Gov. Tony Evers softened his state’s “Safer at Home” order, which will remain in effect until May 26, to allow play on golf courses. Clubhouses, locker rooms and pro shops will have to stay closed, however. Also, outdoor furniture manufacturer O.W. Lee is ramping up its protective masks to include children’s sizes; the North Carolina Golf Course Owners Association sends out best-practice video tips for safe operations; Cobblestone GC shows off slick new ball-dispensing no-touch flagsticks; answers are provided to staffing questions for both current and future employee concerns; and the National Club Association encourages clubs to sign a letter advocating Congress to include all nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(7) clubs, in the next relief bill’s Payment Protection Program.
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/.
State-By-State Update
—Although parts of Wisconsin’s Safer at Home order will remain in effect until May 26, Gov. Tony Evers announced April 16, golf courses will be able to reopen on April 24, the Kenosha News reported.
“Were we expecting on the 24th? Probably no. Were we hoping for that? Definitely yes,” Wisconsin PGA Executive Director Joe Stadler said. “We’re thrilled that he [Evers] thought golf could get open … It’s a great start to the season.”
Clubhouses, locker rooms and pro shops will have to stay closed under the governor’s order—and thus payment must be electronic or over the phone—but golfers will be able to swing away again, the News reported.
“For us, being able to play golf again is a great scenario,” John Schneider, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the Racine Country Club and a PGA member, said April 16.
Schneider added that allowing golfers to golf in some ways actually helps people follow the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and from the state, advising people to get outside and exercise—rather than cooped up and isolated at home all the time, the News reported.
“It gets our people out and all of us golfers are able to get out and get exercise,” he said.
Racine Country Club has been mowing its greens and fairways about once a week over the past month, Schneider said, so it doesn’t have much extra preparation to do to be ready for reopening on April 24, the News reported.
Still, Pete Eitel, the Head Golf Professional at Ives Grove Golf Links in Yorkville and president of H&H Fairway Enterprises, which operates the Racine County-owned courses, isn’t expecting golf courses to return to “business as usual” quickly, the News reported. He noted there will be plenty of golfers who decide to give it up to protect their own safety. It’s also still unclear if golf carts will be allowed to be used; without them, fewer people will golf, and that’s less revenue for courses.
“This has been a tough go for courses around the state. We have a short period of time that we’re able to make our money,” Eitel said. “Losing April is a big factor.”
Because of the small-group requirements of golf and minimal person-to-person contact, golfers have been decrying the closure of courses since the initial Safer at Home order went into effect on March 24, the News reported. An online petition titled “Let Wisconsin Golf” has more than 66,000 signatures calling on the governor to reopen courses.
The PGA Tour, LPGA and other professional golf associations have also established the Golf Emergency Relief Fund, which offers “short-term financial assistance to certain workers in the golf industry.”
—The Country Club of Lansing is again allowing its members to play on its course after a brief shutdown, the City Pulse reported. And that’s despite guidance from the state’s top law enforcement official that said otherwise.
“We cannot rely on the superfluous statements made by each respective office and must only rely on the text of the order itself,” according to an email from the Country Club to its members sent earlier this week, again allowing golf to be played. “If the governor intended the order to specifically ban golf, she would have included such specific language in the order.”
The governor’s orders state that public courses must close; It doesn’t mention private clubs. However, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Dana Nessel said that it’s inaccurate to claim that private club members can continue to play on private courses amid the pandemic, the City Pulse reported. “Bottom line is that golf courses may not be open,” she explained to City Pulse this morning.
But that’s precisely what the Country Club of Lansing is now allowing to take place this week, the City Pulse reported. Following reports on players on the golf course last week, the green was deserted the next day. Staff also told its members not to use the course during the closure. But apparently, officials there no longer think the governor’s orders apply.
The Country Club this week is again allowing golfers to walk the course and play either alone or in groups of two, provided they remain six feet apart from one another, the City Pulse reported. The driving range, golf carts, the clubhouse, the putting green and other amenities remain closed.
Guests and other nonmembers are not allowed on the property—as indicated by newly placed signage—and after the game, members are asked to leave the course immediately, the City Pulse reported.
“Steps will be taken to remove from club property nonmembers and those members who are not abiding by the rules established in this letter,” the Country Club said. “Should you choose to golf the course for your outdoor physical activity, you alone bear the risk of any penalty.”
After last week’s story was published, the Lansing Police Department told the Country Club that it may still send its officers out to ticket golfers that are outside playing, the City Pulse reported. Local law enforcement alone carries the burden of enforcing the governor’s recent orders. An LPD spokesman, however, said officers no longer plan to issue citations to Country Club members who continue to play golf.
In other Michigan counties, prosecutors have also decided that they cannot prevent people from walking onto a course and playing golf, regardless of how the state order is interpreted, the City Pulse reported. Kent County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Becker told MLive that playing golf is no different than walking in parks and other green spaces. Golf, if allowed by the course, cannot be stopped. Tickets, subsequently, could only be issued for those that fail to keep a six-foot social distance.
According to recent reports, Green Oaks Country Club in Ypsilanti has also decided to reopen this week, quoting Kelly Rossman-McKinney, an AG spokeswoman, as allowing members to play, the City Pulse reported. Rossman-McKinney, for her part, has since said that guidance was not accurately interpreted.
—After Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ new proclamation on April 16, banning all “gatherings,” the Gardner Golf Course and all disc golf courses in parks in Cedar Rapids will close through April 30, KCRG reported.
“We know that physical activity outdoors has a positive effect on our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, and we want to see our residents continue to enjoy the trail system while also keeping safety in mind,” says Parks and Recreation Director Scott Hock.
Parks, trails and dog parks will continue to stay open, KCRG reported. To help encourage social distancing though, one-way travel on trail loops is recommended. Signage will be posted to show the one-way traffic pattern. These recommended guidelines are to help people on the trails reduce contact with others. This will take place at Prairie Park Fishery and Cherry Hill Park loop trail.
Anyone on trails is asked to follow all CDC guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
—Golfers continued to play at Horseshoe Lake Golf Club in South Kitsap, Wash., even after Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order deemed golf courses “non-essential” businesses and directed that they shut down as part of the effort slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, the Kitsap Sun reported. Owner Alex Roland said he’s received overwhelmingly positive feedback from his patrons.
“I’ve got the course in the best shape I’ve ever had it,” he said. “I’m getting so many praises.”
After Inslee’s order, every course in Kitsap complied with the order and shut down for play by March 26—except Horseshoe Lake, the Sun reported. Roland was aware of the order but told the Kitsap Sun in late March that he didn’t plan to close his doors because he felt he provided a service to a small group of golfers who play Horseshoe Lake frequently.
“Why would you deny them a golf course that’s out in the wilderness and gets 20 golfers a day?” he asked. Aided by the recent nice weather and the fact that no other golf clubs were open, Roland told the Sun last week that his course was averaging closer to 100 golfers a day.
His course remained in operation on April 13 morning when he received a notice from Inslee’s office with an unambiguous message: “He demanded that I clear the course within one hour,” Roland said. He complied and by noon, the course shared the same status as the rest of Kitsap’s courses: shut down until further notice, the Sun reported.
Inslee’s order designates a broad swath of businesses as “essential” and allows them to continue operations, the Sun reported. Others deemed “non-essential,” like golf courses, hair and nail salons, most types of construction and certain types of retailers, were to close.
—The North Carolina Golf Course Owners Association created a series of S.C.O.R.E. (Safe Compliant Outdoor Recreation for Everyone) videos to help its members communicate safe and creative operating best practices.
Bob Byrnes, Head Golf Professional at Hope Valley Country Club in Durham, N.C. leads off the videos with a brief introduction of the program. There are also videos from Josh Wagaman, Head Golf Professional at Cougar Point Golf Course at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort on engagement strategies; Jeff Avant, Head Golf Professional at Rolling Hills Country Club in Monroe, N.C. on setting up a safe driving range; and many more. Access the videos HERE.
EZ Lift
—Cobblestone Golf Course (@CobblestoneGolf) in Acworth, Ga. installed the new EZ Lift ball retrievers on all flagsticks. No need for golfers to ever touch the flagstick again.
Check out the new EZ Lift ball retrievers that we have installed on all flagsticks. No need to ever touch the flagstick again! pic.twitter.com/h5oKyXQME5
— Cobblestone (@CobblestoneGolf) April 16, 2020
Letter Addresses Payment Protection Program for Clubs
—The National Club Association has signed a letter from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce advocating Congress to include all nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(7) clubs, in the Payment Protection Program in the next relief bill.
NCA strongly encourages managers to sign the letter to include your club’s voice in this effort, as well. Access the letter and brief form HERE.
The National Club Association has been working alongside the Chamber to include trade associations and clubs in future relief packages. NCA is a member of the Chamber and VP of Government Relations Joe Trauger serves on its Labor Relations Committee. Recently, the Chamber’s lead economist, Curtis Dubay, presented an NCA Coronavirus Town Hall on the economic outlook. You can access it HERE.
Staffing Questions Answered
— Denehy Club Thinking Partners and National Club Association hosted a Webinar, “Coronavirus Response: Staffing Until Labor Day,” on March 27. Denehy and the NCA then sent out these answers to questions that were not able to be answered live during the webinar:
Question: It’s true the labor market will have premium talent available, but with most clubs struggling to get back on their feet, how can they afford the premium talent?
Answer: There is a good chance that premium talent may be available when the restrictions are lifted but they are likely to gravitate toward the better paid positions. If your club is the first out there placing employment ads, you may well find that a lot of candidates will apply; they are the early responders, driven to do so by their precarious financial situation and willing to jump on the first job that can put some dollars in their pocket. But these employees will continue to look for that better job and jump when they find it and so on. I anticipate there will be a period of time for the dust to settle during which time those employees who can (the top talent) will move about from job to job leveraging their skills until they find something they like.
In this day and age, money will be the principal driver for many of these employees. But, as we discussed during the webinar, you may be able to save some money eliminating the subpar performers and focus instead on the premium talent which may cost more but may be worth it in the longer term
– Peter Petrina, Petrina Group International
Question: How are you seeing seasonal clubs in the Northeast dealing with the loss of staff due to FL clubs sending H2B’s home already?
Answer: We are seeing a lot of that, unfortunately. Some of the FL clubs jumped to decisions early on and sent as many of their H2Bs home as they could, irrespective of whether these workers had contracts to go north. Unfortunately, because most of the northern properties are barely now able to file petitions with USCIS, it meant that these workers could not be saved legally.
On the other side, there were properties north which cancelled their H2B program as well; this freed up H2Bs who started to look around for opportunities with other clubs. Many things have to be aligned for such a shift to happen though. There are clubs who lost people and cannot find replacements; they will just have to fend for themselves.
– Peter Petrina, Petrina Group International
Question: For employees eligible for FMLA because they have children now staying home, does the fact that they can do their job remotely make them ineligible? If they have the capacity to work from home, would they now be telecommuters?
Answer: Here is the information I was able to find associated with the FFCRA that just came into effect on April 1st, that will answer your questions related to teleworking and benefit availability: Excerpts from Families First to the Coronavirus Response Act FAQ: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-questions
– Anne Catherine Nielsen, EquaMagna
Question: If I am or become unable to telework, am I entitled to paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave?
Answer: If your employer permits teleworking—for example, allows you to perform certain tasks or work a certain number of hours from home or at a location other than your normal workplace—and you are unable to perform those tasks or work the required hours because of one of the qualifying reasons for paid sick leave, then you are entitled to take paid sick leave.
Similarly, if you are unable to perform those teleworking tasks or work the required teleworking hours because you need to care for your child whose school or place of care is closed, or child care provider is unavailable, because of COVID-19 related reasons, then you are entitled to take expanded family and medical leave.
Of course, to the extent you are able to telework while caring for your child, paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave is not available.
– Anne Catherine Nielsen, EquaMagna
Question: May I take my paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave intermittently while teleworking?
Answer: Yes, if your employer allows it and if you are unable to telework your normal schedule of hours due to one of the qualifying reasons in the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act. In that situation, you and your employer may agree that you may take paid sick leave intermittently while teleworking. Similarly, if you are prevented from teleworking your normal schedule of hours because you need to care for your child whose school or place of care is closed, or child care provider is unavailable, because of COVID-19 related reasons, you and your employer may agree that you can take expanded family medical leave intermittently while teleworking.
You may take intermittent leave in any increment, provided that you and your employer agree. For example, if you agree on a 90-minute increment, you could telework from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., take leave from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., and then return to teleworking.
The Department encourages employers and employees to collaborate to achieve flexibility and meet mutual needs, and the Department is supportive of such voluntary arrangements that combine telework and intermittent leave.
– Anne Catherine Nielsen, EquaMagna
Question: For the Emergency Paid Sick Leave, is it based on the pay date or the actual date worked? For example, if they are paid for March 15 to 31, but are paid on April 6, does it count or not?
Answer: The short answer is that the Emergency Paid Sick Leave will be calculated based on your regular rate of pay and will cover you for up to a maximum of 80 hours of pay for actual days you are unable to work or telework, regardless of your pay cycle. Please also note that the FFCRA’s paid leave provisions take effect on April 1, 2020, and apply to leave taken between April 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020.
I found additional information relative to calculating that Sick Pay that you may also find relevant: Excerpts from Families First to the Coronavirus Response Act FAQ found here:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-questions
As an employee, how much will I be paid while taking paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave under the FFCRA?
It depends on your normal schedule as well as why you are taking leave.
If you are taking paid sick leave because you are unable to work or telework due to a need for leave because you (1) are subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19; (2) have been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19; or (3) are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and are seeking medical diagnosis, you will receive for each applicable hour the greater of:
· your regular rate of pay
· the federal minimum wage in effect under the FLSA, or
· the applicable State or local minimum wage.
In these circumstances, you are entitled to a maximum of $511 per day, or $5,110 total over the entire paid sick leave period.
If you are taking paid sick leave because you are: (1) caring for an individual who is subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19 or an individual who has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19; (2) caring for your child whose school or place of care is closed, or child care provider is unavailable, due to COVID-19 related reasons; or (3) experiencing any other substantially-similar condition that may arise, as specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, you are entitled to compensation at 2/3 of the greater of the amounts above.
Under these circumstances, you are subject to a maximum of $200 per day, or $2,000 over the entire two-week period.
If you are taking expanded family and medical leave, you may take paid sick leave for the first two weeks of that leave period, or you may substitute any accrued vacation leave, personal leave, or medical or sick leave you have under your employer’s policy. For the following ten weeks, you will be paid for your leave at an amount no less than 2/3 of your regular rate of pay for the hours you would be normally scheduled to work. If you take paid sick leave during the first two weeks of unpaid expanded family and medical leave, you will not receive more than $200 per day or $12,000 for the twelve weeks that include both paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave when you are on leave to care for your child whose school or place of care is closed, or child care provider is unavailable, due to COVID-19 related reasons. If you take employer-provided accrued leave during those first two weeks, you are entitled to the full amount for such accrued leave, even if that is greater than $200 per day.
– Anne Catherine Nielsen, EquaMagna
Question: What is my regular rate of pay for purposes of the FFCRA?
Answer: For purposes of the FFCRA, the regular rate of pay used to calculate your paid leave is the average of your regular rate over a period of up to six months prior to the date on which you take leave.
If you have not worked for your current employer for six months, the regular rate used to calculate your paid leave is the average of your regular rate of pay for each week you have worked for your current employer.
If you are paid with commissions, tips, or piece rates, these amounts will be incorporated into the above calculation to the same extent they are included in the calculation of the regular rate under the FLSA.
You can also compute this amount for each employee by adding all compensation that is part of the regular rate over the above period and divide that sum by all hours actually worked in the same period.
– Anne Catherine Nielsen, EquaMagna
Question: Is there any thought that with additional unemployment for 5 months, staff will not come back?
Answer: I think your question and concern are very relevant, in particular given that we are coming out of a tight labor market into the current pandemic situation where many employers are forced to furlough their employees to maintain their businesses, certainly a tough environment to cultivate employee loyalty.
Many States provide 26 weeks of benefits, though some states have trimmed that back while others provide a sliding scale tied to unemployment levels. The Cares Act Bill provides all eligible workers with an additional 13 weeks. So, participants in States with 26 weeks would be eligible for a total of 39 weeks. The total amount cannot exceed 39 weeks, but it may be shorter in certain states.
The additional $600/week stimulus provided by the Federal Government to complement State unemployment benefits, is currently made available through July 31st. After that unemployment will be based on the State benefit, prompting employees to come back to work in order to get their full paycheck. It is hard to predict how long the Pandemic will last and how soon businesses will be able to resume. The additional 13 weeks of unemployment may provide the necessary buffer to help employees and employers get back up and running. As businesses start ramping up, it will be critical though to think about how to optimize your recruitment and onboarding practices and review your compensation strategy, to ensure optimal talent attraction and retention.
– Anne Catherine Nielsen, EquaMagna
Question: Our FY is here, and we have written a Dues increase into the budget. There has been a lot of discussion about not executing this increase, but ultimately, the Board has decided we need the increase. Does the panel have any thoughts on this?
Answer: Ray Cronin from Club Benchmarking did an analysis of medium size clubs and conservatively calculated that 70% of the clubs’ expenses are basically fixed (allocating 40% of hourly pay, 40% of all Cost of Goods and 40% of all supplies and chemicals for all departments as variable.)
He provided two graphs (click HERE):
1. Paying hourly staff
2. Not paying hourly staff but continuing to charge full dues.
It is relatively easy for a manager to redraft your monthly budgets applying similar reasonable assumptions such as Ray’s to determine your monthly profit or loss for each month, with or without full or partial payroll and at different operating levels. If you wish a more precise budget, call in (literally call in) your department managers to work through each line item in their budgets with you. While it might be tempting to do this once and create an average month, you’ll get better results if you reforecast each month, well past when you expect to return to normal, and be conservative as to how soon that might be and what business you may lose. Do this exercise each month to perfect future month’s reforecasts. On a spread sheet, take your year to date numbers and add each reforested month through the end of your year. Although with the club closing and payroll cuts you may turn months that were historically a loss into a profit, you may find that the historical profitable months may turn negative. For example, clubs with a high percentage of outing and banquet business in the fall, may not realize all those customary revenues. If you show a reliable profit overall, you might consider whether your current dues are sufficient, whether you need an increase, or if necessary, that you reduce dues. Monthly cash flow should also be considered. No one can predict how fast we will return to pre 2020 business levels, if ever, but unless you plan to permanently trim back your operations and can reliably predict your membership renewals, you may need that dues increase in the future.
– Bob James, DENEHY Club Thinking Partners, [email protected]
Supplier News
—O.W. Lee (known for its outdoor furniture that caters to the club industry) now has children’s-sized protective masks available. The company is offering two sizes: small for those 2-4 and large for 4-12.
“Our kids-size fabric masks are made exactly like our adult size masks only smaller,” the company announced. “We use pre-shrunk outdoor fabric in various colors, which is liquid repellant and anti-microbial. The inner layer consists of soft industrial-grade polypropylene and is very breathable. Our masks can withstand washing with bleach at the highest temperatures.”
O.W. Lee providing these masks to help the public battle COVID-19. Visit www.owlee.com/ppe/ to learn more about the masks.
—KemperSports, the Illinois PGA Foundation and FootJoy have teamed up to form Rain Suits for Responders, a program to collect new or gently used men’s and women’s golf rain suits and deliver them directly to healthcare workers on the frontlines of the coronavirus battle. AMITA Health officials, representing the largest health system in Illinois, have identified waterproof golf rain suits as apparel that can serve as reusable Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) by healthcare workers.
The donation process is easy. A website – amitahealth.org/rainsuitsforresponders – has been established for donors to register their rain suit shipment and receive a free FedEx shipping label via email from AMITA Health within two business days. Once the rain suit is packaged, donors can schedule a FedEx pick up at their home or drop off their donation package at a local FedEx facility. The Illinois PGA Foundation is committed to financially supporting the program by absorbing a portion of the shipping costs.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting all of us. When an AMITA Health executive called and told me that rain gear could be used as an acceptable form of PPE for its medical professionals, I immediately knew that we could rally our KemperSports team and the whole golf industry around a program to contribute to the fight against the virus and support those risking their lives to save others,” said Steve Skinner, CEO of KemperSports, a leading golf course management company based in Northbrook. “Through our relationships in golf, we were able to bring together the Illinois PGA Foundation, FootJoy and the Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation to establish the Rain Suits for Responders program, which will allow our KemperSports staff, golf professionals and avid golfers to get involved and provide immediate assistance to healthcare workers.”
If preferred, donors can make a charitable donation directly to the Rain Suits for Responders Fund. For every $100 that is donated, KemperSports and FootJoy will provide a brand-new rain suit to AMITA Health. Details for making a charitable donation can also be found at amitahealth.org/rainsuitsforresponders.
“The Illinois PGA Foundation is pleased to team up with KemperSports, FootJoy and AMITA Health to support the Rain Suits for Responders program. We’re proud to financially support the program as well as promote it to our more than 800 Illinois PGA Professionals who manage 300 golf facilities throughout the Chicagoland area as well as Northern and Central Illinois,” said Carrie Williams, Executive Director of the Illinois PGA Section and Illinois PGA Foundation.
“We are proud to partner with the Illinois PGA Foundation and KemperSports to help protect those on the frontlines combatting the COVID-19 crisis. We are humbled daily by the commitment, resolve and courage demonstrated by our nation’s healthcare workers, and are happy to contribute to the Rain Suits for Responders program,” said Ken LaRose, SVP of Brand & Consumer Experience at FootJoy.
“We have been humbled by the outpouring of local business and community support extended across all the AMITA Health hospitals and sites of care. We are extremely appreciative of these innovative and timely donations for our frontline healthcare associates,” said Thor Thordarson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for AMITA Health.
This campaign, which launched April 16, begins with a $10,000 donation from the Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation, a longtime partner of KemperSports, to provide 100 new FootJoy rain suits to the cause. This foundation, created in honor of Illinois Golf Hall of Fame Inductee Brent Wadsworth, is committed to improving communities through the game of golf.
“The Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation has been looking for a way to utilize golf to make a positive impact on this pandemic and we have found a great partner in KemperSports, the Illinois PGA Foundation and Footjoy,” said Doug Myslinski, Director of the Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation. “The front-line healthcare individuals who are risking their own health to save others are the true heroes in this situation and the idea of assisting them with protective golf rain suits is certainly noble. Our hope is that this initial contribution will spur others in the golf industry to help our AMITA healthcare heroes during this uniquely challenging time.”
PPE is used every day by healthcare personnel to help protect themselves, patients and others when providing care. PPE shortages are currently posing a tremendous challenge to the U.S. healthcare system because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare facilities are having difficulty accessing the needed PPE and are having to identify alternate ways to provide patient care.
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