Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker has been a proactive governor during the crisis, issuing early stay-at-home orders to protect citizens and require them to remain home.
Governor Baker 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. Golf courses were not considered essential, requiring them to close.
However, Massachusetts golf courses can once again open thanks to changes made by Governor Baker expected today.
According to MassLive, golf courses will be allowed to open immediately, but most courses will re-open on Friday. Golf courses will be allowed to re-open provided courses follow restrictions of his plan.
Massachusetts was the final state to re-open golf courses after a governor issued a statewide order to close courses.
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.
More restrictions will be released, many of which have become common around the country.
This is great news for golfers in Massachusetts, as the state joins a growing group allowing golf courses to re-open after being closed for several weeks. Wisconsin re-opened on April 24. Minnesota announced a reversal of previous closures. Maine, Illinois, Nevada and Pennsylvania courses re-open on May 1. New Jersey courses re-open May 2. Washington golf courses re-open on May 5. New Hampshire courses re-open on May 11.
