A second bag may be put on the cart provided the same person drives the cart for the entire round. If you wish to switch drivers, consider doing so after the ninth hole if the clubhouse is willing to switch carts to a clean cart or will fully clean and disinfect then return original cart to golfers.

Education/Best Practices:

• All staff will be trained to observe COVID-19 safety protocols and trained to recognize symptoms of COVID-19.

• Signage will be placed in parking lots and on course encouraging physical distancing and COVID-19 safety practices.

• Staff will ask any player/guest to leave the property if they witness any of the safety protocols being ignored.

• When booking tee times, players will be made aware of the measures the course has taken to make it safe to play. If they book online, they will receive information by email, if they call an operator will inform them.

Cleaning and Sanitizing:

• A detailed sanitation plan requiring frequent cleaning and sanitizing of clubhouse and on-course washroom facilities must be in place, with only one individual permitted entry at a time.

• Staff will be provided access to protective equipment which may include gloves, non-medical masks (when required), and cleaning supplies.

• All rental equipment will be sanitized following each use.

• Equipment (computers, mowers, etc.) should be assigned to one user as much as possible to avoid shared use and the continuous need to clean and sanitize between uses. Where equipment is share, or reassigned to a new user, it must first be cleaned and sanitized.