I’m about 45 mins south of Rockford. In Sandwich, IL.
Chicago area thread (Northern IL, Milwaukee, Northern Indiana too)
Definitely not a fan of the governor but I’m just glad we’re able to get out, gonna try to get out the first weekend as who knows if he’ll cancel it again like last time we could golf then couldn’t .
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Well I got an email yesterday that our Tuesday night will not start when the restriction are relaxed on 5/1.
We haven't been told under what scenario we could start up this year.
Mt. Prospect has made some times available on 5/1 for Tee Times
Green Fees were "In Line"
We haven't been told under what scenario we could start up this year.
Mt. Prospect has made some times available on 5/1 for Tee Times
Green Fees were "In Line"
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2015
- Messages
- 15,569
- Reaction score
- 10,560
- Location
- Arlington Heights, IL
- Handicap
- 17
Here is a better Post:
Course owners chafe at limited golf
[Your Name Here]
Reporting from Chicago
Monday, April 27, 2020
Golfers will be allowed to play the game they love beginning Friday.
The lifting of the COVID-19-related ban on golf doesn’t mean course owners are happy.
Rather, they’re gritting their teeth as they open their courses, though not their clubhouses.
“We’re in the red with twosomes and no carts,” said Brian Broderick, owner of Carriage Greens Country Club in Darien. “We’ll be able to get 80 to 100 players a day on the course.”
With 15-minute intervals between twosomes, that means an early start and some nine-hole rounds. But Broderick reports his first three days, beginning Friday, are sold out.
Mark Haines, owner of Lincoln Oaks Golf Course in Crete, knows his regulars have been playing in Indiana. His course is two miles from the border. He’s done the same thing.
“Two weeks ago, I played White Hawk in Indiana,” Haines said. “There were 176 cars in the lot, and 103 had Illinois plates. They’re still going to hop the border now, because they can play foursomes.
“As a whole, my regulars are going to Indiana once a week. They play here three times a week.”
Haines saw no reason for foursomes to be prohibited.
“In golf, you know who you’re with. It’s you and your brother or your friends. There’s not one scenario that tracks COVID-19 back to a golf course. That’s what’s most frustrating about this.”
Haines can move 28 to 32 people off the tee in normal times. Only eight will be allowed per hour for the moment. That means no leagues or outings – most of which include lunch before or after, which is essentially out with clubhouses and sit-down restaurants closed. Courses can offer take-away meals, but that’s it. They can’t even sell golf balls. Like Broderick, he’ll be running in the red, but losing less money than if his operation remained completely shuttered.
“We’re all gonna get beat up this year,” Haines said. “In another month or so, it could get really bad. Golf courses today rely on leagues and outings. How can we do leagues with eight players an hour?”
He also saw no reason to prohibit practice.
“It’s asinine,” Haines said. “You can’t go to the practice green or the chipping green. At White Hawk, they had six different stations and you weren’t near anyone. So you can’t properly loosen up.”
Haines wrote on Lincoln Oaks’ Facebook page that it cost him $4,250 to run the course, adding “Allow 4 comes and now we can come close to paying some bills.”
Broderick, who has not laid off any staff, said he applied for the federal small business loan and received $6,000 of the $55,000 he requested. He said it costs $2,000 a day to run Carriage Greens.
The angst with the 33 regulations carries over to the private club scene. One club e-mailed its members announcing they could play again, but took a jab at Gov. J.B. Pritzker, calling the rules “very strict and some would say draconian and unreasonable. … It is clear that the Governor’s office is just looking for violations of these rules to shut down golf as they did in March.”
There’s nothing in the two pages of regulations that indicate any such intent, but the frustration factor is high among golfers, club members and course owners.
“They’re bullsh-t, a Band-Aid on a gushing wound,” Broderick said. “These rules are absolutely insane and ridiculous.”
Course owners chafe at limited golf
[Your Name Here]Reporting from Chicago
Monday, April 27, 2020
Golfers will be allowed to play the game they love beginning Friday.
The lifting of the COVID-19-related ban on golf doesn’t mean course owners are happy.
Rather, they’re gritting their teeth as they open their courses, though not their clubhouses.
“We’re in the red with twosomes and no carts,” said Brian Broderick, owner of Carriage Greens Country Club in Darien. “We’ll be able to get 80 to 100 players a day on the course.”
With 15-minute intervals between twosomes, that means an early start and some nine-hole rounds. But Broderick reports his first three days, beginning Friday, are sold out.
Mark Haines, owner of Lincoln Oaks Golf Course in Crete, knows his regulars have been playing in Indiana. His course is two miles from the border. He’s done the same thing.
“Two weeks ago, I played White Hawk in Indiana,” Haines said. “There were 176 cars in the lot, and 103 had Illinois plates. They’re still going to hop the border now, because they can play foursomes.
“As a whole, my regulars are going to Indiana once a week. They play here three times a week.”
Haines saw no reason for foursomes to be prohibited.
“In golf, you know who you’re with. It’s you and your brother or your friends. There’s not one scenario that tracks COVID-19 back to a golf course. That’s what’s most frustrating about this.”
Haines can move 28 to 32 people off the tee in normal times. Only eight will be allowed per hour for the moment. That means no leagues or outings – most of which include lunch before or after, which is essentially out with clubhouses and sit-down restaurants closed. Courses can offer take-away meals, but that’s it. They can’t even sell golf balls. Like Broderick, he’ll be running in the red, but losing less money than if his operation remained completely shuttered.
“We’re all gonna get beat up this year,” Haines said. “In another month or so, it could get really bad. Golf courses today rely on leagues and outings. How can we do leagues with eight players an hour?”
He also saw no reason to prohibit practice.
“It’s asinine,” Haines said. “You can’t go to the practice green or the chipping green. At White Hawk, they had six different stations and you weren’t near anyone. So you can’t properly loosen up.”
Haines wrote on Lincoln Oaks’ Facebook page that it cost him $4,250 to run the course, adding “Allow 4 comes and now we can come close to paying some bills.”
Broderick, who has not laid off any staff, said he applied for the federal small business loan and received $6,000 of the $55,000 he requested. He said it costs $2,000 a day to run Carriage Greens.
The angst with the 33 regulations carries over to the private club scene. One club e-mailed its members announcing they could play again, but took a jab at Gov. J.B. Pritzker, calling the rules “very strict and some would say draconian and unreasonable. … It is clear that the Governor’s office is just looking for violations of these rules to shut down golf as they did in March.”
There’s nothing in the two pages of regulations that indicate any such intent, but the frustration factor is high among golfers, club members and course owners.
“They’re bullsh-t, a Band-Aid on a gushing wound,” Broderick said. “These rules are absolutely insane and ridiculous.”
I'm playing at Highland Woods on Friday. Not my top choice but it's close and I can at least get out for a round.
I was talking to a friend who has a membership at private club trying to see if he had time that we could go knowing all the public courses are gonna be crazy, he said at this moment (which was a few days ago) his club is not allowing any guests at this time.
Sooooo my friend that booked us just got the following email from Highland Woods. The tee time was originally booked via phone. Makes zero sense and they wouldn't even hold the the time for us. I'm going to institute a lifetime ban on this course if we don't get to play Friday.
dhartmann34
Well-known member
Doesn't surprise me. I see most private courses doing that so they can get as many of their private members out as they can.
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True, didn’t think of that, wonder if they’d do same if 4 zones were allowed?
dhartmann34
Well-known member
I would say yes because most private courses there are not really tee times... Not to mention they know the clientele, whereas they have no idea who's walking in as a guest. But either way, we need foursomes back.
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dhartmann34
Well-known member
With all of this rain....I don't think courses will be opening on the 1st. 4+ inches here already and still raining.
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That about sums up the start of 2020 doesn’t it!
🌧
This is seriously depressing. I was so excited to get a tee time for Friday and this damn rain has been non stop for like 18 hours. I'm hoping it somehow dries out a bit tomorrow.
Has anybody noticed what Klein Creek Golf Course is asking for tee times in the morning most days. $195 for 18 walking, somebody is smoking some real funny wacky weed to think anybody would pay that kind of fee to play that course. Wow!!! :laughing:
dhartmann34
Well-known member
Wow I was shocked when I saw this! I’m pretty sure it has to be a computer glitch somewhere as they have other tee times at $55. I talked to them at the Chicago golf show and they seemed intent on fixing the issues they have had there the past few years.
What the heck is going on at Harborside International? Chicago Tribune is reporting they were forced to close on Thursday.
www.chicagotribune.com
Mayor’s office closes Cook County Forest Preserve golf courses within city limits for the remainder of May
Chicagoans have to leave the city to play golf. The mayor's office has ordered the shutdown of Harborside, Indian Boundary, Billy Caldwell and Edgebrook.
dhartmann34
Well-known member
City of Chicago rules are making them close I'm sure...What the heck is going on at Harborside International? Chicago Tribune is reporting they were forced to close on Thursday.
Mayor’s office closes Cook County Forest Preserve golf courses within city limits for the remainder of May
Chicagoans have to leave the city to play golf. The mayor's office has ordered the shutdown of Harborside, Indian Boundary, Billy Caldwell and Edgebrook.
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That much I assumed, but why? I know Mayor Lightfoot has gotten very aggressive with the social distancing thing.
dhartmann34
Well-known member
I believe the other courses in the city are closed as well right? So maybe there were some rumblings? Or maybe she had eyes on the course that saw some not so social distancing and she decided to lay down the hammer? Either way, I'm sure she's trying to flex her power. Is that good or bad? Depends on who you ask I suppose.
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Yep, its supposed to be all city of Chicago courses closed.... Cog hill is still open so suburbs aren't affected
And yea its 100% her trying to flex her power and stay in the media
All the City Park district courses are closed but Forest Preserve courses in Chicago are open ie Indian Boundary and Billy Caldwell. That just goes to show that not everyone is on the same page.
Played the Straits today. 37°
I don't think many people can say they played this course by themselves. We were one of two foursomes that played all day never saw another person
It was cold and windy but had fun with a great group of buddies!
2nd round of the year and happy with the 92 I shot
I don't think many people can say they played this course by themselves. We were one of two foursomes that played all day never saw another person
It was cold and windy but had fun with a great group of buddies!
2nd round of the year and happy with the 92 I shot
dhartmann34
Well-known member
That's golfnow. Check the course's website. It's all good on there.
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