Also in today’s roundup: San Jose CC in Jacksonville, Fla. closes for a deep cleaning and disinfecting after a member visited twice following exposure to the coronavirus; two Florida resorts report that most postponed spring events are being rescheduled for the fall, rather than cancelled outright; Wynn Resorts’ CEO remembers lesson from 2008 about the value of keeping staff and avoiding layoffs; and Larry David enthusiastically raises money for Riviera CC caddies.
Here is C+RB‘s latest roundup and summary of club-related developments surrounding the pandemic that have recently been reported. Please send updates on what your property is doing that you would like to share with the C+RB community to [email protected].
All of C+RB’s daily updates on the coronavirus situation can be found at https://clubandresortbusiness.com/category/covid-19/
—While many Florida golf courses have remained opened during the coronovirus shutdown, the San Jose Country Club in Jacksonville closed March 24 and 25 because a member who contracted the virus visited the club twice after being exposed, The Florida Times-Union reported. The club underwent a deep cleaning and disinfecting for all areas of the clubhouse, the pool, locker rooms, fitness center, tennis center and dining areas, as per guidelines set down by the CDC. The city of Jacksonville and the Duval County Health Department have been informed.
“The health and safety of our members, guests and employees is paramount and I want to assure you that everything we are doing is in support of that,” Club President Pate Foshee said in a letter posted to the club’s website.
The member in question was exposed to the virus on March 8, The Times-Union reported. He played nine holes of golf there on March 10, beginning around 4:30 p.m. and had a beverage on the outdoor patio. The member then returned to the club on March 13 and played nine holes before having lunch in the men’s lounge.
The member did not exhibit any symptoms either time he visited the club, The Times-Union reported. He was informed the evening after his second visit that he had been exposed to the virus and was then tested. He received the positive result the next day.
The member was accompanied by another member when he was exposed, and both played golf together the two times at San Jose, The Times-Union reported. That member has not shown any symptoms but has self-quarantined and has not returned to the club since his second visit.
Foshee said in the letter that all employees will be paid for the time the club is closed, as well as any who feel the need to self-quarantine, The Times-Union reported. He said all banquet activities are canceled for the next two weeks and asked members who have traveled recently, don’t feel well or have a family member who is sick to not come to the club for two weeks.
—The state of Connecticut is lifting its golf-course ban amid pleas from golfers and the industry that clubs should remain open during the coronavirus pandemic, Hartford Business reported.
The Connecticut State Golf Association (CSGA) in a letter to members March 25 said the state Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is allowing golf courses to re-open, but the decision comes with a few caveats, Hartford Business reported. According to CSGA, all clubhouses should remain closed, golf carts are being limited to one person and golfers are being urged to walk if possible. Restaurants are also closed or limited to take-out service only. Flagsticks and holes have also been raised to prevent players from touching cups.
Clubhouse closures mean golfers will need to pay for their rounds by phone or online, officials say, Hartford Business reported. Other CSGA recommendations include:
-No caddies or bag handlers (players handle their own equipment)
-No distribution of scorecards or writing utensils
-Sanitation of golf carts after use
-Players should not touch stakes marking penalty areas
-Starting time intervals should be a minimum of 10 minutes apart.
“With this announcement from DECD, golf can be played, and played safely in Connecticut during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CSGA said. “But only if everyone follows these guidelines at all times—especially maintaining strict adherence to social distancing.
—Chris Bauer, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Section PGA of America, is working jointly with the N.J. State Golf Association, the N.J. Golf Course Owners Association, the N.J. Club Manager’s Association, the N.J. Golf Course Superintendents Association with a letter of recommendation to Gov. Phil Murphy that he allow courses to reopen, the New York Post reported. Bauer said he hopes to have the letter in Murphy’s hands by the afternoon of March 26.
“We feel like all of us are representing the entire game of golf, trying to highlight the exercise and well-being aspect of the sport,’’ Bauer said. “It’s natural to be social distancing on the golf course. The etiquette and rules of the game promote that.’’
Bauer noted that Connecticut golf courses on March 25 were given the option to operate as long as they followed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s practices of social distancing, the Post reported.
“We understand that the clubhouses and restaurants need to be closed,’’ he said. “We’re emphasizing the field of play.’’
—A change.org petition titled, “Let Wisconsin golf” received over 100 virtual signatures in its first hour March 25, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. That petition asks Gov. Tony Evers to reopen golf courses with the following modifications—electronic payment only, closed clubhouses, no flag sticks, holes placed two inches above ground so no one touches a hole, no golf carts and adherence to all social-distancing guidelines.
—In a letter to the Asheville Citizen Times, a person asked if closing down golf courses was “Overkill?” They wrote that Asheville Municipal Golf Course had closed, as had Black Mountain (N.C.) Golf Course.
“We die-hard golfers would still get our exercise and remain in social not-contact with our friends,” the person wrote, adding that courses had already instituted safety measures such as no rakes in the bunkers and single-rider golf carts. “Staff at the course would still get paid, the state and county would get some tax revenue. Seems like a win-win.”
While the Citizen Times balked at the term “overkill,” it provided an answer from the city of Ashville:
“The Asheville Municipal Golf Course closed, effective Monday, March 23,” said city of Asheville spokeswoman Polly McDaniel. “This was a joint decision between the city of Asheville, Buncombe County and Pope Golf, who operates the golf course through an agreement with the city.
“Activities associated with the golf course inherently require physical contact with others and many furnishings and equipment at the facility,” McDaniel continued. “We jointly determined it was best to temporarily close the course as a precautionary measure, due to the need for social distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In Black Mountain, Mayor Don Collins noted that the nation, state, Buncombe County and Black Mountain have all declared states of emergency.
“Social distancing is one of the only ways to slow this pandemic down,” Collins said in a statement. “Our employees and citizens are the folks we are trying to protect. With the looming [Buncombe] County shelter in place order, this really becomes a moot point. Let’s not play to this virus, and plan on playing golf after we’ve won this battle.”
—At Naples Grande Beach Resort, which has the most meeting and event space in Naples, Fla. with 83,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor space, more than 85 percent of the resort’s group and event reservations this spring have been rescheduled to a later date, rather than cancelled completely. Overall, 40 percent of the resort’s business comes from groups and events.
“This is a testament to the strength of the travel industry community,” said Melinda Hutchins, Director of Sales and Marketing for Naples Grande Beach Resort. “We’re being extremely flexible with all travel plans and circumstances right now. From planners to agents and hotels to futures guests, we all need to work together during these unprecedented times and inspire hope that we’ll get through this and travel more than ever when this passes.”
—At Cheeca Lodge & Spa in Islamorada, Fla., which features 6,300 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, more than 90 percent of the resort’s group reservations and events for the spring have been rescheduled to a later date.
“We are working closely with all of our groups to extend flexible terms, with most aiming to reschedule their travel plans for Q3, Q4 or early 2021,” said Brianna Birtles, Director of Sales and Marketing for Cheeca Lodge & Spa. “The overall feedback has been positive from the entire community. We look forward to continuing to work with planners, travel agents and hotel guests to ensure that we are able to welcome them back to Cheeca Lodge & Spa and the Florida Keys in the next coming months.”
—After the Village Links of Glen Ellyn (Ill.) announced on March 24 that it was opening, 300 to 400 golfers registered for tee times between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on March 25, General Manager Jeff Vesevick told the Chicago Tribune.
—Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox was the first to close casino doors in Las Vegas, even before Nevada’s governor ordered them shut for 30 days. Maddox told CNBC in an interview he learned a lesson from the financial crisis in 2008: It pays off in the long run to retain employees, even if it costs the company in the short run.
“I can’t imagine going out [to] rehire and retrain 13,000 people,” he said. “I’d rather keep the knowledge and experience that we have now in the service standards.”
—Tecolote Canyon Golf Course, a par-54 layout in Clairemont, Calif. has been closed since March 20. But all weekend, golfers came anyway, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. When the city closed parking lots to its beaches and parks March 23, which included the access road to the course and hiking trails in Tecolote Canyon, golfers merely parked on the street and hoofed it in by foot.
That was about as close to a full golf experience as you could find in the city of San Diego since its three municipal courses—Balboa Park, Torrey Pines and Mission Bay—shuttered March 21.
—Pine Meadow Golf Club, in Mundelein, Ill. began an aerification project on its greens after the governor’s initial executive order, which didn’t allow the courses to be open, the Chicago Daily Herald reported. Now that play is allowed (with restrictions), Pine Meadows’ greens will be closed and pins with be placed in the fairways. Green fees will be dropped to $15 until the greens are put back in play again. In addition to the driving range being closed the only restrooms available will be in the clubhouse, with one person using them at a time.
—Actor/writer Larry David and media executive Lloyd Braun have teamed up to raise money for Riviera Country Club’s caddies, the Hollywood Reporter reported. The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” creator and star has teamed with Braun to launch a GoFundMe campaign with a simple and succinct pledge: “With the golf course closed indefinitely, the Riviera caddies need our help. Please contribute to help our caddies get thru this unprecedented time.”
With a goal of $100,000, David and Braun have already managed to raise $95,920 as of March 25, thanks to donors that read like a who’s who of Westside elite. Those who have pledged include Tom Brady ($2,000); Ari Emanuel ($1,000); Sony’s Josh Greenstein ($500); producer David Friendly ($500); Centerview Partners’ Skip Paul ($2,500); UTA’s Peter Benedek ($1,000) and Jay Sures ($500); entrepreneur Richard Rosenblatt ($1,000); entertainment attorney David Aronoff ($1,000); Oaktree Capital’s Bruce Karsh ($1,000); Dean Factor ($1.000); Andrew Friendly ($500;) and, of course, David ($5,000) and Braun ($1,000). The biggest single donation came from Margaret Perenchio with a $10,000 pledge.
[email protected] says
A petition in NJ has also been started:
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/allow-golf-courses-in-nj-to-remain-open
The petition has nearly 7,000 signatures as of this morning.