England Golf CEO URGES golfers to contact local MP's to reopen golf courses

England Golf CEO: "There is a very simple and clear message that we can all deliver when in contact with those in authority; golf has proved itself a safe and healthy pursuit for Covid times."

Jack Seddon's picture
Mon, 23 Nov 2020
England Golf CEO URGES golfers to contact local MP's to reopen golf courses

England Golf CEO Jeremy Tomlinson has urged golfers across the country to contact their local MP's to help continue the fight against the decision to close golf courses.

When Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that England would be going into a second national lockdown that would see golf courses closed down, hundreds of thousands of golfers signed a petition to keep them open.

RELATED: Two more golf club closures confirmed in the UK during the COVID Lockdown

It was then debated at parliament but for some reason the decision was not reversed and many were left bewildered as to why you could walk across a golf course during lockdown, but not swing your own golf clubs.

England Golf and other high profile names in the golf industry wrote a letter to the government pleaing to have this decision reversed and now Tomlinson wants golfers to contact their local MP's to make their voices heard.

The letter on the England Golf website read:

The amazing groundswell of support for golf courses to re-open in England at the earliest opportunity continues to grow and gather real momentum.

It is my fervent wish that it continues in this vein in the coming days and brings about a return to play.

For this to happen, we all must keep driving the message to those at the heart of government that, in these troubling times, golf is part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

We will continue to make sure our voice is heard at Westminster through my direct contact with DCMS and the Sports Minister as well as our collaborative work with golf industry colleagues in the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf.

At the same time, golf clubs, proprietors and individual golfers can play a vital role in championing our sport by reaching out to their own MPs.

https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

There is a very simple and clear message that we can all deliver when in contact with those in authority; golf has proved itself a safe and healthy pursuit for Covid times.

The mental and physical benefits of enjoying our great game safely at a time when so many people are experiencing feelings of isolation cannot be overstated.

Golf was one of the first sports to return after the first national lockdown and this was a privilege that our community of golfers took incredibly seriously. Accordingly, we all adopted the highest possible standards to keep participants safe.

The people spoke when 257,000 passionate individuals signed a petition in a 24-hour spell to call for golf to be exempt from closure during lockdown restrictions and spark today’s debate in the House of Commons.

Our story continues to be heard in the media as we promote golf’s positive agenda – a game for all which can be safely enjoyed in the fresh air with social distancing a natural consequence of how the sport is played.

Our sport has come together like never before during this difficult year.

With our members, clubs and counties helping to deliver our positive and respectful message to the nation’s decision-makers, I am confident golf can return.

I remain a passionate believer in golf’s ability to play a key role in the nation’s sporting recovery.

Kind regards,

Jeremy Tomlinson
CEO England Golf

NEXT PAGE: MP confident golf will return in England by December 3