what CoronaVirus precautions are your club taking?

ronnie3585

"Golf courses could reopen 'relatively safely', says Prof Sam McConkey"

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/golf-clubs-could-reopen-relatively-safely-says-prof-sam-mcconkey-1.4228939

I'd say Sam is dying to get some evening golf in:)

Roger_007

I heard Sam McConkey on Pat Kenny’s show this morning. He was saying that he couldn’t see any reason why certain activities shouldn’t be restarted as long as social distancing is maintained. He specifically mentioned golf as one such activity as long as the ‘changing rooms’ and clubhouses are avoided.
McConkey is a consultant with Beaumont and Lourdes hospitals is well regarded as an expert on tropical and infectious diseases.

prawnsambo

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

No chance most lads will get around with only 2 balls.

That's generally the number lads are issued with at birth. Is there a way of getting more?

xgronkjabv6pcl

Roger_007 wrote: »

I heard Sam McConkey on Pat Kenny’s show this morning. He was saying that he couldn’t see any reason why certain activities shouldn’t be restarted as long as social distancing is maintained. He specifically mentioned golf as one such activity as long as the ‘changing rooms’ and clubhouses are avoided.
McConkey is a consultant with Beaumont and Lourdes hospitals is well regarded as an expert on tropical and infectious diseases.

I thought it was a particularly terrible piece on McConkey's part.

He proceeded to give very generalised political opinions on the obstacles rather than actual scientific evidence to support his claims.

A number of particularly glaring examples:

McConkey wrote: »

“The reason we cannot be as stringent as New Zealand is the good people of Northern Ireland do not agree with each other, they have not agreed with each other for 100 years and they do not agree with us. So there is a political problem."

“I think that is a possible future. The British are independently-minded so they might not mind being in a little bubble for a couple of years, until a vaccine is found. And if we are in a small little bubble we can begin to do our sports.”

Combine that with the lack of scientific evidence he provides and the article gives little to no insight imo.

GreeBo

Roger_007 wrote: »

I heard Sam McConkey on Pat Kenny’s show this morning. He was saying that he couldn’t see any reason why certain activities shouldn’t be restarted as long as social distancing is maintained. He specifically mentioned golf as one such activity as long as the ‘changing rooms’ and clubhouses are avoided.
McConkey is a consultant with Beaumont and Lourdes hospitals is well regarded as an expert on tropical and infectious diseases.

Golf, taken in isolation is most likely fine, the problem is that unless you live by the course, you are not supposed to be travelling aroundb other then for essential reasons.

CalamariFritti

Iker Short Thumbnail wrote: »

I thought it was a particularly terrible piece on McConkey's part.

He proceeded to give very generalised political opinions on the obstacles rather than actual scientific evidence to support his claims.

A number of particularly glaring examples:
Combine that with the lack of scientific evidence he provides and the article gives little to no insight imo.

The scientific evidence is there all along. We know already how it transmits and how it doesn't and how we prevent transmission. What scientific evidence do you expect? A field study carried out on the golf course over a number of months?

I said it before and I'm probably going to be told off again. Outdoor activities with distancing, for example the way we played before the lockdown 2.0, will be perfectly safe.

Even if there was a freak transmission on a golf course or on a nature walkway or on the beach still possible; its going to be that, a freak outlier. Its not going to happen in the numbers that threaten our 'curve'.

thecomedian

Iker Short Thumbnail wrote: »

I thought it was a particularly terrible piece on McConkey's part.

He proceeded to give very generalised political opinions on the obstacles rather than actual scientific evidence to support his claims.

A number of particularly glaring examples:



Combine that with the lack of scientific evidence he provides and the article gives little to no insight imo.

I’d say the medical expert has a better understanding than you.

Once the travel restrictions relax to allow travel, I don’t see a reason not to allow golf once everyone follows the correct protocols.

xgronkjabv6pcl

CalamariFritti wrote: »

The scientific evidence is there all along. We know already how it transmits and how it doesn't and how we prevent transmission. What scientific evidence do you expect? A field study carried out on the golf course over a number of months?

I said it before and I'm probably going to be told off again. Outdoor activities with distancing, for example the way we played before the lockdown 2.0, will be perfectly safe.

Even if there was a freak transmission on a golf course or on a nature walkway or on the beach still possible; its going to be that, a freak outlier. Its not going to happen in the numbers that threaten our 'curve'.

You're very much missing my self-evident point.

I expect that when a health expert is drafted in to comment on an infectious disease, he gives insight into the disease itself and not on politics which are an apparent barrier.

thecomedian wrote: »

I’d say the medical expert has a better understanding than you.

Once the travel restrictions relax to allow travel, I don’t see a reason not to allow golf once everyone follows the correct protocols.

What are you talking about? No where did I claim to know more than him?

I simply see no point in drafting in a medical expert who in turn spends the bulk of his time talking about politics.

You're effectively making up that I'm disagreeing with him when I'm not

ronnie3585

GreeBo wrote: »

Golf, taken in isolation is most likely fine, the problem is that unless you live by the course, you are not supposed to be travelling aroundb other then for essential reasons.

Golf is essential:pac: Particularly in this weather!

CalamariFritti wrote: »

I said it before and I'm probably going to be told off again. Outdoor activities with distancing, for example the way we played before the lockdown 2.0, will be perfectly safe.

Couldn't agree more. A round of golf with all of the distancing provisos in place is infinitely safer than a trip to the supermarket.

CalamariFritti

Iker Short Thumbnail wrote: »

You're very much missing my self-evident point.

I'm expect that when a health expert is drafted in to comment on an infectious disease, he gives insight into the disease itself and not on politics which are an apparent barrier.

But is that because he is actually not commenting on the nature of the disease but on some of the social and political aspects of it?

We're not going to play golf or walk a hill before May 5. But once some of the restriction will be eased I expect outdoor activities like golf to be among the first to be declared safe (with distancing). Based on the scientific evidence we already have.

And if someone doesn't agree with it and wants to play it safe they can totally stay away from the beaches or golf courses.

CalamariFritti

ronnie3585 wrote: »

Golf is essential:pac: Particularly in this weather!



Couldn't agree more. A round of golf with all of the distancing provisos in place is infinitely safer than a trip to the supermarket.

While that is true there is still a difference. You have to go to the supermarket to feed yourself while golf is pastime. Essential vs non-essential. Thats quite a big difference to be fair.

However given the parameters of this virus I would be confident in saying that the risk in outdoor activities with distancing is so low that it is negligible. To a degree where it doesn't really matter whether its essential or not. Which is moot anyway. We 're just not going to be outdoors while the non-essential travel rule is in play.

thecomedian

Iker Short Thumbnail wrote: »

You're very much missing my self-evident point.

I expect that when a health expert is drafted in to comment on an infectious disease, he gives insight into the disease itself and not on politics which are an apparent barrier.



What are you talking about? No where did I claim to know more than him?

I simply see no point in drafting in a medical expert who in turn spends the bulk of his time talking about politics.

You're effectively making up that I'm disagreeing with him when I'm not

You said it was a terrible piece by McConkey. By this I thought you were disagreeing with what he said about golf.
Sorry if I took you up wrong.

xgronkjabv6pcl

CalamariFritti wrote: »

But is that because he is actually not commenting on the nature of the disease but on some of the social and political aspects of it?

We're not going to play golf or walk a hill before May 5. But once some of the restriction will be eased I expect outdoor activities like golf to be among the first to be declared safe (with distancing). Based on the scientific evidence we already have.

And if someone doesn't agree with it and wants to play it safe they can totally stay away from the beaches or golf courses.

I gave no opinion whatsoever on whether golf should or should be allowed resume.

What I did provide was a comment on the quality of the article.

My personal opinion is that if you wish to discuss opening up golf courses and in turn draft in a medical expert to add credence to that then the medical expert should comment on medical matters.

This article was particularly bad because you have a medical expert discussing political constraints which in my eyes gives no insight.

Draft in a political scientist to comment on the political matters and a medical expert to comment on the medical matters. It's very simple.

A medical expert giving loose political opinions does not give merit to opening back up golf courses. If anything, it just adds further noise.

Irrespective of my personal opinion on opening of courses(which I didn't give), it is objectively a bad article.

thecomedian

The risk of transmission is the main reason why places like golf courses are closed.
What does the political side of things matter to a golf course??

His opinion is valid as he is an expert with regard to the transmission.

CalamariFritti

@Mur28: Got it now.

I think its for obvious reasons. Medical experts are effectively driving policy at the moment. Maybe sociologists and economists to a lesser degree. Either way, governemnts currently depend 100% on them for policy formulation. So I don't find it surprising that medical experts are asked about policy.

But ye I know what you mean. He should have elaborated on why he thinks its safe from a medical point of view. Not about something 'North'.

xgronkjabv6pcl

thecomedian wrote: »

The risk of transmission is the main reason why places like golf courses are closed.
What does the political side of things matter to a golf course??

His opinion is valid as he is an expert with regard to the transmission.

Precisely, that's my point.

Why does he spend so much the article commenting on them?

Comments like those I shared are superfluous and uninformative if anything:

McConkey wrote: »

“The reason we cannot be as stringent as New Zealand is the good people of Northern Ireland do not agree with each other, they have not agreed with each other for 100 years and they do not agree with us. So there is a political problem."

“I think that is a possible future. The British are independently-minded so they might not mind being in a little bubble for a couple of years, until a vaccine is found. And if we are in a small little bubble we can begin to do our sports.”

If drafting in a medical expert, he should spend the bulk of his time giving scientific reasons why it should or should not open.

If he provides opinion on policy, that's fine too but the opinions he shared, I felt were somewhat infantile, haphazard and quite poor.

Something of an anti-UK sentiment attached which I felt was very unnecessary.

antgal23

I'd love to see my club use Vpar or something similar to record and submit scores in comps

Even better if the GUI promoted it

I think changing areas and bars will be closed for the next 2-4 months at least

thecomedian

Iker Short Thumbnail wrote: »

Precisely, that's my point.

Why does he spend so much the article commenting on them?

Comments like those I shared are superfluous and uninformative if anything:



If drafting in a medical expert, he should spend the bulk of his time giving scientific reasons why it should or should not open.

If he provides opinion on policy, that's fine too but the opinions he shared, I felt were somewhat infantile, haphazard and quite poor.

Something of an anti-UK sentiment attached which I felt was very unnecessary.

That’s fair enough.
I was only talking about what he said in relation to golf.

thecomedian

antgal23 wrote: »

I'd love to see my club use Vpar or something similar to record and submit scores in comps

Even better if the GUI promoted it

I think changing areas and bars will be closed for the next 2-4 months at least

My club (sure many others too) are working on a system that will allow us to enter, pay & return our score completely contactless.

antgal23

thecomedian wrote: »

My club (sure many others too) are working on a system that will allow us to enter, pay & return our score completely contactless.

Has to be the way forward

Only contact with a person other than playing partners should be with the pro shop, that's only if you need a drink, gloves etc

GreeBo

antgal23 wrote: »

Has to be the way forward

Only contact with a person other than playing partners should be with the pro shop, that's only if you need a drink, gloves etc

So now the pro shops are open and selling food...

Every activity is safe if people follow the advice, golf is no different.
The problem is that, by and large, people are idiots, so we have the government telling us what to do and what not to do. Again, golf is no different.

Dayor Knight

GreeBo wrote: »

So now the pro shops are open and selling food...

Every activity is safe if people follow the advice, golf is no different.
The problem is that, by and large, people are idiots, so we have the government telling us what to do and what not to do. Again, golf is no different.

Some people are idiots.

CalamariFritti

antgal23 wrote: »

I'd love to see my club use Vpar or something similar to record and submit scores in comps

Even better if the GUI promoted it

I think changing areas and bars will be closed for the next 2-4 months at least

Nothing wrong with vpar, but what am I not getting about vpar and its potential advantage?

CalamariFritti

antgal23 wrote: »

Has to be the way forward

Only contact with a person other than playing partners should be with the pro shop, that's only if you need a drink, gloves etc

The way we had it during lockdown 1.0 was that the pro shop, bar & locker were closed physically.

Our pro would hand you the cards through the tilted window and take contactless payment.

Scores don't go into the computer. We had mini flagsticks that don't come out and no rakes in the bunkers. You even the sand with a club or your foot.

You actually wouldn't touch a thing from the moment you left your car til the moment you came back to it.

There is no chance that would be in any way unsafe. Could easily be done. And I'm sure it will be done again after May 5th. Anything else would be madness.

Golfhead65

CalamariFritti wrote: »

But is that because he is actually not commenting on the nature of the disease but on some of the social and political aspects of it?

We're not going to play golf or walk a hill before May 5. But once some of the restriction will be eased I expect outdoor activities like golf to be among the first to be declared safe (with distancing). Based on the scientific evidence we already have.

And if someone doesn't agree with it and wants to play it safe they can totally stay away from the beaches or golf courses.

At last, in that last paragraph someone with a bit of common sense

GreeBo

CalamariFritti wrote: »

The way we had it during lockdown 1.0 was that the pro shop, bar & locker were closed physically.

Our pro would hand you the cards through the tilted window and take contactless payment.

Scores don't go into the computer. We had mini flagsticks that don't come out and no rakes in the bunkers. You even the sand with a club or your foot.

You actually wouldn't touch a thing from the moment you left your car til the moment you came back to it.

There is no chance that would be in any way unsafe. Could easily be done. And I'm sure it will be done again after May 5th. Anything else would be madness.

You still need to get to and from the course....somehow.

CalamariFritti

GreeBo wrote: »

You still need to get to and from the course....somehow.

Thats why we're waiting for the easing of restrictions right?

Plus you know what I think of that. We've been there. That argument still doesn't make any more sense to me than it did then.

Edit: Seriously why are people trying to be holier than the pope here? Nobody is advocating flaunting restrictions. Why try to poke holes in any attempt in discussion a working model. If you're that scared just continue to stay at home (when the time for easing of restrictions comes).

prawnsambo

CalamariFritti wrote: »

Thats why we're waiting for the easing of restrictions right?

Plus you know what I think of that. We've been there. That argument still doesn't make any more sense to me than it did then.

You're breaking quarantine in two localities. And by the nature of golf club membership, that can be multiplied many times over. It makes tracing of contacts in the case of infection a mammoth task. And completely negates the purpose of the lockdown.

CalamariFritti

prawnsambo wrote: »

You're breaking quarantine in two localities. And by the nature of golf club membership, that can be multiplied many times over. It makes tracing of contacts in the case of infection a mammoth task. And completely negates the purpose of the lockdown.

Me personally I am discussing what happens when the easing of restrictions happens. After the lockdown.

But yes I also think it was over the top during the ongoing lockdown. But I don't think there is any merit in debating that on this thread.

prawnsambo

CalamariFritti wrote: »

Me personally I am discussing what happens when the easing of restrictions happens. You know, after the lockdown.

But yes I also think it was over the top during the ongoing lockdown. But I don't think there is any merit in debating that on this thread.

Well don't bring it up if you don't want to debate it.