Golf is unique in that it’s a sport that requires a good amount of space. Sure, a lot of sports will require a good amount of space to work, but golf isn’t necessarily a contact sport, and there’s bound to be a lot of distance between each person. Theoretically, you’re also using your own equipment, which probably makes it safer than other sports.
But other than just abiding by strict rules and regulations to minimize transmission of COVID-19 among players, most establishments and golf courses will also have to keep crowds at a good distance from each other. Precautions still need to be placed since low risk doesn’t mean that there is no risk at all. Thus, we must stay vigilant and remain safe while still having a good time.
So, how risky is playing golf during the pandemic? What are some things that we can do to have a fun game while mitigating the likelihood of getting infected? Here’s what you’ll need to know.
How Risky Is Golf During the Pandemic?
During the first few months of the pandemic, various health officials and experts needed to assess the different risks posed by different types of activities. Some of the most popular types of outdoor activities were contact sports and most sports in general. Some studies have found that golf is known for being one of the least risky activities.
In the study, most experts would rate most of the activities that have been enumerated to them on a scale of 1 to 10, with ten known for being one of the riskiest activities. Much of the ranking would suggest that playing sports like tennis and getting food from a drive-by in a restaurant were the least risky. However, going to a bar and being in areas with large dense crowds had a score of around 9 out of 10.
Compared to other sports types, golf doesn’t necessarily involve contact with others and is a bit more “peculiar” as a sport. Since a lot of people who play golf are naturally far from each other and there’s basically a lot of open space to cover, golf was rated a 3 out of 10 out of the activities that were enumerated. This was only followed by activities like going to libraries, walking around in a park, or re-fueling your car.
Thus, most experts would say that golf as a sport is quite low-risk. Still, safety precautions and regulations need to be in place, especially when crowds of spectators can easily flock towards golf courses, especially when someone prominent is playing.
Keeping Yourself Safe While Playing
But even though we know for a fact that golf is a low-risk sport that almost everyone can enjoy during their free time, how the virus behaves is still shrouded in mystery. Even when vetted and tenured experts around the world are studying the disease, much still needs to be known about it, and we can effectively combat it from our daily lives.
There are several aspects of golf that we will need to consider, and equipment is definitely one of the major influences to it. Here’s what you’ll need to know.
- You might want to get your own ball markers instead of relying on the ball markers that are used by the establishment. When you’re the only person that’s using these markers, you’re decreasing the likelihood of getting into contact with someone that might be infected. Fortunately, there are unique and versatile custom golf ball markers poker chips that can withstand almost any weather condition while coming in various colors.
- It’s important to keep your hands to yourself, especially to your own clubs and equipment. If you have someone handling your equipment for you, it should be someone you’ve been near for two weeks or more.
- Of course, a part of good sportsmanship is a good handshake, but you’ll need to pass from the traditional post-round handshake with your opponents. The last thing that everybody wants is getting sick.
- Some courses will have rakes to help smoothen out certain surfaces like sand. It’s best to avoid this type of equipment (because everyone uses it), so you’ll need to smooth the sand over with your feed or any equipment that is exclusively yours.
- Bring your own food and don’t share with others.
Although playing golf is a low-risk sport, this doesn’t mean that there is virtually no risk at all. Practicing preventive measures is better than having to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars treating yourself.
