Province’s Open For Summer plan means slight changes for golfers

By Dale Woodard on May 27, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDsports@lethbridgeherald.com

The announcement of the province’s three-stage Open For Summer plan is being felt somewhat on the links.

With COVID-19 numbers on the decline and vaccinations on the upswing, Alberta premier Jason Kenney rolled out stage 1 of his plan of attack on the pandemic with the hopes of having the province completely open by late-June or early-July.

For golfers, that now means teeing it up in a foursome of their choosing.

With the COVID numbers rising a little over two weeks ago, the province cracked down on golfing foursomes, keeping it to members of the same household or two close contacts if a person lives alone.

“It just means we’re back to foursomes, that’s pretty much it for stage 1” said Paradise Canyon Golf Resort executive professional Matt Barkway. “The last restrictions was cohorts and families only. So this one takes us back to being able to do golf lessons in a group up to 10 with distancing outside. We can play in foursomes again. That’s pretty much it for the first couple of weeks.”

The previous guidance for sport, fitness and recreation will still be applicable, meaning carts can be used by one individual only or can be shared by members of the same household.

The start date for stage 2 is expected in mid-June, but depends on vaccination levels of 60 per cent for Albertans 12-and-over who have received single dose and hospitalizations below 500 and declining.

“We’re only booking a week in advance right now where our normal booking policy for our members is two weeks,” said Barkway. “We’re just trying to be as flexible as we can to get back to normal sooner rather than later. There are still some ‘maybe’s’ involved. If we get the threshold of 60 per cent vaccinated and if we’re under 500 (hospitalized).

Barkway said the majority of Paradise Canyon Golf Resort’s tournaments are on hold for now.

“Most of the ones in May and June are pushed until July, August and September. We’re hoping to do something and it looks we should be able to.

“But it’s assuming everything goes as smoothly as planned.”

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