The golf industry is working together to develop a responsible ‘Back2Golf’ guidelines and operations playbook for golf facilities, golf organizations, and golfers to promote a safe and healthy return to the game.
The Back2Golf industry initiative is a collaborative effort by the PGA of America, the USGA, The National Golf Course Owners Association, The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the World Golf Foundation, the National Golf Foundation, and the Club Managers Association of America.
The Back2Golf initiative is designed to guide how to safely and responsibly operate golf facilities during the coronavirus pandemic while also helping to protect golfers, staff, and their communities.
The initiative includes guidelines and best practices for golfers, golf facilities, and golf organizations on creating a safe and healthy environment while still having a great day of golf.
The Back2Golf guidance covers social distancing, facility operations, customer service and communication, golf course maintenance, and environmental health and safety.
The guidance is designed to be flexible and is intended to be updated as conditions and local regulations evolve. The Back2Golf initiative is being rolled out in three phases.
The first phase is the development of the guidelines and best practices.
The second phase is the implementation of the guidelines and best practices at golf facilities across the country.
The third phase is the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the guidelines and best practices to ensure their effectiveness.
The Back2Golf initiative is an important step in helping to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the game of golf.
By following the guidelines and best practices outlined in the Back2Golf initiative, golfers, golf facilities, and golf organizations can help to create a safe and enjoyable environment while still enjoying the game of golf.
As part of an industry-wide collaboration to lead the responsible return of golf during the COVID-19 pandemic, the game’s allied organizations have established “Back2Golf,” a plan outlining operational guidelines for golf’s 16,000-plus facilities that adhere to nationally established protocols and best practices.
After review from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), golf leaders, and medical experts, the game’s national organizations have adopted a three-phase approach for careful reopening, focused on prolonged social distancing and enhanced sanitization practices.
Using measures set by the CDC and the Federal Government’s “Guidelines for Opening Up America Again” plan, the recommendations will progress at various paces depending on geographic location.
“The Back2Golf Playbook and Guidelines that the PGA of America and golf’s allied organizations have put together are both comprehensive in nature and, most importantly, lay out a responsible way to get back on the golf course,” said Dr. Bradley Connor, clinical professor of medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical College and an attending physician at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell campus.
“The guidelines emphasize social distancing and other preventative measures in alignment with the plan established by the Federal Government and CDC. Golf is a terrific recreational outlet that offers several physical and mental health benefits.
