Confirmed: Golf Coaching Permitted Again

Golf lessons are now allowed as long as hygiene and social distancing measures are followed

Confirmed: Golf Coaching Permitted Again

The golf industry has been seeking advice from the UK government on whether lessons can continue after courses in England have been allowed to re-open this week.

The answer is that coaching and lessons can recommence on a one-on-one basis as long as social distancing can be adhered to.

Lessons must take place outside and under strict infection-control measures whilst observing social distancing rules of two metres between pro and client.

In a joint statement from the golf industry, including The R&A, England Golf and the PGA, professionals have been told that they must enforce strict hygiene measures.

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They have also been recommended to complete a comprehensive risk assessment and refer to the coaching guidelines on the PGA COVID-19 resource hub.

To conduct lessons safely, professionals will be adhering to the measures recommended by the golf industry, which include -

• If using a practice ground or similar, create a 2 metre exclusion zone around the lesson tee/golfer that no one enters
• If you have to move a player into position, use an alignment stick, which is easy to wipe down with a sanitising wipes before and after the lesson
• Wash hands with soap and water before and after the session
• Provide sanitising wipes for you and your golfers
• Offer short game coaching sessions that allow the golfers to use their own golf balls, that way they are not sharing equipment that other people have touched
• Take flags out of the holes on practice areas

As well as allowing lessons to continue, the latest advice from the golf industry says that pro shops and golf retail outlets must remain closed after advice from the government.

Staff are allowed access to pro shops to organise deliveries, answer phone calls and help take bookings, but the shops must remain closed to customers.

Click and collect services are allowed.

The golf industry is now seeking to gain further clarification from the government on whether driving ranges can re-open.

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