DARIUS SHAHHEYDARI
PONTIAC June 10 2020
Since late May, Quebec’s deconfinement plan allowed golf courses to reopen in Pontiac under certain conditions.
This was part of the third phase which gave the go-ahead to individual outdoor sports and leisure activities.
At Island Brae Golf Club in Allumettes Island . . .
operator Dan Shields said he is having more customers than he expected.
Baskets and golf balls are disinfected after every use and metal clubs are no longer put out by the club.
Washrooms are also cleaned five or six times a day now instead of the normal once-a-day, according to Shields.
Staff wear gloves when sanitizing and other personal protection equipment, such as masks, are available when staff need to wear it and the debit machine is also wiped down after every transaction.
“Cashless payment is preferred and most people do it,” said Shields. “We will take the cash though, if that’s all they have.”
Tournaments are no longer organized, since gatherings are restricted.
“But, we’re hoping they allow some outdoor service in the next couple of weeks,” said Shields.
Snacks are still available for customers to grab, however prepared meals, like the barbecues the golf club used to do, are no longer there.
The golf course now also only has six tee times an hour instead of the normal eight and customers must book a time to be on the property, may not arrive more than 20 minutes beforehand and must depart immediately afterwards.
Island Brae Golf Club has a sign with their number at the gate notifying customers they must have a booked tee time to enter the premises.
If a group of golfers are not from the same household, they must ride in single-rider golf carts and all the carts are disinfected after every use, with special attention given to the cart handles.
Shields said he is also seeing many new faces at the club, presumably because there isn’t much else to do.
“It’s gone a lot better than I thought it would,” said Shields. “People embrace the new way to play and everyone’s been really, really respectful. In a nutshell, we’re fortunate to be open and it’s going kind of well.”
Over at Pontefract GC, in Mansfield, Owner Guy Ladouceur said it is more difficult to operate his golf course with the new COVID-19 measures, despite it not being as busy as normal.
“We have to abide and we’re trying to abide,” said Ladouceur.
Golf carts are kept about seven metres apart from each other by painted markings on the pavement.
“Then, we have to ensure the distancing of at least six metres [between] the players and that there’s only foursomes playing at the most ,” said Ladoucer
Carts are also sanitized after every use and their clubhouses are closed.
