Golf courses reopen in Los Angeles despite coronavirus deaths

Lockdown restrictions lifted on golf courses despite coronavirus death roll rising...

Andy Roberts's picture
Tue, 21 Apr 2020
Golf courses reopen in Los Angeles despite coronavirus death

Riverside County in Los Angeles is this week reopening both private and public golf courses for play, despite the county reporting just shy of 3,000 coronavirus infections and a total of 85 deaths.

The county is also permitting members of public to use parks and trails providing they maintain good social distancing measures and wear face coverings. 

Golf is not the only sport being encouraged again by Riverside County, as tennis, hiking, biking and equestrian activities are also being allowed.

"Play is being cautiously reopened for observation," said Riverside County public health officer Dr Cameron Kaiser, in a report in the Daily Express.

According to officials, golfers are allowed to tee off as a fourball but there must not be any caddies. 

 

 

All golfers must adhere to the correct social distancing guidelines at all times by keeping six feet distance from another.

Golf clubhouses are still being banned, however. 

RELATED: GOLF COURSES REOPENING DESPITE CORONAVIRUS BATTLE

This follows yesterday's news that a number of other golf courses around the world are reopening their facilities, some of which are even located in some of the worst-hit COVID-19 areas.

New York City has seen over 10,000 deaths as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, yet it has now been announced that golf courses in the central area of New York can now reopen.

Last week, Texas announced that its golf courses could reopen and days later, Minnesota made the same announcement, whilst many golf courses in Canada have also reopened.

In South Korea - where the coronavirus reached well before hitting America and Europe - a professional tournament has been given the green light to go ahead in less than four weeks time.

Whether or not golf is a safe form of exercise during the coronavirus pandemic continues to be a topic of debate, which recently took a positive turn for those asking for courses to reopen, after a leading health professor said he believes the golf course is now a safe environment to be in.

The majority of golf courses in Denmark, Sweden and Estonia are open for play, despite the ongoing fight against the coronavirus, whilst clubs in Australia are starting to reopen, but now, even areas that have been critically hit by the coronavirus are reopening its golf courses.