Parliament To Debate Re-Opening Golf Courses In England

Parliament will debate a petition on re-opening golf courses next week after it received over 130,000 signatures

Parliament To Debate Re-Opening Golf Courses In England

Golf courses in England are set to re-open on 29th March, although there looks to be a chance of them opening earlier.

That's because is has been confirmed that parliament will debate the petition to 'allow golf to be played with appropriate safety measures.'

The petition received over 130,000 signatures and will be debated on 22nd March.

Whether the debate does anything to speed up golf's return, which is due just a week later anyway, we don't know.

The debate will be able to watch live on the UK Parliament YouTube Channel.

The petition was launched in January after courses were forced to shut, with it saying: "The risk of Covid transmission is lower outdoors, so there is no reason for golf to be stopped. It provides important exercise for many people and has numerous mental health benefits. Don’t allow golf to be stopped."

The government responded to the petition on 18th January, saying: "Sport is crucial for our mental and physical health. That’s why we have continued to make sure that people can exercise. Given the seriousness of the current situation golf courses have had to close."

Related: 6 positives to come from golf's Covid-19 lockdown

As things stand, golf is allowed to be played in both Scotland and Wales now, with Scotland's courses being open since May last year and Wales' courses opening last week for the first time since pre-Christmas.

Golfers in England are eagerly anticipating the 29th March when four balls will immediately return, although could golf be opening sooner?

We'll know more after the debate on Monday.

It is worth mentioning that the 'rule of six' is returning outdoors on 29th March, so golf would only be allowed for two balls if it were to open earlier than that date - and that may cause clubs issues in terms of tee booking.

Outdoor food and beverage will continue on 12th April according to the current roadmap, which is the same date as to when pro shops will also be opening.

In Northern Ireland, it was recently announced that golf courses will be opening on 1st April.

Related: Golf in England post-lockdown: What you need to know

Do you think the petition will allow golf to open sooner? Let us know on social media