Nevada governor Steve Sisolak has been a proactive governor during the crisis, issuing early stay-at-home orders to protect citizens and require them to remain home.
Governor Sisolak issued a stay-at-home order early on, requiring non-essential businesses to close and citizens to stay at home unless they had to go obtain emergency services, get food, get light exercise or work at an essential business.
After a few days of the initial order, golf courses were allowed to remain open. But on April 8, Sisolak decided to close golf courses again, citing pictures and video he had seen of golfers not following safety guidelines.
However, Nevada golf courses can once again open thanks to changes made by Governor Sisolak.
In a new order that will start May 1, golf courses will be allowed to open again. Golf courses will be opening along with other activities, like pickleball and tennis, provided social distancing guidelines are followed.
Courses are required to close gathering spaces, like clubhouses, locker rooms, lounges and the like. Golfers have been required to leave quickly after their rounds. Courses have taken precautions to remove shared surfaces like bunker rakes, ball washers and water coolers. Tee times have been spaced out, and golfers are required to observe social distancing guidelines. Cups and holes will be removed from practice greens.
Further instructions are forthcoming.
This is great news for golfers in Nevada, as the state becomes to seventh to allow golf courses to re-open after being closed for several weeks. Wisconsin re-opened on April 24. Minnesota announced a reversal of previous closures. Illinois and Pennsylvania courses re-open on May 1. New Jersey courses re-open May 2. Washington golf courses re-open on May 5.
