Golf Courses In Wales Allowed To Re-Open
Courses will be re-opening in Wales this weekend, having been closed since pre-Christmas
Courses will be re-opening in Wales this weekend, having been closed since pre-Christmas
Golf Courses In Wales Allowed To Re-Open
Golfers in Wales are set to get back out onto the course tomorrow after changes to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Outdoors sports will re-open on Saturday, with things like golf, basketball and tennis all being allowed.
It remains to be seen whether four balls will be allowed straight away, with the guidance currently saying that four people from two households will be able to meet outdoors to socialise.
The current stay at home requirement is changing to stay local, with the term 'local' expected to be five miles.
"The rule of thumb is that you should think of local as a five-mile radius from where you live but if you live in a valleys community or a rural area you can exercise your judgement and go a little bit further," First Minister Mark Drakeford said.
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Self-contained accommodation is set to re-open from 27th March, offering up the prospect of a golf holiday.
Related: Golf Holidays in Wales - Our top destinations
Pro shops will be opening on 12th April, just like in England.
Courses in Wales have been closed since before Christmas.
Whilst this is fantastic news for golfers, it does appear to be very short notice for clubs and greenkeepers who will be working frantically today to get facilities and systems ready for the return of the sport.
Mark Drakeford is making the announcement at his lunchtime Welsh Government press conference from 12.15pm.
We wait for the full guidance from Welsh Golf, which should tell us more about whether four balls will be allowed and if driving ranges will be opening as well.
This update means that, from Saturday, it will be just England and Northern Ireland where golf cannot be played in the UK.
England's courses are opening on 29th March, whilst there is no current date for Northern Ireland.
Scottish golfers are now allowed to play in four balls after an update from Scottish Golf.
Related: Golf in England post-lockdown: All you need to know
Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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