Golf Lockdown Discussion ** No discussion of breaking Restrictions **

youcancallmeal

seamie78 wrote: »

id say we can expect bad news, good news comes out in the middle of the day bad news at 4.59

Yep the GUI have history with this as well

First Up

boardise wrote:

There's no conceivable reason why the existing regime of controlled golf should be discontinued.. I heard the CMO on the 1.00 news talking about the GAA . Every justification he gave for allowing GAA applied also to golf. Many older/retired people (I.e.more vulnerable) play golf . For physical and mental health reasons they could and should be allowed to carry on as is. I haven't heard of any evidence suggesting that golf course activity has contributed to the surge in infections.

I understood the only GAA (and soccer/rugby) games allowed are at elite level. That will be for the entertainment of the TV audience, not for the benefit of the players, so I don't see the equivalence with amateur golf.

I would hope that casual golf will be permitted for club members but the 5k travel limit will stop many of us.

higster

BraveDonut wrote: »

Thanks - Going to take the morning off and play 18 in case its the last chance for 6 weeks

You’re not alone. My club is now pretty much booked out for the day tomorrow. Was pretty much empty when looked at it Sunday and plenty of slots available on Thursday...

VW 1

First Up wrote: »

I understood the only GAA (and soccer/rugby) games allowed are at elite level. That will be for the entertainment of the TV audience, not for the benefit of the players, so I don't see the equivalence with amateur golf.

I would hope that casual golf will be permitted for club members but the 5k travel limit will stop many of us.

Ultimately, if you drive directly to and from your club without stopping, you have no contact with people while in the car. There's no more risk driving 4.9km to play a game as there is for a person driving 20km to play a game. I'm hoping it's good news regarding playing, but fear it won't be.

First Up

VW 1 wrote:

Ultimately, if you drive directly to and from your club without stopping, you have no contact with people while in the car. There's no more risk driving 4.9km to play a game as there is for a person driving 20km to play a game. I'm hoping it's good news regarding playing, but fear it won't be.

That applies to all car journeys. I can see the Gardai using a bit of flexibility if its another kilometer or two going anywhere but Level 5 is a serious step and golf won't get special treatment.

fred funk }{

We shall expect the GUI to drop the bomb any minute now and run.

higster

Wales golf courses shut down...
https://irishgolfer.ie/latest-golf-news/2020/10/20/golf-courses-in-wales-to-close-are-we-next/

blue note

First Up wrote: »

I understood the only GAA (and soccer/rugby) games allowed are at elite level. That will be for the entertainment of the TV audience, not for the benefit of the players, so I don't see the equivalence with amateur golf.

I would hope that casual golf will be permitted for club members but the 5k travel limit will stop many of us.

The equivalence is that people want to play golf so are comparing intercounty gaa to Sunday golf. The reality of why gaa is allowed is because in this instance the intercounty gaa is more akin to TV entertainment. In terms of whether or not the gaa championship should be allowed it would be fairer to compare it to fair city.

Personally I'm undecided about whether the gaa should be allowed to go ahead. If I wanted to discuss it I think the covid or gaa forums would be a suitable place to do it. Or at a stretch the television forum. I also would like to see golf remain open, although I could understand if they chose to forbid green fees and opens. Too many people travelling with their mates.

I must say though, people discussing the gaa championship going ahead here while ignoring the actual reason why is just being wilfully obtuse.

xgronkjabv6pcl

blue note wrote: »

The equivalence is that people want to play golf so are comparing intercounty gaa to Sunday golf. The reality of why gaa is allowed is because in this instance the intercounty gaa is more akin to TV entertainment. In terms of whether or not the gaa championship should be allowed it would be fairer to compare it to fair city.

Personally I'm undecided about whether the gaa should be allowed to go ahead. If I wanted to discuss it I think the covid or gaa forums would be a suitable place to do it. Or at a stretch the television forum. I also would like to see golf remain open, although I could understand if they chose to forbid green fees and opens. Too many people travelling with their mates.

I must say though, people discussing the gaa championship going ahead here while ignoring the actual reason why is just being wilfully obtuse.

The GAA is somewhat alone though when compared to other "elite" sports.

The GAA is being compared to rugby/soccer but it is an technically an amateur sport-like Sunday golf- so it is occupying an unusual space as it's marketed as an amateur sport but receives some treatment which is reserved solely for professionals.

I'm not saying I have any particular issue with "elite" GAA going ahead but I can understand why people-in this case golfers- gravitate towards critiquing it because its status seems to be easily augmented for certain situations.

Case in point being the use of "elite" over professional.

Luckycharm

Whats taking them so long!!

VW 1

GAA at county level isn't an elite sport in the sense that the lads go back to work the next day. If they were full time professionals that were in a social bubble with just team mates and family, fine. But taken from the perspective of these new regulations, they are no more elite than a golfer or amateur soccer player.

gypsy79

This isnt for 6 weeks. This is for 6 months

Seve OB

Luckycharm wrote: »

Whats taking them so long!!

Maybe they are fighting for us

finglashoop

gypsy79 wrote: »

This isnt for 6 weeks. This is for 6 months

Might take that long to get an announcement

Wichita Lineman

Unfortunately I think the longer they delay the less likely that it's good news. I hope I'm wrong.

Whiplash85

They might be taking time to ensure that any groundstaff, proshop owners etc can qualify for PUP payments? Lot of administrative details would need sorting if they were to close.

Whiplash85

Just thinking out loud. UK is just gone to tier 3 and golf courses are allowed open so golf courses in NI by default would be allowed open too. GUI is an All Ireland body so maybe they want to make sure both jurisdictions are aligned.

Seve OB

Whiplash85 wrote: »

They might be taking time to ensure that any groundstaff, proshop owners etc can qualify for PUP payments? Lot of administrative details would need sorting if they were to close.

Groundstaff work is now at its quietest time of the year, grass stops growing, little maintenance. My bro in law is a greenkeeper and he calls himself a glorified grass cutter. Anyway, their salaries are boxed off by subs, and we know that golf clubs this year aren't short of subs.

It's the restaurant staff I feel sorry for. And the restaurant bar business within the club's. If they are all part of the club, the chances are revenues are not down enough for the club's to qualify for twss and ewss.

If proshops close they can go on the pup, no different to when they did back in April.

First Up

VW 1 wrote:

GAA at county level isn't an elite sport in the sense that the lads go back to work the next day. If they were full time professionals that were in a social bubble with just team mates and family, fine. But taken from the perspective of these new regulations, they are no more elite than a golfer or amateur soccer player.

For GAA, soccer and rugby, "elite" refers to the level of performance. Only the highest levels of those sports will allowed play and only in controlled circumstances. The equivalent in golf is the European or PGA Tour.

All of these are being facilitated for the entertainment of the audience - and the commercial rewards around which they revolve at that level.

Amateur golfers are not among the "elite" of the sport. They play for fun and nobody is watching them. Some people may be confusing high level or "elite" performance with the perception of golf as a socially elite pastime.

xgronkjabv6pcl

First Up wrote: »

Some people may be confusing high level or "elite" performance with the perception of golf as a socially elite pastime.

Nobody is that confused. It's 2020 not 1970.

blue note

VW 1 wrote: »

GAA at county level isn't an elite sport in the sense that the lads go back to work the next day. If they were full time professionals that were in a social bubble with just team mates and family, fine. But taken from the perspective of these new regulations, they are no more elite than a golfer or amateur soccer player.

What you say about them going to work the next day is very relevant to whether or not the gaa should be allowed. I would have thought that LOI would be in the same boat though? Are those lads fully professional?

Regardless of whether the LOI lads are or not, the best comparison for the gaa is comparing them to the club players who are not allowed to play. The only difference between the club and intercounty players are that hundreds of thousands of people want to see them play (I'm ignoring the fact that people do go to club games, because they don't in numbers that would have any chance of justifying them playing). They might also want to not see them play because they don't want the virus to spread.

You should look at the reason they're going ahead instead of trying to decide what elite means. You can put whatever words you like on it, but the reason gaa is being looked at on it's own is because it is different to other amateur sports. Because of the interest in it from a fan point of view.

boardise

Jordy Fancy Relaxation wrote: »

Nobody is that confused. It's 2020 not 1970.

Still comments around boards alleging that golf is the preserve of the wealthy ..a recent one I saw said it was the top 10% !
Old stereotypes are most persistent...as the saying goes 'give a dog a bad name '.
The perpetually resentful and socially inadequate we have always with us.

GreeBo

Seve OB wrote: »

Groundstaff work is now at its quietest time of the year, grass stops growing, little maintenance. My bro in law is a greenkeeper and he calls himself a glorified grass cutter. Anyway, their salaries are boxed off by subs, and we know that golf clubs this year aren't short of subs.

It's the restaurant staff I feel sorry for. And the restaurant bar business within the club's. If they are all part of the club, the chances are revenues are not down enough for the club's to qualify for twss and ewss.

If proshops close they can go on the pup, no different to when they did back in April.

Winter is just as busy for us, its when all the large scale works are done like irrigation, drainage, bunker remodeling, tee remodeling, tree pruning etc as the lads aren't cutting grass all day

GreeBo

boardise wrote: »

Still comments around boards alleging that golf is the preserve of the wealthy ..a recent one I saw said it was the top 10% !
Old stereotypes are most persistent...as the saying goes 'give a dog a bad name '.
The perpetually resentful and socially inadequate we have always with us.

Clearly those people haven't seen the hoodies!

First Up

Jordy Fancy Relaxation wrote:

Nobody is that confused. It's 2020 not 1970.

Some posters here seem to be.

Seve OB

GreeBo wrote: »

Winter is just as busy for us, its when all the large scale works are done like irrigation, drainage, bunker remodeling, tee remodeling, tree pruning etc as the lads aren't cutting grass all day

Fair enough but I was trying to address the PUP question. I was on the course while trying!
Actually the way I have been playing I kinda hope they shut us down

But back to the PUP etc. Golf and employees in golf are no different to any other business. In fact they are probably better off than a lot.

1 of 7

Looks like no decision today from the GUI, It will run until tomorrow.

Whiplash85

https://twitter.com/GUIGolf/status/1318604540279771136

Clear as mud

newport2

https://twitter.com/GUIGolf/status/1318604540279771136?s=20

Update from GUI on Twitter that they've no update, but will be letting clubs know.

Before, they were saying it would be issued on Golfnet, now they are saying clubs will be contacted

fred funk }{

There must be some negotiation going on, which is a very good thing, otherwise they would have come out and announced golf was gone this morning.